As many of you know, I ran last year in honor of my father-in-law, Richard Siebert, who died after a heroic battle with cancer last year.  On the anniversary of his death, I learned that an old friend from my Rochester, NY days had lost his step-mother, also to cancer.  In an e-mail Rico wrote this: "(Jan was) a wonderful woman. Very religious, never smoked, never drank, was practically a vegetarian, got a mammogram every year. Seems so unfair that a woman who took such great care of herself and others gets destined to such a bleak future. I think of all the stupid crap I've done in my life and wonder how I get off so lucky."

More and more I realize the reason that I run is because I know I've done a lot of stupid crap and to lose great people in our lives really isn't fair. It is with this thought that I will set out on World Run Day (November 7, 2010) to run 10 miles in honor of Jan Griffone, who by all accounts, was a tremendous person and fought her battle with more strength and dignity than I could ever muster.

"Jan (Knight) Griffone, passed away on September 16, 2010 after a Herculean 21 month fight with cancer. She was born on February 11, 1941 in Neotsu, Oregon the oldest child of Bill and Elberta Knight. Her father was a dairyman and logger and her mother stayed home to raise Jan and her two younger brothers.
Jan and Al had a wonderful life together and were married for 35 years.
Jan had the astonishing gift of hospitality and loved to cook wonderful vegetarian meals for large gatherings at her home. She always opened her home to family and friends.
She had a passion for church building and helped to raise and finance many projects through Seniors in Action for God with Excellence (SAGE), in Africa and Central and South America. She was also a remarkable business woman having owned and operated assisted living facilities and a hyperbaric oxygen therapy center.

As a wife she was exciting, loving, passionate and a gift from God. She was the greatest mother, auntie, grandmother and great-grandmother."

All donations will be going to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in her honor.

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