“Team Can” Runs for Cancer at the ING New York City Marathon… Can You Do It?

It seems like yesterday I was staring at signs plastered inside the subway and at bus stops advertising last year’s ING New York City Marathon and thinking, “Thank you, public transportation!”  I was a varsity track and field runner all through high school, but all grace and vigor ended at the 200-meter mark; so a 26 mile 385 yard death race just never seemed quite in the cards for me.  Anyhow, as it turns out, 2010’s marathon is upon us, and the application period is in fact over – unless, that is, you decide to run for a charity like Team Continuum.

Team Continuum, also known as “Team Can”, has been running for cancer patients since 2003, providing them and their families with immediate and vital assistance, both practical and personal.  An official Charity Partner of the New York Road Runners, the not-for-profit is a fixture in the ING NYC Marathon, rolling out in the hundreds to  “Turn Cancer into CAN”.

Last week they asked me to join them for a run in Central Park, where they train twice a week together.  Readying myself to join the ranks of bona fide marathoners, I prepared to get left in the dust.  The group I found when I arrived was, indeed, a group of bona fide marathoners, including a woman who had just finished the Ironman.  Dang.  But there were also those who, like me, had shown up to see what this marathon thing was all about, having little or no experience with such an intense test of endurance.  What’s more, the veteran runners held no grudge about mingling with us plebeians, instead going out of their way to encourage and share with us valuable running techniques.

The attitude of Team Continuum is as warm and altruistic as their mission.  Abiding by the rule that no individual will run alone and whoever needs to turn back will have someone to turn back with, this is a team that truly welcomes the curious, the inexperienced, the self-conscious, and the newbies like me just looking to have a good time.

So if you’ve ever had thoughts of running a marathon, why not try it now?  You may not be able to blow them all away with your mad running skills, but I can tell you that the months will certainly blow by, and soon we’ll be looking at next year’s marathon.  Race day is November 7, so there’s still time to get involved and train adequately, and if you join Team Continuum you’ll have access to exceptional coaching, race day gear, a physical therapist, and… a private pre-race pasta party!  Most important, you’ll achieve a great personal victory all while running on behalf of a great cause.

Visit Team Continuum today to register for the race and start fundraising – goal is $2,950 per person.  You can also visit their website at www.teamcontinuum.net or call 917.595.4168 for more information.

This heart-pumping event really puts the “Pulse” in PulseJFK!

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~ by kaitlinwood on August 16, 2010.