Thursday, July 3, 2008

Marathon

From first to last, the peak is never passed -- something always fires that light the gets in your eyes

The quote at the top of the page, just below the title of this blog, is a lyric from a song called "Marathon" by the band Rush. I chose it specifically because from the beginning, I knew this entire journey would be a long one, not a quick sprint. There are some serious illnesses that can be addressed in short order such that the body is back to full health within a matter of days or a few weeks, but the Big C usually doesn't operate that way.

In terms of an actual physical marathon -- the 26.2 mile run undertaken typically only by Greeks or sadists -- well, I've never run one of those. Never even come close, actually; I think the longest I've ever run at one time is about five miles, if that. Running has never really been my thing, but I have lots of friends that love to do it, and while it's hard for me to understand their passion, I do admire them greatly for it.

Now, it appears that a real honest-to-goodness marathon will be part of my journey. It won't be me running it, of course -- I've got a few other things to deal with for the next several months, not to mention the fact that I can barely walk straight as it is, much less run -- but rather a very good friend of mine who will be running the Silicon Valley Marathon in October in my honor. Andi Love, someone I've known for almost 20 years, is one of my dearest friends and she recently signed up for the marathon, and hopes to use her own journey as a focal point to raise money to help cover some of my medical costs.

Andi is 36, a happily-married mother of two that now lives in Seattle, but like me, she grew up in the Santa Cruz area. We didn't go to the same high school -- she went to snooty Aptos while I matriculated at the far more down-to-earth Santa Cruz High -- but we met through mutual friends just after I graduated from high school. We hit it off instantly and two decades later, we remain extremely close.

She's neither Greek nor a sadist (so far as I know), but still, she's run at least one marathon in the past so she's been down this road before (pun intended). That doesn't make the training and the race a whole lot easier, but at least she knows what to expect. As of yesterday, she's started her own blog at http://doitfordino.blogspot.com/ to document her training and to discuss the various aspects of the fundraising. I encourage you to check it out on a regular basis so you can see how things are coming along. She's also started posting comments to my blog under the name "Team Dino," so when you see those comments, you'll know it's her.

I've received so much support from you all already -- gifts, cards, loving thoughts, emails, letters, you name it. Your generosity is truly overwhelming and without question, it has lifted me up and carried me through some not-so-pleasant spots, and will continue to do so. I know that some of you have inquired as to how to assist with any exorbitant medical bills (really, are there any other kind?) and so I would suggest that you get in touch with Andi for more on that -- you can contact her through her blog.

Well, it's almost the 4th and the weather here is gorgeous -- I hope that everyone will get to enjoy some much deserved time-off for a three-day weekend. Whether you're spending that time on the couch (like me) or training for a long run (like Andi) or on the beach or in the mountains, make sure to viva la vida -- and throw down a beer for me if you get the chance. It's been a while since I've had one!

With much love,
Dino

4 comments:

Andi Love said...

You "matriculated" at Santa Cruz high - but MY high school was snobby? Anyway, thanks for the props. Love you!
Andi

Dino said...

Do you even know what 'matriculated' means? :)

Rock on witchyo bad self. Pretty soon you will be thinner than me!

Unknown said...

This is irrelevant, but I wanted to make sure you see it, Dino...

Indians third baseman Andy Marte, on the big-league roster all season, entered the weekend with 55 at-bats and zero RBIs. The big-league record for most at bats in a season without an RBI is held by Gene Good, who hit .151 with no RBIs over 119 at-bats for the 1906 Boston Beaneaters. …

Unknown said...

Hi Dino, Just wanted to say hi and remind you that I am thinking about you all the time!
Amy