I'm going to do it!

[Lisa]

I've made up my mind. I'm going to build myself up to run a marathon to raise awareness among my family of our genetic history of Kidney Cancer. I now have lost two people, an aunt and a mom, to this disease. I have two cousins fighting stage IV. I have one cousin who was tested positive for the mutation (without evidence of kidney cancer) and I have one other who is suspected of carrying the mutation and is to be tested in November at NIH.

I'm actually on the news tomorrow morning (TV10) to talk about the PSU Football players and their lift for life program and how it has helped us.

I use to jog some years ago. I'm way out of shape. I use to say I would do a marathon before I was 50...I'm 44. I've decided my first goal is to save money to invest in a good pair of running shoes. I have a box on my desk at work to drop a one in here and there (a few coworkers have given me a buck too!) I've set my first level goal to be the Coaches vs. Cancer 5k in April.

If anyone has any advice on how to prepare for such a thing...I'm all ears...and hopefully legs and feet.

Kidney cancer is considered a rare disease. Our subtype is even more rare and possibly one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. There really is no cure but it can be "held at bay." But the medications for the treatment options are really awful..full of side effects. Most will take it though in hopes that it will give them as much time as possible with loved ones. The treatments are very expensive. It could cost someone up to $20,000 a month for one treatment or as low as $6,000 a month for another. Insurances don't always pay for the treatments. But the drug manufactures do have some programs available to help those who needs. They have helped my mom when she was fighting and wanting to try their drug. The medicine has to be so expensive because the drug manufactures do not get government funding for kidney cancer research like they do for breast cancer and others. Because it only affects 20,000 US citizens a year, it's not a priority to them. In the past 6 years, treatment options for kidney cancer has grown from one to 6 approved treatments. This is not enough as most of those treatments will not work for a majority of kidney cancer patients.

PSU Football players do a great job raising funds and awareness for kidney cancer with their Uplifting Athletes organization. They hold the annual lift for life and video game challenge with other chapters across the nation. This past year, they have raised $88,000+ for kidney cancer. If you have never been to the event, next summer check it out!

Oh, enough babbling.

[joltinjeff]

Actually Lisa, I think what you are doing is admirable. Every year when the PSU students are out canning for THON, I constantly give. My daughter is actually planning on doing THON as her senior project! But, I think we can go one better.

How about all the RPers get together and plan a benefit for Kidney Cancer for Lisa. I am sure if I talk to Chris and the other members of No Guarantee, we would want in on the action!!

[VENTGtr]

How about all the RPers get together and plan a benefit for Kidney Cancer for Lisa. I am sure if I talk to Chris and the other members of No Guarantee, we would want in on the action!!

I think this is a great idea. Lisa?

[todd17063]

oK Lisa here ya go. I have ran 2 marathons in my life and this is how i prepared. Well lets just get you to a base conditioning so we can get you to that point. First off you need atleast a year of training to get you to the point of just completing a marathon. For the first two weeks run and walk 2 miles a day, total 8 miles a week. the following two weeks bump it up to 10 miles a week. the goal is to build cardiovascular indurance. your pace when running should be at the point that you could talk to a person while running and not get winded. in the beginning run every other day. by the end of three months you should be at 20 miles a week. Basically at 3 miles a day 7 days a week. By 6 months you need to be at 50 miles a week. by 9 months 75 miles a week and in 1 year between 80 to 100 miles a week. It takes dedication to reach your goal. When i ran marathons i was 19 yrs old and ran competively. you need to just focus on the point of completion and enjoyment of quite an accomplishment. you may want to make any diet changes to more of a carbohydrate , protien based diet. Most of allif you get injured DO NOT try to train while injured, it will only delay your goal. Now i based all this training on the goal of you doing the Harrisburg Marathon in November 2010. Its an easy course that is fairly flat and a good choice for your first marathon.. I kknow this because it was my first marathon. Good luck and if you need any more or have any questions let me know if i can help.

Todd

[Lisa]

Wow Todd....I'm glad I'm starting with 5k first before the marathon. I have years to get to that point! 5K then 10K..etc. I may be in touch with you....you wanna train too?

I appreciate the thought of raising money for kidney cancer. I've done other small fundraisers in conjunction of the Lift for Life with the football team. I've auction cleats of some of those who went to the NFL this year...looking forward to doing it again this year too.

You all know I have the facility to hold 300-400 people if we can do it...I just don't really have the time to put forward to planning it like it should be. If someone wants to do the leg work with it, I can book the facility. I often think though that Houtzdale is not the ideal place for raising funds for charitable activities.....but I can try it again. If you all want to hold something somewhere else, I will not turn it down either. I would ask that you do it and have it go to the Lift for Life and I can even make arrangements for a check presentation at the Blue White game in April.

[Jones]

Count us in for a benefit!

[witchhunt]

For the first two weeks run and walk 2 miles a day, total 8 miles a week.

??????????

[thebattle]

For the first two weeks run and walk 2 miles a day, total 8 miles a week.

??????????

wow and i thought i was bad with math

[todd17063]

my math is based on running every other day... sorry i didn't point that out.

[GoneForever]

my math is based on running every other day... sorry i didn't point that out.

What about the second week?

[Dead34]

Depending on the date, count Represent the Lie in for a benefit - www.representthelie.com just let us know.

Chuck

[Banned]

Lisa, while I commend you on this mission of self-sacrifice I doubt ruining your knees in the process will wake anyone up if their familial medical history hasn't by now.

26+ miles is a lot of hard pavement

[Lisa]

Lisa, while I commend you on this mission of self-sacrifice I doubt ruining your knees in the process will wake anyone up if their familial medical history hasn't by now.

26+ miles is a lot of hard pavement

Proper shoes and proper training will prevent injuries Or so I'm told. If you knew my family...anytime anyone does something like this it spreads like wild fire. But for some reason, the information on the kidney cancer just doesn't go as fast. Who knows....but I will raise money with my runs too somehow. I'm excited about it. My daughter has plans to get my running shoes for xmas.

Dave P has stepped up and will be working on plans for a Kidney Cancer benefit as part of PSU's Lift for Life. I'm excited about it. Thanks Dave.

[Hawk]

I am sorry to hear about the disease in your family.

Just a suggestion. It would be cool if you ran your marathon as a benefit. I would be glad to contribute a donation, which you could pass along to the Penn State thing in your name.

There is no better feeling than being in good physical shape, so the means to the end result should be very rewarding to you. Best of luck !

[songsmith]

I'm sure I could get Mama Corn to particpiate in a benefit for Lisa'a charity. We should sneak up there and play anyway, without a reason. Count me in.--->JMS

[Hawk]

I'm sure I could get Mama Corn to particpiate in a benefit for Lisa'a charity. We should sneak up there and play anyway, without a reason. Count me in.--->JMS

Good idea, I could talk to the Hawks as well.

[Banned]

Lisa, while I commend you on this mission of self-sacrifice I doubt ruining your knees in the process will wake anyone up if their familial medical history hasn't by now.

26+ miles is a lot of hard pavement

Proper shoes and proper training will prevent injuries Or so I'm told. If you knew my family...anytime anyone does something like this it spreads like wild fire. But for some reason, the information on the kidney cancer just doesn't go as fast. Who knows....but I will raise money with my runs too somehow. I'm excited about it. My daughter has plans to get my running shoes for xmas.

Dave P has stepped up and will be working on plans for a Kidney Cancer benefit as part of PSU's Lift for Life. I'm excited about it. Thanks Dave.

Maybe if you continued to run all your life or had years to build up to it, but at the very least this is not good for you. Not good for your middle-aged weight-bearing joints and not good for your heart. Experienced runners DIE during marathons. you are not a spring chicken anymore. 20 yr olds bounce back, not 40 yr olds. they suffer from their physical indiscretions

[songsmith]

No way, man. Running a marathon has to be tough, but hundreds of thousands do it all the time. I think that if she has no pre-existing medical condition that precludes it, she should at least try. Even if she doesn't make it, she learns a LOT about herself.
I was told at age 19 that I could not be a musician because that takes a lot of practice and dedication, and I couldn't do that. That was 26 years ago. 26 years, 26 miles... see the correlation?
Run, Lisa, Run!--->JMS

[witchhunt]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091019/ap_ ... n_deaths_1

[Banned]

No way, man. Running a marathon has to be tough, but hundreds of thousands do it all the time. I think that if she has no pre-existing medical condition that precludes it, she should at least try. Even if she doesn't make it, she learns a LOT about herself.
I was told at age 19 that I could not be a musician because that takes a lot of practice and dedication, and I couldn't do that. That was 26 years ago. 26 years, 26 miles... see the correlation?
Run, Lisa, Run!--->JMS

Everyone over the age of 30 has some form of heart disease. esp true those that have been sedentary for last 20+ yrs. overweight is another risk factor, fast food diet another. the older you are the more heart disease you've accumulated.

you overcoming a statement said to you at age of 19 yrs is not the same thing as encouraging a previously sedentary 45+ yr old to run 26 miles. Not even close. No risk of death or injury from playing the drums.

No one should encourage anyone to take on this risky task, and I strongly suggest she don't do it.

[DrumAndDestroy]

why not walk it? there's no shame in that

[Lisa]

I'm not out to break records. If I can't "run" it to the end, that's fine but I have to at least try it. I'm not set to do it in any sort of record time. I also am aware of limitations that this older, but wiser, body will place upon me. I do appreciate that you care though.

[brian's girl]

i would like to contribute some thing to your cause, as i am a cancer survivor. jeff told me bout your cause at practice and i will do all i can to help. i am not a marathon runner and i'm bit out shape due to nasty smoking habits but any thing else i can do let me know.

chris from no guarantee

[witchhunt]

as i am a cancer survivor. and i'm bit out shape due to nasty smoking habits

[cryssie]

How about all the RPers get together and plan a benefit for Kidney Cancer for Lisa. I am sure if I talk to Chris and the other members of No Guarantee, we would want in on the action!!

I think this is a great idea. Lisa?

As soon as I saw this, that's what I thought, Dave!

Lisa, best of luck. I know a gal who trained for and ran a marathon. I can put you in touch with her if you'd like. She lived and breathed her training for a long time, but said it was totally worth it.