Fellow runners,
I am currently a 3rd year student at Georgia Tech, and have
chosen to tackle my first 50 mile event in a unique way. In 12 days from
today, the American Cancer Society is holding the annual Relay for Life on
campus, and I have pledged to log 50 miles minimum at the 12 hour event. I
am a cancer survivor myself (Ewing's Sarcoma, 6 months of chemo in NYC and
another 3 months of radiation in Boston. fun stuff), and would be very
thankful if you considered just reading the following, even though it is
about a page. I really appreciate it! I bet I am not the only person who has
done this however. If you don't know the history of Relay for Life already,
in May of 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon and avid runner,
clocked 83 miles on a Seattle track in a 24 hour window, raising $27,000 to
support the American Cancer Society.
For those who don't know, Relay for Life is an overnight event
that unites our community in a common effort to raise much-needed funds for
cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient services. Every year, the
funds we raise help bring the American Cancer Society one step closer to
eliminating cancer from our lives for good, but we can't stop now. Because
there's no finish line until there's a cure.
This year will be different than last year's relay for me for
the fact that I am attempting 50 miles, and here is the reason why I plan on
doing so. I believe that as a cancer survivor (cancer free for almost 9
years), and as an avid runner myself, I feel that running this distance is
proof that Relay for Life has a significant impact on people like myself.
It is because of research why survival rates are increasing every year,
enabling people like myself to get through such a terrible ordeal. It is
your donation that is going to research and directly affecting people's
lives. Your donation is the reason I am here today, let alone able to run 50
miles. Ten or twenty years ago, this probably wouldn't be the case. But
thanks to those who have donated in the past, many people's lives have
changed; chances are you are one of those people as well. Each donation,
big or small, will make a difference.
So please help me reach my goal of $2,500. I know this goal may
seem high, but I believe with your help, it will be attainable. Even if it
is only $10, every donation makes a difference! To donate, please visit my
page at:
http://www.acsevents.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=80700&u=80700-70548687&e=241263166
I'll see you April 1st!
Sincerely,
Greg Goodson
PS. To those who want to know, I plan on executing an 8/2 run-walk ratio for
the first six hours, and see how I feel from there. I will post to the
message board a few more times before then, and write a report after the
event is done. Thank you guys for being so supportive.