3rd Annual Alliance Against Cancer

On Sunday, September 12th, the NH Athletic Alliance held the Third Annual Alliance Against Cancer 5K and it was a huge success.  The number of runners continues to grow every year and this year, we were thrilled to see so many family and old friends present.  Two of my former high school track teammates were there and did awesome - BJ finished third overall and Kristi won our age group!  We also had many family participants - my sister Kathleen ran (more on that later), as well as Alison and Seth, and Natalia, just a few weeks shy of delivering her third baby, walked the 5K pushing Nolan and Lucia in the stroller!  Uncle Chip, Aunt Denise and Aunt Sylvia were also there to cheer on everyone.  Elizabeth ran the kids race, along with Nolan and Emily from NH.  And our amazing friends and family helped make us the top fundraiser for the second year in a row - donations were literally rolling in while we were driving up to New Hampshire on race morning, it was great!  Thank you so much to our friends and family for making this race such a success (more than $10,000 raised overall) and for supporting a truly wonderful cause!

Seth, Kathleen, Alison, Maureen, BJ, Kristi and Chris pre-race - MHS classes of '80, '92, '93, '95 and '01 represent! 

David addressing the runners prior the start. 

Maureen near the finish - my sister Kathleen is about four runners back.  I point that out, not to brag that I beat her, but in sheer humiliation.  Kathleen is training for the Chicago Marathon and ran 22 miles less than 24 hours before this race.  She then caught me around 1.5 miles and proceeded to yell at me encourage me to pick up the pace, berate cheer me into running faster, finishing hard, etc.  Thanks to her, I had a new PR (24:39).  I had a kick at the end that allowed me to pass her, but she is, quite simply, a rock star.  Superwoman.  Unbelievable.  Oh yeah, and 13 years older than me.

Natalia finishing the walk, pushing Nolan and Lucia.

Elizabeth and Emily from NH, pre-race.

Elizabeth, coming down the home stretch!

Nolan, finishing up his first race. 

Emily and Elizabeth with their (chocolate) medals.

Maureen and Kristi - we finished second and first, respectively, in our age group.  In the spring, we will be teammates again when, along with Alison and 9 other women, we participate in an overnight, 200 mile relay together!