It's Marathon Monday!!!

It's been a long five months that have, seemingly, flown by. Five months ago, I had raised zero dollars for Dana Farber. As of today, I am up to $5415, and SO CLOSE to my $6000 goal. [There is still time to contribute. Go to www.runDFMC.org/betsyg2009.]

Five months ago, my long run of the week was about 8 miles. As of today, I have run 700 miles of hills, sprints, races, slow recovery runs, and loooong long training runs.

Five months ago, actually running in the Boston Marathon seemed so far away. And now it's here. Sure, I'm about to go off and run 26.2 miles by myself, on my own two legs. But for every single step, there are hundreds of people that have helped in so many ways. I would be nowhere without....

My "coaching staff":

• Jack, my running coach, but also my thinking coach--he has taught me so much about the thought process that goes into each run, and into a training period as long and demanding as this

• Aimee, my ultimate motivational coach-- i would never have made it around the track as many times, or through as many long hilly runs without her pep talks

• Katie, my partner in crime for any and all snowy, rainy, windy, morning, midday, or evening run...and also for spending so many of those miles listening to me dissect my job, or what this person said, or this problem or that

• Mike, my reality check and calming influence--he knew when to push the buttons, and when the positive reinforcement was necessary

• Sarah N, my voice of experience--one marathon does not a marathoner make, so i appreciated every word of wisdom she offered

• Mom and Dad, my listeners and therapists--i don't know anyone else that has been more interested, more supportive, and more encouraging than them

• my roommates and friends, who dealt with sweaty-betsy-out-in-public-in-her-running clothes more times than i can count!

• Aunt Karen, who (though she didn't know it), provided inspiration and clear focus throughout the toughest workouts and the longest runs

And last but not least, all 105 of my donors so far...ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE!!!!!

Amy Fossett
Andrea Lucien
Angela Glabach
Angela Hart
Anna Van Zee Phillips
Ashlee + Jamie Arsenault
Barb Trainor
Bethany Chandler
Brian Gonyar
Cathy Schumer
Chris Glasser
Colin Drake
Connie + Bernie Lynch
Danika Maddocks
David Torcoletti

Dawn Cobb
Deidre Mulligan
Doreen + Tim Callahan
Ed + Debbie Gott
Tom Murphy
Ted Gott
Eileen St Louis
Ellie Doig
Elizabeth Boyle
Elizabeth Gurnee
Elizabeth Backer
Ellen Port
Eric Olmsted
Erin Troy
F Alden Brangwynne
Flavia Reardon and the RSTs at the Renaissance School
Frederick Follansbee
Friends of Betsy
Gladys + Paul Tardiff
Grace Shorey
Greg Solomon
Jennifer Meyer
Jillian Amirault
Joan Gott
Joanne Kimball
Jocelyn Weidner
Jordan Harrison
Joyce Goldweitz
Marlene Wight
Kara Schnabel
Karen Gott
Kathleen Murphy Meagher
Kathryn Brennan
Kathryn Germani
Katie Irving
Katie Chandler
Katie Parks
Kent & Irena Sinclair
Kiirsten Finn
Kristan Murphy
Blakeney Schick
Laura Callahan
Laura Stroessner
Lauree Gott
Lauren Sarno
Linda Archibald
Mallorie Hulse
Marisa Flavin
Mary Graff
Matthew Main
Maya, Matt, and Lauren Whitcomb
Michael Archibald
Michael Weinstein
Miguel Williams
Millicent Harris
Nick Malakhow
Noelle Hendrixson
Tom + Ellen Finn
Richard Horgan
Robert Kahn
Ronald + Faith Dionne
Ruth + Dan Doughty
Sarah Durrin
Shandy Schroder
Shannon Foley
Shawn Corbett
Shelley Gilman
Sheryle + Mike Towle
Susan + Dan Perkins
Susan Logan
Tara Frazier
Terrill Jennings
Tom Gott
Tim Watson
Tracy Cobb
Whitney Krause
Peggy Manzer
Eleanor Bagley
Jason Neault

Athena Lentini

Dan Perkins
Katie Miller
Kaitlin Herlihy
Anna Thurston