The story: In the wake of a terminal diagnosis, Nicholas Colleluori (Hofstra University) at the age of 19 took a public stand against blood cancer by starting the HEADstrong Foundation. The organization rooted in Philadelphia has gained national interest for their commitment to advocating, fundraising and supporting programs to improve the quality of life for those affected by blood cancer and those working towards eliminating it.

I am both honored and excited to have been asked to speak at this year’s gala. The cause has gained national recognition and the gala itself is going to be huge. The timing of the invitation is perfect. The evening will be hosted by Comcast’s Gregg Murphy, who is featuring me on their show “Net Impact” which will air in March just prior to the Gala.

For more on the HEADstrong foundation, the Gala, and many of their other opportunities to become involved, visit them at www.headstrongfoundation.org

I just want to take a few minutes and mention a few quick updates that have unfolded within the last few weeks. Things have been busy, but good busy.  There is a show on Comcast Sportsnet called “Net Impact” that has expressed an interest in telling my story. The show features human interest stories about people and their journey above and beyond sport. I met with show host Gregg Murphy and his camera guy Brian  last week and we shot interviews as well as some training in the pool. The cool thing was that I got to wear a head mounted underwater mini camera. I can’t wait to see how that footage turns out. We will film one or two more sessions over the next couple of weeks and the show should air in March on Comcast Sportsnet. Gregg is a great guy and I am looking forward to our next session. I will keep people posted.

We shot those Net Impact interviews and swim footage at the YMCA in Delaware County PA where I am a longtime member and board member. As it turns out, Gregg Murphy is also on the board of his local YMCA in Gloucester County New Jersey. A couple of days after we filmed, Gregg approached me about being their keynote speaker for the 100 year anniversary celebration of their YMCA. It took me about 6 seconds to think about my answer, after which I responded with an enthusiastic, “I would love to do it. Count me in. And THANKS”. That will be in March and details are still pending. It should be a nice night. And I always welcome the opportunity to connect and network when it comes to the YMCA and all of the good that organization does.

Registration is now OPEN for the Brad Schoener Memorial 5K and Music Marathon which will be held on May 19th. I am directing this race again and hope to treat you all to some new surprises this year – as soon as I figure out what they will be.

I am also working with the legendary and renown band Chico’s Vibe in helping them “orchestrate” a new 5K which will benefit hunger relief. This is still a work in progress and nothing is definitive yet but November 17th, 2012 in Havertown PA is looking very probable. Complete details will be announced once they are confirmed. Expect a FUN event, with registration and timing handled by Tim Krueger’s Run the Day. The band’s front man Dennis Chiccino, and I go back to the mid 1980’s and if the first planning meeting is any indication, this is going to be one heck of a fun trip.

Other than that, not too much is “new”. Training is going well. I feel good. Team in Training is in full swing. Our St. Anthony’s triathlon team is just starting to hit their stride and we started recruitment for the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon this week. Summer will be here before you know it.

Also, to help get you over the winter hump, please don’t forget to visit this year’s Endurance Sports Expo. The Philly area local event will again be held at the Oaks (Pennsylvania) Convention Center the weekend of February 25th and 26th.  Other locations have also been booked in the region. Be sure to visit www.endurancesportsexpo.com for complete details.

I once again can walk above the clouds with clarity and confidence . On January 23rd I had my semi-annual routine blood work with my oncologist. The weeks leading into these appointments are always filled with angst and anxiety for me. I always find myself asking all of the wrong “what if” questions. But I am happy to report that the results were spot on perfect once again. I had a great appointment and chat with my oncologist.

Also, I have just signed on to work with Philly Health Watch and am very much looking forward to this partnership. My regular monthly contribution will probably be centered around multisport racing and training. BUT I will also have the platform to be able to interview and feature some of the amazing individuals and organizations that I am connected to. And will be able to do so via a couple of different media channels. More very soon on this!

My partnership with Philly Health Watch will take on a few different flavors. My regular monthly article will speak to triathlon and multisport racing and training. But I will also have the platform to do a number of different interviews and video spots and will be able to showcase through a number of media channels some of the individuals and organizations that are meaningful to me and who are making a difference in our community and in this world.

I know plate is usually pretty full but sometimes, something grabs you and screams your name to the point you have to grab hold. This partnership is going to be a great one.

Much more detail will follow but be sure to bookmark www.phillyhealthwatch.com and sign up for their newsletter.

Read MORE.

New York, January 7, 2011 – Georgia Cleland, now 28, is the little girl who helped spawn an entire running for charity movement – the largest of its kind in the world. A leukemia patient at age 2, when the chance of survival was just 55 percent, today she ran her first half-marathon with Team In Training, the organization her father founded in her honor 23 years ago.  She ran the Walt Disney World half-marathon.  Thanks to her father Bruce Cleland’s imagination, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training has had a remarkable influence on the world of marathon running and on blood cancer research.

Click here to read this article in its entirety.

Conshohocken, PA (January 3, 2012) – The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training (TNT), the world’s largest and most successful charity endurance sports training program, has been voted Best Charity Training Program in the 2011 Best of Competitor magazine poll.

The winners were chosen by votes from Competitor magazine readers. The results of the annual reader survey will be published in the January 2012 issue of the magazine.

TNT prepares participants to complete a marathon, half marathon, triathlon, or a 100-mile century bikes ride. Participants receive four to five months of training with certified coaches, great choices on travel destinations and all travel arrangements, clinics on nutrition, hydration, injury prevention and the camaraderie of a TEAM. In return, participants raise funds to advance blood cancer research and provide services for patients and their families.

Since its inception in 1988 more than a half a million participants have raised more than $1.2 billion to support the LLS mission to cure blood cancers and improve the quality of lives of patients and their families.

“Competitor magazine is a leading voice in endurance sports, and its readers have their fingers on the pulse of what programs and services provide the highest caliber of training and the best overall experience for participants,” said Kaitlin McCartan, Campaign Director of the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter. “We are truly honored that Competitor’s  readers have voted Team In Training as their favorite program.”

Teams are now forming for the summer season, which includes St. Luke’s Half Marathon, Lake Tahoe Century Bike Ride, Rock “n” Roll Marathon and Half Marathon in San Diego, Lake Placid Marathon and Half, and Philadelphia Triathlon. For additional information, please call the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter at (610) 238-0368; or visit www.teamintraining.org/epa.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
 
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada including the Eastern Pennsylvania chapter. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

“Enlightened Perspective”
By Andy Rooney

I’ve learned…. That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned…. That when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes my day.

I’ve learned…. That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned…. That being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned…. That you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned…. That I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned…. That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned…. That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned…. That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned…. That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned… . That we should be glad God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.

I’ve learned…. That money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned…. That it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned… That under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned…. That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned…. That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned…. That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned…. That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned…. That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned.. That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned… That life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned…. That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned…. That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned…. That I wish I could have told my Mom and Dad that I love them one more time before they passed away.

I’ve learned…. That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned…. That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned…. That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned …. That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned …. That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

ChesapeakeMan Aquabike – Interested in challenging yourself but don’t want to run the marathon? Then the Aquabike is for you! The Aquabike encompasses the 2.4-mile Swim in Hambrooks Bay and the 112 miles of cycling through the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. The race finishes at the transition area where the full distance ChesapeakeMan competitors will continue on with the run.

Skipjack 75.2 Triathlon – The Skipjack Triathlon will start at 8:10am with one loop of the 1.2 mile ChesapeakeMan swim course in Hambrooks Bay. After a quick transition (skipping the changing tent) and saddling up for the 64-mile first loop of the ChesapeakeMan bike course, there will be an out and back 10-mile run. The Skipjack Triathlon is the perfect event to end your season or to use as training for a long distance event.

Bugeye Sprint Triathlon – The Bugeye Sprint Triathlon will start at 9:45 am with one 800 yard loop of in Hambrooks Bay. Skip the changing tent and begin the 15 mile first leg of the Ultra and Skipjack bike routes. Transition at Cambridge South Dorchester High School and begin the 3.1 mile out and back run on Egypt Road. The Bugeye Sprint is a fabulous way to conclude a summer of training for your first triathlon, or to have some fun while friends or family are participating in the longer events in the festival.

CLICK FOR MORE AND TO REGISTER.

Welcome to the 4th Annual Brad Schoener Memorial 5k Walk & Run.

This is a two loop run course, (or one loop walk) in beautiful Arlington Cemetery, the resting place of Upper Darby’s beloved band director, Brad Schoener.

Along the course, runners and walkers will be treated to live music by some of Brad’s students and friends. After the race enjoy more live music right across the street at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center at the Music Marathon to benefit the Brad Schoener Fund.

Participation in this event has grown steadily over the last three years. We encourage everyone to register EARLY to guarantee your slot as we may sell out by race day.

** NEW THIS YEAR – Registration and race number pick up will also be available at Arlington Cemetery, (Toppitzer’s Funeral Home building; 2900 State Road, Drexel Hill PA 19026) on Friday May 18, 2012 from 4-7 PM.

Race day number pickup and registration will be held from 8:00 – 9:30 AM at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, (601 Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA 19026).

Click HERE to register.

Contact – Steve Brown – 267.496.7866

By Craig T. Williams

“I dare greatly, and I shall live as no ordinary man bound by a game of chance.”
 –Dr. John Baxter Taylor, Jr.

Muhammad Ali. Jackie Robinson. Dr. John Baxter Taylor, Jr. The first two names need no introduction. The latter, Dr. Taylor, may not have been a three-time World Heavyweight Champion or dominate in six World Series, but his accomplishments are stunning: Dr. Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic Gold medal. Dr. Taylor is little known; his obscurity perpetuated further by the fact that the great Olympian Jesse Owens is often accredited with Dr. Taylor’s landmark Olympic achievement.

In The Olympian: An American Triumph, author Craig T. Williams reintroduces Dr. Taylor’s story from standout talent at his high school in Philadelphia to winning Olympic Gold at the 1908 games in London, some 50 years after the abolishment of slavery in the States. A work of historical fiction, Williams took what little facts remained about Dr. Taylor’s life to unearth a forgotten hero, one who left a deep footprint on the history of sports and was a key figure in fueling progress at a time of great racial divide.

 “In the Progressive Era, African Americans were no longer slaves but, in many ways, they were not truly free. This circumstance provided an opportunity for African Americans to dream big and test the boundaries of what freedom meant for them,” says Williams. “Dr. Taylor was an individual who was never content to listen to others’ opinions of his abilities – not as an athlete, a student, or as a man.”

 What may be even less known about Dr. Taylor is his heroics off the field, where he triumphed over obstacles of inequality as a graduate of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. He also became a member of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, the first African American professional organization in the country.

 “Dr. Taylor’s Olympic achievement is only the tip of the iceberg that makes him a fascinating and heroic figure,” informs Williams. “It is his ability to transcend the culture of the times in his non-athletic life, as a doctor of veterinary medicine, and the choices that he made in spite of harsh realities that make him a hero.”

 Weaving a forgotten piece of U.S. history into the greater tapestry of American myth, themes in The Olympian include:

· From standout student-athlete to Olympic Gold Medalist to doctor of veterinary medicine – an in-depth look at the makings of an American hero.

· A country in transition – after Emancipation but before the Civil Rights Movement, the Progressive Era provided an opportunity for African Americans to test the boundary of what freedom meant for them, and more specifically:

· A man who did just that, who cared little for the limitations that were set for him and faced adversity head-on
“His perseverance and belief in the human spirit paved the way for future generations of heroes, and retains the power to inspire us today,” adds Williams.

About the Author:
A successful entrepreneur with ventures in several industries, New Jersey native Craig. T Williams’ true passion is storytelling, unearthing stories of little known heroes from diverse backgrounds. His signature approach blends historical figures within a mythological framework, changing they way one looks at past and present heroes. The Olympian is Williams’ first novel. Vintage World is a multimedia art and entertainment company established to commemorate stories of forgotten heroes. He currently resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Andrea, and their daughter, Alexa.

For more information and to purchase the book, please visit www.theolympian.net and www.amazon.com. Publisher: iUniverse