On June 27, 2010 I was at NHMS for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Race.  My friends Mark and Don were visiting from New Mexico.  I took this picture of Don at his friends' Skip and Lisa's camp site prior to the start of the race.

Little did I know then that 15 months later I'd be in the final preparations to run in my first half-marathon or that Don would be gone.  In March of 2011 Don was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer which had already metastasized to his liver.  Don lost his battle on September 24th.  Don's odyssey was an awe-inspiring experience for me.  No matter what happened along the way, Don always kept a positive attitude and lived the life that he had left to the fullest.  

On August 16th I began training with the Runner's Alley Half-Marathon training group.  We are training to run the Seacoast Half Marathon in Portsmouth, NH on November 13th.  This will my first half-marathon.  This process has not always been easy.  There have been days when the last thing I wanted to do was go out and train.  There were times when it just plain hurt and I didn't want to run another step.  But I'd think about Don and be inspired to continue.  Whatever discomfort I experience in this process can't compare to the pain experienced by cancer patients and the arduous treatments they endure while fighting this terrible disease.

I've decided to use my first half marathon as a fund raising opportunity. Since Don has been such an inspiration to me I chose to raise funds for his favorite charity, CureSearch. CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation funds and supports children's cancer research and provides information & resources to all those affected by children's cancer.

I will be honored if you decide to support my effort and to honor Don's memory by making a tax deductible donation to CureSearch.

Thanks for your time and consideration,

Rick

P.S. You can follow my training and race efforts via the widget below. I will keep it updated through race day.