Exercise Makes You Feel Better! Right, Daddy?!

 

I got this video from Raegan's mom today. It's her older sister running on the treadmill with Daddy. Understanding that my reason for starting the team was to help Mom with stress relief from the hardship of having a baby in chemo, this touches my heart so much! Even if Mom still wants to kill me for roping her into a Half Marathon, Big Sis is ready to go! She's our youngest member of Team Relentless 4 Raegan!

R4R Virtual Race

After spending the whole weekend handling logistics and facebook advertising, the Relentless 4 Raegan Virtual Race is finally live!

The R4R Virtual Race can be run from any location, at any time, in any weather, with any one! Run alone or in a group. Run while running another 5K, run on your treadmill, in your neighborhood, or at your favorite park. Just RUN! When you finish, post your results to www.facebook.com/r4rvirtualrace along with a photo for the record books. For the longer distances, feel free to break it up into bite-sized chunks and conquer your goal a piece at a time. As you're running, remember everyone who can't run and be grateful for the gift you have! Medals will be mailed mid-March (we couldn't get them produced any faster!)

To participate and earn your medal, register here: R4R Virtual Race

We are so excited to see everyone's pictures and results!

Happy Running and GO TEAM!
From Team Relentless 4 Raegan

Facebook Giveaway

Click Here to enter our Giveaway. 

The prizes are:

1 Race Addict app for Apple Products

1 Leukemia Awareness Paracord Lanyard

1 Exclusive R4R Charm Bracelet Beach

 

1 Races for Awareness T-Shirt

Tami's Story

This is why I am a proud member of the Relentless4Raegan team!

Tami Komar

Last October, as I realized that I was about six months away from turning 40, I began to reflect on my life. I wouldn’t say that I was freaking out or anything, just kind of thoughtful. There are a lot of things that I thought I would have accomplished by now that I haven’t. The first thing that came to mind was that I haven’t ever run a marathon (or a half). I had been a runner on and off from high school until about age 27. My life, at that point, became so complex and stressful that I barely had time to pick my nose! Ok…so that was a little dramatic (and gross), but also kind of true.

So I began looking at different running clubs and local races. I’ve done this several times over the past ten years and I guess I was never motivated enough, because I didn’t register for or run in any of the races I researched. I needed some real motivation this time and simply approaching 40 wasn’t going to do it for me.

It was around this time that Jean texted me that she was getting a team together to support her friend Sam. My heart hurt for this mom that I had never met, and I hadn’t even heard the whole story yet. I wanted to be a part of this team but I was seriously hesitant. I’d been to Team in Training information sessions in the past and the thought of raising $2100 AND sticking with running enough to train scared the crap out of me! After debating with the voices in my head (just kidding…maybe), I realized that I needed to do this. It was the perfect time, the perfect motivation, and the perfect group I needed to succeed.

On April 27, 2014, eighteen days after I turn 40, I will complete my first half marathon.

R4R Swag Giveaway on Facebook!

Enter our giveaway for a chance to win the exclusive R4R Charm Bead. There are a bunch of ways to earn entries - find out more here: R4R Giveaway

Exclusive R4R Tervis Tumbler

R4R Tumbler Back

R4R Tumbler Front

Buy the Exclusive Relentless 4 Raegan Tervis Tumbler Now!

 

This beautiful tumbler is available now only through Relentless 4 Raegan! Tervis tumblers are simply AMAZING - they keep Hot foods hot, Cold foods cold, and are MADE IN THE USA! To find out how to order your exclusive tumbler today contact Jean, our Team Captain, via email at relentless4raegan@gmail.com. A portion of your purchase will go to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Team Relentless 4 Raegan.

Prices:

10 oz - $30

16 oz (pictured) - $32

24 oz - $35

Each tumbler includes a lid. The lid pictured here is clear. If you would like something different, please let Jean know.

Turkey Trot Turkeys

As promised to many of our donors, three members of team Relentless 4 Raegan participated in a Turkey Trot today dressed as turkeys! We were quite the sight to behold and received many compliments, questioning looks, and high fives from the other runners. What a great time and awesome chance to share our mission with other people! Hope you had as great a Saturday morning as we did!!

Shaking our Tail Feathers :)

Our Team Inspiration

From our Team's Donation Page on Oct 25, 2013 

Relentless 4 Raegan

Team “Relentless 4 Raegan” is training for the New Jersey Marathon Series Half Marathon on April 27, 2014. We are running to honor Raegan, a 1-year-old undergoing chemotherapy for a disease similar to leukemia, and treated like Leukemia. Watching my friend, Samantha, watch her baby girl undergo treatment is heart wrenching and I wanted to do something to help her. I knew she needed to start taking care of herself to manage her stress levels so I challenged her to run with me. Our Team is inspired by Sam’s ability to take everything in stride and keep her head about her through all of these challenges and her commitment to take care of herself so she can better care for her daughter.

We are inspired by a recently deceased friend, who was relentless in her fight with cancer. Karen didn’t give up and her courage inspires me on every run.

As the Team Captain, I am inspired by the amazing people on my team who have taken my challenge and are rising to it, some of them a little bit trepidatiously, but rising nonetheless! I am excited to see these folks conquer amazing fitness goals as well as fundraising goals together.

Are you inspired yet? If so, please donate to help our team reach our goal which will help find cures and more effective treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I am asking our friends and family to consider two donation options:

• 1) Commit to a set dollar amount per mile we will be running on race day (so $10 per mile would be $131) OR
• 2) Commit to a set dollar amount per mile we run while training (Perhaps $1 per mile)-our team members will keep you up to date on their training and let you know each week what the week’s totals were so that you can make your donation. What an amazing way to keep us encouraged as we train through the winter!

Thank you for your support!

Jean Kleber

Captain, Relentless 4 Raegan

Babies and Chemo Should Never Mix

From our Team in Training Donation Page on October 30, 2013

"Sam texted me yesterday from the hospital where they were waiting for Raegan's next round of chemotherapy. Before they can treat Raegan, they have to run tests to be sure her little body is healthy enough to take the chemo. Then she receives her treatment and they monitor her for a while. Once they get home, Rolando and Sam have to give Raegan other meds and a course of steroids to help her body fight. The steroids are hard on her physically and mentally and make life pretty challenging for Rolando and Sam at home. Sam sent me this beautiful pic of Rolando and Raegan in the hospital waiting for the docs to do their thing. The whole picture makes my heart melt - the Daddy and his baby girl, and the knowledge of where they are and why.

Let's work together to help find a cure so Daddies can hold their daughters and read them storybooks anywhere other than a hospital room!"

Raffle! Raffle! Raffle!

Relentless 4 Raegan team member Julia has a raffle going on now through December 7th! Each raffle entry is a $2 donation. The winner of the raffle drawing will receive a gift card to Hand and Stone Spa for a Hot Stone Massage!

The gift card is good at any Hand and Stone Spa location. To enter the raffle, make a donation to Julia or another team member through the Team in Training website posted below. Make sure to put in the Comments section "Hot Stone Massage" of your donation.

All entries must be submitted by 6 pm on December 7th. The raffle winner will be announced later that evening!!

Relentless for Raegan - Team In Training