For the last several weeks I have had this sad and recurring thought. I guess it’s more of a wish than anything else. I wish I could have a catch with him. I wish I was standing on our front lawn on Malvern Road in Ardmore Pennsylvania throwing a baseball with my dad.

It’s something we did all the time. It seems like we did it every night when I was a kid. In reality we probably did do it any night that I didn’t actually have a baseball game … that he coached. He was a good man, and was loved by many people…

I am recycling something I wrote shortly after he passed …

Up until recently, I had a pretty good understanding of what it meant to be an “Ironman”. I knew they came in all ages, shapes and sizes but after all was said and done, at the end of the day, I knew an ironman to be someone who crossed the finish line after 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running.  And whether you cross that line in 8:30, or 16:59:59, an ironman is an ironman. This definition changed for me in the summer of 2005.

My dad was 82 years old and never competed in a triathlon. My dad had only a very basic understanding of what a triathlon even is. But he knew that I loved the sport, and for that reason, it interested him. He probably hadn’t done any running since his days in WWII. He probably only biked as a kid for transportation and fun. And I’m sure he, like most people, believed that man was not born an amphibious creature and pools were meant for relaxing and cooling off – not for laps. Still, my dad was more of an ironman than I will ever be.

My dad had undergone surgery to remove a tumor in his chest cavity. Surgery itself was successful, but recovery had been a long, rough road. ICU became our base camp for two months.

With each visit to the hospital, I stared at him in amazement. He had his share of ups and downs. Additional procedures were required to handle multiple postoperative complications. Dad did not like hospitals and did not like to be dependent on anyone. So, you can imagine his frustration being in an intensive care unit for so long with all kinds of tubes running in, out, and all around him. He continued to press on. He continued to fight. Even in his times of frailty and weakness, his strength was apparent. He continued to press on even while he was resting. I could feel his determination to get the heck out of that hospital.

Dad fought an amazing fight. But all great fighters and superstars must reach the twilight of their career. It’s a part of the cycle.  Although dad’s will and determination remained as tough as nails until the end, the physical body knew that it was time.  And on Friday, August 5, with a room full of family by his side, dad was finally able to get his rest, and his peace, with the dignity that he deserved. He crossed the eternal finish line. He crossed a finish line with far greater rewards and a much bigger celebration than I’ve ever seen. And I know when it’s my turn to cross that same finish line, dad will be there to lead the cheers of the crowd and bring me home.

I learned more about my dad in those two months than I had in the 45 years that I’d known him. I have always known him to be strong, yet very caring and sensitive. But it wasn’t until recently that I began to fully understand the depths of his strength. I now have a better understanding of the man who earned a Purple Heart in the War, and the man who always remained loyal and committed to family.  I better understand the man who always did everything within his power to provide a safe and happy existence for his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

I saw a man whose credo was the same as that of the ironman – “To fight…to finish”.

Donations can be made by clinking HERE. And thank you all again.

David McCarthy
Dean Wesley
Dennis J Houseman
Ernest Quatrani
Catherine Donovan
Carol Ritter
Diane McGill
Erin Markham
Myfanwy Bonilla
Alan Morrison
Jane Mensack
Doreen Cannon
Erick Gavalis
Jerome Zurek
Kevin Carroll
Allison Karpinski
Susan Thornton
Ann Godley
Kay and Carter Craigie
David McCanney
Ted Metellus
Joseph Boylan
Dominic Durbano
David Dixon
Judith Gladden
Denise Gormley
Terri Sandman
Thomas & Theresa Snyder
Ann Murtaugh
Columbia Triathlon Association
Tim and Midge Kerr
Brian Gast
Jon Reichlin
Joe Uphoff
Lisa Tegler
Linda Rollo
Jen Schoener
Rhonda Cohen
Terry Snyder
Joan Rulli
Lisa Cicatiello

A message from the parents of Taylor Love …

Taylor’s Story

Taylor Nicole Love was born June 27th, 2005 a beautiful, blue-eyed, blonde-haired baby girl. Her sparkling blue eyes told us she would be a charming, joyful sister to her brothers Adam and Kyle. As she sang and danced in anticipation of Christmas 2006, we noticed a bruised and apparent lazy eye. First a visit to her pediatrician followed by a trip to an ophthalmologist led us to our eventual nightmare. On December 12, 2006 our 18 month old baby girl was hospitalized and diagnosed with stage IV, high risk neuroblastoma a deadly cancer with no known cure. She had a tumor on her left adrenal gland, a tumor behind each eye and disease in her bone marrow. We would now learn what a horrible, aggressive and relentless disease this is.

Since her diagnosis Taylor has endured countless procedures, biopsies, blood transfusions and stays in the hospital. She has undergone 7 rounds of high dose chemotherapy, a surgery to remove the tumor in her abdomen and a stem cell harvest. She has completed 4 rounds of a phase I clinical trial which included immunotherapy treatment and IV radiation. She had undergone radiation treatments to her head, orbits and abdomen and is currently undergoing treatment in a phase II antibody trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC.

Even as these treatments beat down her body, Taylor amazes us with her strength, courage, and contagious spirit. We continue to be inspired by our sweet little angel, with her sparkling blue eyes and cheerful smile. Watching Taylor play with her brothers and listening to her sing gives us the hope and strength we need to walk down this long uncertain road.

To learn more about Taylor and neuroblastoma, including ways you can help, please visit www.taylorlove.org
For more on this weekends Splash N’ Dash, please visit www.timkerrcharities.org

In May 2004, Bill Crews finished the worst six months of his life. a competitive swimmer and coach, Crews had been training for his first triathlon when his shoulder got sore. He went to the doctor thinking he had torn a rotator cuff and came out learning he had cancer.

The 37-year-old father of two often rode his bike to his office north of Houston, where he works as a systems advisor. Now he and his wife, Dana-Sue, also a competitive swimmer, would be driving 25 miles back and forth to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Bill had stage-four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an aggressive cancer of the blood that strikes 70,000 Americans annually and kills 20,000. His doctor prescribed chemotherapy that included Rituxan, an immunotherapy that attacks the cancer cells and a highly toxic chemical that cancer patients call “Red Devil,” which must be slowly dripped into the heart through a catheter for 48 hours. Crews could feel each drop of heat in his heart. “I was exhausted and sick,” he says. “I often wondered if I would survive.”

Once the worst of his treatments were over, Dana-Sue urged him to join the runners they had seen in the neighborhood park. Their purple and white shirts said Team in Training. Bald from chemotherapy, Bill was self-conscious about going to a meeting. “It’s the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” Dana-Sue said. “I think they can handle a bald guy.”

Bill discovered that Team in Training (TNT) has trained 360,000 people to compete in endurance events and has raised $850 million in the process. That money had helped fund the advanced chemotherapy that saved his life.

“I left my first meeting with a training group and a support group, one that would help me get my life back,” he says.

Five months later, Bill finished his first sprint triathlon (750-meter swim, 12-mile bike, 3.1-mile run). While undergoing a less intensive form of chemotherapy, he moved up to the Olympic and the half-Ironman distances. In January 2005, he ran the Houston Half-Marathon, and he’s done the full 26.2 every year since.

Cancer has transformed the entire family. Dana-Sue has written a children’s book explaining how their kids, Morgan and Dylan, helped their dad fight cancer with love and prayers. Her royalties go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She has also started competing in triathlons and marathons and coaches TNT runners. Dylan and Morgan, now 10 and 7, completed their first kids’ triathlon when they were just 7 and 4.

Bill and Dana-Sue are what the society calls “first connectors.” They talk to patients and their families about what to expect. They have created a Web site with a diary of their fight against cancer and have raised $40,000 for the society. Both consider Bill’s cancer a blessing.

“After cancer, you see things a little differently,” Bill says. “We don’t believe that God has caused my cancer but that he’s using it to open doors that never would have been opened before.”

Most notably: the Ironman. In April, Bill and Dana-Sue completed their first 140-mile-long endurance event (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run) in Tempe, Arizona. The temperature for the cycling portion was 95° F, with heavy wind gusts. “People were crashing their bikes and throwing up,” says Dana-Sue. “But it wasn’t nearly as scary as driving home from the hospital on a flooded freeway at night with your husband throwing up out the back window.” Bill came in at 15 hours, 37 minutes, and 55 seconds, about 27 minutes ahead of his wife.

Now 41, Bill is in the best shape of his life. This fall, he’ll run the San Antonio Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and will become a certified triathlon coach. In January, he’ll start coaching for TNT. His sandy hair has grown back, and he sports a graying goatee and a twinkle in his eye. Everything does look a little different after cancer, especially that word on the back of his Ironman T-shirt: Finisher.

After an undetected heart condition claimed the life of 38-year-old Joe Lyons during the 2007 Cohasset Triathlon, no one would have blamed Joe’s widow, Karen, if she distanced herself from the sport.
 
In fact, though she enjoyed an active lifestyle, Karen had never participated in a triathlon.
 
However, that tragedy two years ago actually drove Karen toward the sport, not only as a participant and active member of the multisport community, but also as an advocate for race safety. Ironically, in 2008 Karen, who resides in Newton, Mass., entered her first triathlon at Cohasset, where her husband had died just a year earlier. She has now completed five races, including the Cohasset Triathlon for a second time.
 
“The last two years I’ve been filled with gratitude with the support I’ve received. I look at life, what’s in front of me and walk toward it. I’ve always been that type of person,” says Karen, who is also active in raising funds to fight juvenile diabetes, a disease her son has [check out www.teamlyons.org]. “It’s just how I am. I don’t like to let things sit or go. This is an opportunity to serve others.”
 
For Karen, that service is two-fold: correcting misperceptions about triathlon being a dangerous sport and persuading highly competitive athletes that it’s okay to stop during a race if something doesn’t feel right with their bodies.
 
Karen, 45, was particularly troubled over the past few months when a widely reported medical study concluded that triathlons are particularly dangerous when compared to other endurance events.
 
“The way [the study] was written, it implies novices shouldn’t be in the sport. It suggested you’re better off sitting on the couch than living an active lifestyle,” Karen says. “It also implied races weren’t safe. Saying you could die during a race is like saying you could get hit by a car after the race. Of course both are possible, but they are both also incredibly rare. I have as good a reason as anyone [not to race triathlons]. But I don’t think that’s the answer. Deterring people is not the way to go. It undermines the message that leading an active lifestyle is one of the best ways to stay healthy.”
 
She wants the public to know that triathlon is a great sport, one that builds community, provides an avenue for supporting worthy causes, and promotes a healthy lifestyle. “This sport for me has been such a positive thing. The community, the camaraderie; it’s so inspiring. I can’t imagine saying I’m better off not participating. [Triathlon has] been a wonderful sport for me. I’d like to see more people getting involved. It accommodates everybody. Don’t be frightened by it.
 
“It’s amazing that the sport at the center of this tragedy has also helped my healing. I am grateful for it.”
 
In the face of her enthusiasm, Karen does understand that unsafe physiological conditions can arise during physical activity. So she encourages individuals to take proper precautions before entering this or any physically demanding sport. A checkup from a family doctor is important, she says. But she also recognizes that some individuals have conditions, like her husband’s, that can go undetected even in medical exams. “Most of us don’t get tested if we don’t have a reason,” she says. “You should do that. That’s what Joe did. But what about people, like Joe, who get the ‘all clear’?”
 
To those individuals, Karen recommends a bit more awareness of their own bodies during training and racing. “A lot of us don’t know when to stop. Joe felt that something was ‘off’ during the swim at Cohasset and actually stopped midway to discuss his situation with a lifeguard in a kayak,” Karen recalls. “But, having been told by a doctor that he was healthy and had no cause for concern, he chose to keep going. If he had known, he would have stopped.
 
“You can’t check your commonsense at the starting line. If your body doesn’t feel right, stop. Body awareness is essential. Know to look for it, when you’re feeling different even when you don’t know what it is. It is important to take a reasonable amount of caution.”
 
While her son has yet to race in his first triathlon, Karen has no thoughts of holding him back, and has even considered letting him compete in the Cohasset Triathlon when he turns 13. She has worked hard to ensure that he appreciates the sport and the value of staying active, but more importantly that his father’s death wasn’t due to his racing. “I want my son to know his dad didn’t do anything wrong. It just happened,” she says. “Knowing that, my son is not afraid of the sport or of me participating in it. Things happen; we still keep going. We can do good things even in the face of bad circumstances.”

More than 6,000 runners representing more than 75 charities – both record numbers – aim to raise $21 million at the ING New York City Marathon 2009, which would be an all-time high for the race. The 40th running of the race will be on Sunday, November 1.

Last year, $18.9 million was raised for the 41 charities included in the official NYRR-managed charity program, and since the program’s inception in 2006, nearly $50 million has been raised.

“Raising money for charities to make a difference in the lives of so many is important to our organization,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners and race director of the ING New York City Marathon. “It is our priority to help charities use the platform of the marathon to raise money at a time when it’s a challenge.”

NYRR also joined the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation – a marathon charity since 2006 – in announcing that Matthew Reeve, son of the late Christopher Reeve, will run the ING New York City Marathon 2009 as a part of Team Reeve to support spinal cord research. Reeve, who will be running in his first marathon, will wear bib #1275 to represent the 1.275 million Americans living with spinal cord injury.

“Matthew’s decision to run in the ING New York City Marathon epitomizes everything this race is all about: the triumph of the human spirit against all odds,” Wittenberg said. “The first Sunday in November is always an uplifting day, and we’re thrilled to join Matthew in celebrating his first marathon in New York.”

New for 2009, NYRR has created the “partner” charity level, a mid-level tier that provides charities with more entries and additional runner amenities, such as a VIP bus to the marathon start and access to the new “charity row” tents at the Fort Wadsworth staging area. Partner-level charities will also receive advertising benefits in New York Runner magazine and additional promotion on ingnycmarathon.org.

“Official” charities still refer to those affiliated with NYRR, including NYRR Foundation’s Team for Kids, NYRR’s Champion’s Circle, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Fred’s Team. The “participating” charity level is an entry-level tier that provides the basic elements of the program.

New charities support community outreach, health and fitness, and disease prevention initiatives. Some of the top charities added to the 2009 program include Maasai Wilderness Conservation Fund, whose board president is the actor Edward Norton; Grassroots Soccer, co-founded by Survivor winner Ethan Zohn; the Leary Firefighters Association, founded by actor Denis Leary; and Back on My Feet. Notable New York City charities added to the program include Harlem United Community; Doe Fund ? Ready, Willing, and Able; Rotary Club of New York; and Girls on the Run Manhattan.

A list of the current 2009 charity partners is available at www.ingnycmarathon.org/charities_index.htm.

In recent weeks I have met a few amazing people who are now key foot soldiers in the war against cancers. A couple of weeks ago I spoke of Ethan Zohn who is a professional soccer player, multi sport athlete, and winner of the TV show SURVIVOR – Africa. Ethan is undergoing treatment right now for his recently diagnosed lymphoma and is doing well. He is weak, and tired. But his will is bigger than it has ever been and he is committed to kicking his disease in the butt and moving on with his life. That life also includes running a charitable organization called Grassroot Soccer which raises funds for AIDS awareness and education in Africa. I hope to join Ethan this November where we will race the New York Marathon while raising funds for his charity. Ethan’s site is here – www.ezohn.com

Next there was a young woman named Caroline Cranston. Carolyn came to me through a college friend who is neighbors with Caroline’s family. My college buddy reached out to me explaining that Caroline, a former college lacrosse star, was just diagnosed and could use a friend who understands the process and who could help her build her support team. (As a side note – I totally love when I get these types of requests. I feel that have the opportunity to connect with folks who have been diagnosed has become part of my personal crusade). So, Caroline and I exchanged a few emails and we got to know each other a little bit. She just underwent a BMT (bone marrow transplant) last week and has rounded the corner and is on the mend. Ironically, Caroline’s sister Lauren was racing the Philadelphia Triathlon where I was working all weekend. She made it a point to come up and introduce herself to me, along with her husband and their parents. They are great people. And it is obvious that Caroline has some good teammates in her corner. I am making some arrangements to go to their home and meet Caroline in the coming weeks. A Caring Page has also been set up for her if you would like to follow her progress – http://www.carepages.com/carepages/CarolineGallagherCranston

And then there is Curtis Bronson..aka Curt ….. aka miracle man …..aka … one hell of a great guy. I met Curtis this past weekend at a Team in Training Inspirational dinner where he spoke prior to the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon. 13 years ago Curtis was experiencing flu like symptoms which a few doctors just brushed off prescribing one antibiotic and blood test after another. Then eventually he received a phone call from his doctor instructing him to get to the hospital right away – without even packing a bag were the doctor’s instructions. He was told that the hospital staff was ready and waiting with an available bed. Shortly upon his arrival, Curtis was told that he had cancer which had completely taken over his entire body. Then he was told that he had 48 hours to live – at best. The next day, his docs presented him with a lottery ticket. A new clinical trial had just been made available that had a remote possibility of saving Curt’s life even if temporarily. Wasting no time in choosing between a roll of the dice, and an automatic death sentence, Curt agreed to the trial. The next few years were quite rocky and included a bone marrow transplant, graft versus host disease, two knee replacements, and countless other issues. But, the various treatments ultimately took hold and saved Curt’s life. Today Curt is married with twin boys. He also just completed the Lake Tahoe century bike ride with Team In Training, wanting to give back to an organization that played a big part in saving his life. Next year Curt hopes to complete a marathon with TNT and in 2011 we already hooked him into doing the Philly Triathlon. I spent several hours with Curt this past weekend and I think I laughed 90% of the time we were together. He is one guy who is passionate about life and everyone in it.

These three individuals will be huge assets to the team of people doing their thing and using their tools everyday to make a difference in the lives of others. And I am proud to call them friends.

The event(s) themselves are top shelf to say the least. I have been involved with this since inception and the founders and directors are good friends. I consider this race one of my “give back” events and would rather work it than race it. There is a shorter event or sprint distance race on Saturday and the bigger (and longer) race is Sunday.

The central venue is located on MLK Drive at the base of Black Road not too far from the Art Museum. I will be there all weekend and it is a very exciting thing to watch. Check out complete details at www.phillytri.com and if you aren’t doing anything come down and hang out !

And of course we have the passing of another giant … Gary Papa. I never had the pleasure of meeting Gary personally but was I introduced to him via email by another friend and co-worker of Gary’s at 6 ABC. We were able to exchange a few emails over the last year or so where we discussed disease, cancer, survivorship, and strength. It’s obvious by the reaction to his passing that Gary is another guy who left behind a huge footprint. Gary’s infectious smile and enthusiasm made him a daily part of our lives. I think most people felt as though Gary was a part of their family.

I think often about my own personal footprint. I think it’s what drives me to care and always try to do the right thing. Many many years from now I want to be remembered as having made a difference – somewhere.

Initially I really didn’t have too many personal connections with any of the causes that I participated in but over time, I developed many. That made the events that much more meaningful. But then on February 24, 2006 I was given a whole new reason to tie athletics with a cause and a better understanding of why we do these things. On that Friday afternoon in February, sitting in the office of an oncologist that I had known for one all of week, I was given a cause I can call MY OWN … My very own personal diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia – yeah me !

It was a cause that would forever change me and it wouldn’t take long to realize that it changed me for the better. It’s a cause that the more I sink my teeth into it, the healthier I would be, as would hundreds of thousands of others, and the longer I would live. How powerful of a motivator is that ? It’s like controlling your own destiny.

Oh and by the way, not only do I get be healthier and to live longer, I get to spend time talking, teaching, mentoring, and coaching beginner triathletes and enriching their lives as well. That’s not volunteer work – that’s paradise. So, becoming involved with TNT within days of my diagnosis required absolutely no thought at all. That direction was chosen for me.

The people that I have met along the way have been unbelievable. Survivors …… family of survivors, athletes, coaches, so many other volunteers all working towards a common goal. I get so much out of doing what I do. Thant’s why I feel like I should be paying someone for what I do…. Not being rewarded for it.

LLS and TNT really are like extended family to me…. My fellow coaches and I clown around like brothers and really enjoy each other’s company. Our Campaign Coordinators are the sisters we like to pick on but heavily lean on, and Executive Directors are the parental figures that we try to hide all of our antics from. In all seriousness, family is what keeps me going everyday and I’m proud to be a part of this family.

It’s with everything within me that I thank everyone very sincerely for last night’s recognition. And I look forward to many many more years and miles and races.