here we go - Hope Express 2016!

It’s so exciting to be back on the East Coast and to able to enjoy everything that comes with it: proximity to family and friends, cheesesteaks at a moment’s notice, and the opportunity to participate in an event that means so much to me – Hope Express! In honor of the event’s tenth anniversary of raising hope and awareness for pediatric cancer, Hope Express will be tackling even more miles with the goal of raising even more money for The Four Diamonds Fund. The Hope Express will have FIVE teams setting out to tackle the miles between Hershey and Penn State’s THON. This year I’m challenging myself to be a part of the Hope Express’s Blood and Guts Team. This back-to-basics team is a nod to the event’s origins; its runners will organize all the logistics of the run and set out on a brand new route.

The Four Diamonds Fund provides both financial and medical support to its families during their battle with cancer. Families’ involvement in THON provides them with a renewed sense of hope, and a reminder to not give up, no matter how hard times may get. Hank and Connie Angus, parents of Gabe, a Four Diamonds child, began Hope Express in 2007 as a way to bridge the gap between THON and the children on the 7th floor at Hershey Medical Center. Families whose children are too sick to attend THON weekend are now able to have some of the magic brought to them, and their words and letters are given to the Hope Express runners to carry on their backs during the 24-hour relay all the way to Penn State.

As a Hope Express runner, I will run multiple legs of the relay, tackling grueling hills through whatever unpredictable weather February may bring. Running is not something that comes easily to me, but it is an honor to bring hope to those who have no choice but to stand tall in their fight against cancer.

The Hope Express has raised over $500,000 to date for the Four Diamonds Fund, bringing us that much closer to conquering childhood cancer. Please consider supporting me this year as part of Hope Express in honor and support of the Four Diamonds families. Every donation, regardless of the amount, brings us one step closer to finding a cure. Personally, I have set a goal to raise $1,800, and I can only achieve it with your support. Donations can be easily made online at http://www.give2theexpress.org/blood-guts-team/darian-mckenzie/. If you prefer, however, you may opt to mail a check, payable to “Hope Express,” directly to me; just let me know if you need my address. While the run is not until February, please consider donating by November 30 if you are able to do so.

It’s with your help that I have been able to contribute thousands of dollars over the past several years to support cancer research and those affected by this disease. I am so grateful for all of your love and support, which inspires me to give to this incredible cause. As always, please feel free to follow my journey by visiting my blog (www.starsinthesky24.blogspot.com), where I will write about running and my experiences training for the big event.

For the Kids,

Darian

Hope Express Reflections

As I type this, the 2014 Hope Express team is making their way from Hershey to Penn State....by foot. I wrote a similar post around this same time last year, about how being so far from an event that is so close to me leaves me with so many emotions. As I obsessively follow the team's travels via social media, I'm transported back to my own experiences from 2011 and 2012. While there are so many moments in life that I love and hold close to me, I always refer back to the "magic" and those feelings from those two nights. I think for me, it's the selflessness that comes along with an event such as this. Similar to THON, people who were virtually strangers prior to the event are suddently doing literally ANYTHING for one another. I'm lucky to have friends and family who I've known for years who I know would bend over backwards for me, and I for them, but seeing people come together for a common purpose, people who otherwise may never had, is such a pure example of the human spirit. In our daily lives, we can lose track of that and reliving my experiences with THON and Hope Express bring me back to that. It sometimes feels like finding your way again, even when you didn't even realize you were lost. 

I haven't run in close to two months now, and this definitely makes me feel a strong pull to. want to do so. The time away has been intentional, but thankfully not due to injury or anything forced. Nevertheless, it's diffferent feeling these emotions on a run than it is sitting here typing. Even the best emotions can be overwhelming and in the past few years, I've found that regardless of the feeling, running helps me to slow down and take it all in.

While I don't think it'll ever get easier to be this far from Hope Express, I'm easily reminded that it doesn't need to always be this way. My hope is that some years I'll return to the mix, while for others, I will remain there in spirit, cheering from afar. Regardless of where I am though, it's a comfort to know that during that 24 hour stretch each year, my heart will be on those roads, crushing those mountains, fighting this fight. We say that when cancer is no more, we'll run(/dance) for joy, but until then...everything we do is for a cure.

Snow Day

Like a little kid, the prospect of a snow day left me antsy and restless last night. I woke up around 2AM and couldn't fall back to sleep. When I received the phone call at 5:30AM telling me that school was cancelled, I was again left tossing and turning. I finally accepted defeat and moved to the living room. We have a big window in our main room and I love just sitting looking outside on a snowy morning, when it's still dark and everything is quiet and still. When it started to get lighter outside and the sounds of plows and cars sloshing grew louder, I already missed that early morning calm.

It's been an emotional few weeks as I watch the Hope Express team prepare for their 135-mile journey, beginning next Thursday night. For the past two years, I have been right in the mix, spending these last days trying to keep my excitement from making me crazy. I'm thrilled to have a friend from college on the team this year and it has been helpful for me to have someone that I can vicariously experience the event through. Part of my decision to not try to run this year was so others could have that chance, so the HE family could continue to grow, and its message and purpose could reach even more people. Thinking about all that she will experience helps me to handle the fact that I will be missing out on a magical 24 hours.

This week, I've thought a lot about the past two years' runs. There are many things - a certain song, rereading through mail from my family and friends, photos, recap emails from other runners - that bring me right back to those moments. I am not sure if there are many other memories I have that can so clearly draw upon. These aren't just stills in my mind; the memories are accompanied with genuine, raw emotion. Feelings I feel all over again.

Yesterday afternoon, I thought about how in one week, the team would be arriving in Hershey, hanging out on the 7th floor, counting down the minutes until the first runner takes off.  As I lay awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, I thought again about how in a week from that very moment, as the rest of our worlds slept, the team would be making its way to Penn State. The calmness that I love on an early snow day reminds me of the legs I ran in the middle of the night when no one else was around. It's rare to feel like you have the whole world to yourself. How many people can say they've had that moment? 

I haven't been running much lately and that's okay. I've been exploring other interests and enjoying the fact that I have nothing I need to train for. I do miss that reason to run in the winter though. Most normal people don't seek out opportunities to run in the snow or in these bitter temperatures, but when I had it, I loved it. When I see those crazies nowadays, I am obviously judge them quickly...and then remember that I've been there. I too once unexpectedly fell in love with these things - an excuse to be outside when most people are struggling to peal themselves out from under the covers - and I eagerly await the chance to do it all again. For this amazing reason. For the kids :O).

Training for Hope Express 2011 in Philadelphia

Why We Dance: The Story of THON

Last Thursday, "Why We Dance: The Story of THON" premiered. As always, I was excited to see and hear stories of THON, but the hour-long look at THON was better than anything I could have imagined. Seeing familiar faces and places on my living room television (thank you apple TV) felt so good. After nearly a year of generalized publicity, everyone should know about and experience Penn State's greatest point of pride - raising millions of dollars for the kids. 

THON had an incredible impact on my four years at Penn State, and even greater, on who I am today. It taught me about the power a group of people can have and the value of commitment, hard work, and dedication. When I think about all the hours I have spent running, and then of course, pondering running and the level of commitment it requires, I am baffled by the fact that I somehow "danced" (stood! remained awake!) for 46 hours straight. The spirit of THON is contagious and it drives people to do unthinkable things. It's an experience I carry with me everywhere I go - when I'm teaching a challenging class, when I'm faced with a problem at work, when I set out to run a half-marathon. 

The documentary brought to the surface so many emotions. It felt like I was right back in it - running through the tunnel to kick off the weekend, counting down the last seconds of 46 hours, running 135 miles from Hershey to Penn State. While THON is a huge part of me, running as part of Hope Express was something I could be an integral part of. Seeing clips of our party at Hershey (32 minutes in - check us out!), legs of the run, and dancing on stage at THON. Even thinking about it now, I feel the emotions all come back. When we talk about Hope Express, we talk about being a family and that's what it truly is. It's people coming together for an incredible cause and supporting one another. I thought nothing could surpass dancing for 46 hours at THON and it will always be an incredible experience I carry with me, but the 24 hours (TWICE!) from Hershey to Penn State are some of the most special of my life. 

I'm so thrilled this documentary is now something that can be shared with the world, beyond the borders of Pennsylvania. Not everyone is or will be connected to THON, but it's inspiring and encouraging. Everyone should find their own THON - the thing that makes them push themselves, a cause that drives them to take on incredible challenges in the name of helping lessen the burden of another. 

Hope Express 2012 - Leg 3/THON

(I'm dragging my feet here, but here is the final post about Hope Express 2012!)

After that second leg, I didn't even let myself really think twice about the last one. I knew Ryan, along with his parents and mine, would be meeting us at the start of my leg, and, even better, I was going to have company! Allie and Morgan (and then Mark) had all said they were going to run with me. I felt a little badly, because part of me wanted to prove I could do it on my own...but that wasn't why they were joining in. They each had their own reasons for wanting to run, and I was just nice enough to offer up my leg to share (you offer and it's yours!).

Obviously having company totally changed the last leg, because it was social! Allie, Morgan, and Mark were all part of last year's HE team with me, so that alone made it extra special to be running together. I consider these three some of the most legit runners I know, so getting to run with them, especially in the name of a cause we all care about so much, was a huge honor....and made it fun, instead of 6 miles focusing on the pain and need for sleep. Thanks to them/that run, I have officially accepted the fact that I am a RUNNER!....seems a little obvious, but it was a good pill to swallow.

It's always so special to be back at THON, and after we arrived to State College and had just enough time to shower/eat real food, we ran the final mile together as a team and went on stage at THON. Every time I'm there brings me back to when I danced in 2008. There's no doubt in my mind that some of my most treasured memories from PSU/in life have been made at THON. Being on state with the HE team is just another to add to the jar.

The whole weekend was wonderful, spent with teammates, family, and friends. We had to leave mid-afternoon on Sunday, since Ryan had classes on Monday AM (and lots of work he neglected thanks to me!). We listened to some of family hour - a time when Four Diamonds families share their inspirational stories - in the car, but it cut in and out. I really wanted to see the total be revealed at 4:00, so we stopped at a rest stop in Ohio to eat Panera/set up shop. Luckily, we had a good connection and streaming was working well. It was amazing to see the total - $10,686,924.83 raised FOR THE KIDS! I didn't think I could feel any better/happier/more on top of the world after such an incredible weekend, but that did it. That sent me over the moon.

The entire thing was amazing (I'm running out of words to use to even try to describe it all!), and I am so grateful for ALL the amazing people in my life who helped me, with their words, encouragement, donations, and runner's mail. Hope Express is always hard to explain, so as a thank you/peek into the event, I made a video to share the event with the people who mean the most to me.

Hope Express 2012 - Mail Call/Leg 2

After enjoying a nice chocolate milk, I had from midnight to about 6am before I had to even think about running again. In this time, I stretched and roll out my muscles, and while I wanted to try to sneak in a few minutes of sleep, there was a part of me that just didn't want to miss anything (and I just couldn't fall asleep!). The weather got crummy after my leg, with an intense fog in which we could barely see just in front of the RV. We drove our first mountains, which is always tricky...you feel for the runner who is about to climb said mountain on foot. This would be the time when having telepathic powers would be most useful to me, to tell my teammates how awesome they were and how much I knew they could do it. Lauren killed her first mountain and then Mark destroyed his. I have no words for the respect I have for these two as runners and, more importantly, as people. They have so much heart - it's amazing.

At around 6am, our amazing moralers brought us over an enormous mailbox containing all of our mail! It was perfect timing, as I knew I had

my hardest run coming up. I laughed and cried my way through several packages and dozens of letters. I cannot even begin to say how grateful I felt for all of the love and support, all of the encouraging words and messages of love. Many cards and letters reminded me why I was

running and talked about the kids who fight every single day and never give up. Others had me laughing so hard I was in tears - funny pictures, goofy cards - and those reminded me to not take myself so seriously....and helped me from completely freaking out before starting that second leg.

I knew going into it that that second leg was going to be my greatest challenge. From what I thought I knew, Bobby was climbing a mountain and I was responsible for getting us over the last mile of it, and then alllll the way down. I know very well how mental running is, so I had prepped myself for this.....relying heavily on the fact that my calculations and assumptions were true. I was VERY focused on getting through one brutal mile....which turned out to be 3+ miles. While it started out as a slow incline, it turned vertical fast. It's hard to describe what went

down in those miles, both in actuality and in my mind, but I'll tell you this - it was the hardest run I have ever and most likely will ever run in my life. The hummer had taken a pit stop to use the bathroom, so a car of AMAZING moralers were trailing me and it honestly brings me to tears just thinking about how much they kept me going, getting out of the car to encourage me on. Having them and Ryan's determined dad, Rege, who popped up continuously throughout the entire journey, helped to keep me from dropping to the pavement. I kept telling myself that the only way I could, and would, be able to enjoy the down would be if I fought my way to the top...and that's life. We get through the tough times and they help us to appreciate the blessings we have (or in my case, a few miles of down hill :O).

When I finally saw the signs warning trucks to slow down and prepare for a decline, I was able to take some deep breaths, dry my eyes, and realize I was actually going to make it the rest of the way. I nearly lost my breath again when U2's "Beautiful Day" came on and I had an incredible view of the world below me. I remember the exact moment during last year's run (running at 2am in the calm of the dark night) when I realized how beyond lucky I was for the chance to run like a crazy person for something I care so much about.

Again, there is so much more I could attempt to say, but I will

share it for my HE teammates in my recap to them. When I finally saw the RV and heard everyone cheering, marking the end of my second leg, I lost it again and broke down. A few hours later, I told Ryan about a Henry Ford quote that was hanging up in the RV and he shared this one with me - "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." Can I get an AMEN!?

Hope Express 2012 - Hershey/Leg 1

Hope Express serves to connect the families at Hershey Medical to the dancers at Penn State's amazing THON, a 46-hour "no sitting, no

sleeping, no KIDDING!" dance marathon that raises money to help in the fight against pediatric cancer for those being treated at Hershey Medical. Hope Express begins at the hospital, with a party on the 7th floor. We quite literally take two backpacks filled with letters from families at Hershey and our mission is to get them to THON to give to the dancers.

Being at Hershey is incredible. I participated in THON all 4 of my years at Penn State, but it wasn't until last year's Hope Express that I was able to visit the place where PSU donates millions of dollars each year. It feels so special to be there and it's a blast hanging out with the kids. It's just one extra reminder of why we're about to run.

The energy before the run was awesome. Three different news channels came out to interview and report on HE. There were cheerleaders and the Nittany Lion, not to mention dozens of moralers already spoiling us and showering us with so much love (particularly my incredible moraler, Janine, who sent me this AWESOME basket of goodies and treats!).

The run took off at 6pm and the first few handoffs are "hot spots," or places where a fundraiser or big viewing is going on. One of our runners, Bekah, is a middle school teacher, and her middle school (which I got to run past last year!) is wonderful and raised $6,000 (!!!) this year - wow! Both the Extreme and Express teams run together until mile 30, where the teams split up and take two completely different routes, not to see each other until State College. My first leg was at the split and after it had been done to our Express team last year, the Extremers decided I was to sprint off at the handoff, instead of a nice, relaxing hug and handoff with Natalie. And with that...I was off! My apologies to Steph from the Express team :O).

My first leg was from around 11pm-midnight and it went great. It was misting a little and a bit foggy, but nothing too bad (not as bad as it got later in the night). Aside from a random pick-up truck asking if I needed help ("Is that guy

following you?" - referring to the Hummer following me while I ran in the middle of the road....), it was quiet and peaceful. My shins were definitely acting up a bit, which made me nervous with all I knew I had up ahead of me, but the 6 miles went pretty quickly (especially after

such a fast start), and before I knew it, I saw the lights of the RV and heard the cheers of the moralers! Normally, the next runner is there

waiting with open arms, ready to be slammed with a hug, but Lauren was in the Hummer that had been trailing me...hence my look of "Where to?!"

After each hand off, the RV drives to the next hand-off point, 6 miles away. It's mostly a lot of hanging out on the RV, waiting, snacking (or avoiding less-than-ideal pre-running snacks), and talking. Every stop along the way, our herd of moralers were there, cranking up their music and having a dance party along the side of the road as they waited for the runner to get there. Every stop along the way, we were contemplating our bathroom options in the middle of nowhere.

Hope Express 2012 - Part 1

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." - Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own

wow. wow. wow.

It is going to take several days and many posts to even attempt to get down all I want, or rather need, to about this past weekend. There are so many aspects, epiphanies, people, thank you's, memories, moments, messages of love. I'm beyond grateful for the fact that I have this week off, because I have no idea how I would have been able to so quickly resume normal life. This extra week gives me a buffer, allows me time to even try to digest it all.

Throughout the whole experience, starting months ago before I even knew I'd be running as part of this year's team, I have been completely taken with the incredible amount of support from my family and friends, both close and extended. There were several times throughout the run where I literally had no words - cheers from the passing RV, my #1 cheerleader camped out along the course and jumping out to run with me, the constant support from our incredible moralers, mail call letters that brought me to tears - I honestly just put my hands over my heart. There were, and still are, no words for the overwhelming gratitude I feel. With both teams, Hope Express is compromised of 23 runners, but it is SO much more than that - it is a dozen drivers who are ON for a full 24+ hours; it's the incredible moralers who never stopped cheering us on; it's the family and friends who came out to support us along the route from Hershey to State College; it's the literally hundreds of people who supported us with their donations, their mail, their kind words and well wishes.

I can't help but think of how magical life would be if we all worked together like that all the time. When a group of people come together for a common purpose, it is quite magical. For me, running represents commitment, hard work, and challenge, and the 140 miles we covered from Hershey to Penn State consisted of all of that. Our course was brutal, but the way everyone supported one another made it possible. I was in awe of my teammates and how awesome they were, and while I was terrified leading up to the event that I wasn't good enough, wouldn't be able to do my part, the amount of love and support I felt from so many important people in my life - people I've known for years and people I just met - helped me to do my part.

What is Hope Express?

So much more to come in a little bit!

PSU Thon, Hope Express Join Forces - Video - WGAL The Susquehanna Valley

Hope Express Helps Raise Thousands for Four Diamonds Fund

All Packed!

While Hope Express doesn't begin for another 48 hours (HOPE EXPRESS IS IN 48 HOURS!!!), I am all packed and as ready as I can be to go! Ryan is picking me up from work tomorrow and we are headed straight to Penn State, with a slight detour to Akron to pick up fellow Extreme Runner, Allie. On Thursday (after hopefully a wonderful and longggg night's sleep), we'll head out to Harrisburg and eventually to the start line at Hershey Medical!

Right now, the weather is looking pretty good, with just some rain on Thursday. Hopefully it won't be more than some drizzling, especially since there are SO many exciting things going on at the first few handoffs around the start/Hershey/Harrisburg. Otherwise, we're looking at 40's and sunny on Friday. I have certainly packed (or attempted to pack) for anything mother nature may throw my way.

So what goes into packing for such an event?

• Three complete running outfits (with some options!) and two pairs of sneakers
• Between-runs uniform of leggings, track pants, and several layers on top to help keep warm/help regulate the radical changes in body temperature
• SNACKS! - Peanut butter and jelly, gu's, bananas, and granola bars
• Letters of love and encouragement from family and friends
• Foam roller!
• A lot of faith :O)

FOUR DAYS!

In four days, we will run for the kids. For all the nerves I was feeling last week, I'm not feeling twice as much excitement and just plain 'ol excitement - I can't wait!!

Today's final long run was through a bunch of new places, since I went running while waiting for my oil to get changed. It was a pretty excuse to check out some new places, all of which looked AWESOME with a beautiful covering of snow. That being said, a few of the parks (and a nature center!) that I ran through gave me an extra kick in the butt as I had to work extra hard to not slip and fall on the snowy paths.

HUGE thank you to the lovely Amanda Emmerling for such a thoughtful note/pre-HE package, which included directional socks (!) and wild shorts, in honor of the running tights Hope Express has graced me with (pictures of them next week!). The socks rocked and I loved them when I tested them out the other night. I'm sad that the shorts will not be able to bring them along this weekend...I guess two years of spring weather in February would be getting a little greedy :O). THANK YOU HANSELL!

Be the Groundhog you wish to see the in the world

Today, Phil predicted we will have six more weeks of winter. I have certainly feared that February (through May?) will feature the winter weather we have yet to see thus far this season, but lately I'm thinking MAYBE we can squeeze by with this one. It was 40 degrees today and awesome for running. It was great...but a little while later when I went out for a walk, it was really cold. It made me realize that I can enjoy an extra long season of warm weather/spring comes extra early for runners!

And on that note, I somehow can get a two week extended forecast through Accuweather. According to this reliable source, TWO WEEKS from today when Hope Express takes off, we're looking at mid-50's (and some rain), but I will take it! TAKE THAT PHIL!

helllo couch.

16 miles in two days must mean just one thing. Hope Express is less than THREE WEEKS away!

Extreme Blog Makeover

If revamping my blog was my resolution for the new year, then I can pretty much sit back and relax for the next 362 days. Apparently much has changed since I started, but it was a lot less overwhelming to tweak and edit things than I remember, which is GREAT! I feel like this make-over is exactly what I need to start off the new year, and taking time to add labels/tags after the fact gave me the chance to quickly look back on my journey over the past two years (I decided to go back and add them, thinking it'd be neat to have the whole blog included, opposed to just starting from now). It's a good feeling to lay out goals for the upcoming month/year, while not losing sight of the fact that I've come a long way from where I started.

Speaking of resolutions and goals, I have decided to set running goals for the month, instead of the year, so I can celebrate the small victories (/avoid overloading my list with a moment of excitement!). Scary that they're now in print. Here we goooo:

1. In preparation for Hope Express, choose one day a week to run before AND after work. Woof.

2. Mountains and Hills and Slopes, oh my! Also in preparation for next month, adding straight up repeats into my regime. I'm proud to admit that I have stopped sobbing at the sight of incline/gladly welcome hills into my runs, but certainly adding more intentional repeats into my runs in the upcoming weeks will be crucial.

3. More cow bell. I mean, cross training. Signed up for a class at the gym to help with this one and I'm eager to get more out of my gym membership.

Training Update!

Training for the EXTREME team (wait, really? This still hasn't hit me) is going really well, taking into account the normal bumps in the road. I had a really good long run last weekend and today, and I feel like I'm in a good rhythm and things are good. Not easy, but good in that I'm becoming less afraid/more aware of the fact that it's so mental (if I had a dollar for every time I said that...yet still, somehow I'm still working on internalizing this fact). I would like to add an extra day of some other type of workout into my schedule, starting ASAP, which has probably been the biggest challenge as of lately, since I work last 2x a week. I would say that's probably my goal for this week.

Major Happenings

I have been slacking, because there is WAY too much for this one post. So much. Big things have been happening.

First off, I found out last week that I will have the INCREDIBLE privilege of running as part of the Hope Express EXTREME Team this February! My amazing family and friends (and their family and friends too!) donated $1,300 to the Four Diamonds Fund/Hershey Medical Center/the fight against pediatric cancer - WOW! The donations and the notes that came along with them overwhelmed me with such feelings of happiness, pride, and appreciation. There is no way I could ever have taken up running to better the lives of children in the first place without this unconditional support. And thank goodness I have this support, because EIGHTEEN miles have my name written all over them (it was done with the same truck that makes the dotted yellow line in the middle of the road).

The second big set of news is that I am officially working at a paraprofessional in a Kindergarten classroom - woo! I have actually been there for over a month now and am really enjoying it. Having never worked in a Kindergarten classroom/spent an extended period of time working with this age, it has been a really eye-opening experience for me. Even in the few weeks I've been working there, it's been great to see how much the students have grown so far. Today, a student was getting upset, saying that he couldn't do the activity the class was doing. The teacher reminded him that a few weeks ago, there were a lot of things him and the other students didn't think they could do...and now they do them with ease. I had to laugh to myself, because it was like SNL was doing a parody of my life. It's so easy to forget how hard we've worked to get where we are. That's just one of the reasons I love this. It's awesome, they kept it honestly real...and it's very, very funny.

pre-pick jitters

Prior to this evening's "cross training work out" of ice skating (which I was really looking forward to..until I realized ice skating = really cold out = winter is coming quickly), I wanted to attempt to capture my emotions of the day. The 2012 Hope Express teams are being selected tomorrow, and I have been shown so much love and support from friends, family, friends of family and family of friends...wow! It's hard to verbalize it all, other than how blessed I feel to be so well supported and how glad I am that I set out to take on something that, if selected, will be a huge challenge for me, but will be for a cause I feel so strongly about. Beyond that, Hope Express is, just as its name suggests, is about HOPE...bringing hope to the Four Diamonds families during their fight against cancer. As I've been shown in the past weeks, also bringing hope to the loved ones in my life...reminding them of how much we are each capable of and the power we have to make an impact on the lives of others. I would be honored to run at part of this year's HE team, and will be bummed if I'm not selected, but regardless of what happens, I am so glad that I know I'll be involved in making the event a success and with continuing to spread the word, the love, and the hope.

And on that note, a BIG good luck to Deanne this weekend as she sets out to dominate 26.2 miles in NYC this weekend for TNT/LLS. We've come a long, long way from slothing it in the HUB...I'm beaming with pride!

highs and lows

"If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough." - Gretchen Rubin (author of my guide to living)

I had a troublesome run last week and realized afterwards that it was hard to assess how the run actually went when I subtracted my attitude/personal feelings from the picture. No surprises here. When I told a friend about the run, I realized that while I struggled through parts of it, I accomplished what I set out to do and completed the run. Later in the week, I came across the above quote and it really stood out to me. When I decided to start running, I didn't do it because it was easy. I did it, because it was something new and challenging for me, and I knew it would teach me a lot about patience, hard work, and growth. The same way I celebrate my successes, I need to remember the purpose of these more challenging runs as well. Aside from making me just about cry, they should be reminders to me of the overall journey. They're just as crucial as the successful runs.

All that being said, the runs that followed later in the week were all really awesome. I had the lucky fortunate of visiting and touring the Beaumont Children's Hospital, a hospital about 45 minutes from Ann Arbor, that is a Children's Miracle Network facility. The hospital was wonderful, so kid-friendly and attentive to all of the needs of children, not just medically. I thought about the money THON/Hope Express raises for the 7th floor of Hershey Medical Center and the support the Four Diamonds Fund provides for these families during their fight against cancer. I am so blessed in my life, and I don't take that for granted. It's so important to help others who are dealt unlucky hands in life, to lessen their burdens and bring hope and love into their lives. Seeing the Children's Hospital here, seeing what supports are in place for these families made me feel so good and so lucky to be involved with supporting the children being treated at Hershey and their families. You too can help - donate now!

On that note, I'm super excited, because the team of runners that will travel from the 7th floor at Hershey Medical to Penn State/THON will be picked THIS WEEK!! Lots of emotions, excitement and crossed fingers, but regardless of what happens, I'm thrilled to be part of something I care so much about. Stay tuned!

Too good for a title!

Two things I love this week:

1. I am so incredibly grateful for the love and support from my family and friends as I train for Hope Express...wow wow wow!

2. This picture:

Hope Express EXTREME Team 2012!

Family and Friends,

As many of you may know, I had the incredible privilege of running in last year’s Hope Express 2011. The 135-mile, 24-hour journey from Hershey to Penn State was truly magical. We

conquered mountains and miles to bring letters of hope and encouragement from the children at Hershey Medical Center to the an annual Dance MaraTHON. Each year this 46-hour event – known affectionately to most as “THON” - raises millions of

dollars to support the families of the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization that helps families who have children with pediatric cancer. This year I’m challenging myself to be a part of Hope Express’s Extreme Team - half the runners covering the same distance. If selected to be a runner, I will run three 6-mile legs up grueling hills and through whatever unpredictable February weather central Pennsylvania may bring! Running is not something that comes easily to me, but it would be an honor to bring hope to those who have no choice but to stand tall in their fight against cancer.

The Four Diamonds Fund provides both financial and medical support to its families during their battle with cancer. Families’ involvement in THON provides them with a renewed sense of hope, and a reminder to not give up, no matter how hard times may get. Hank and Connie Angus, parents of Gabe, a Four Diamonds child, began Hope Express in 2007 as a way to bridge the gap between THON and the children on the 7th floor at Hershey Medical Center. Families whose children are too sick to attend THON weekend are now able to have some of the magic brought to them, and their words and letters are given to the Hope Express runners to carry on their backs during the 24-hour relay all the way to Penn State.

Please consider supporting me this year as part of Hope Express in honor and support of the Four Diamonds families. Every donation, regardless of the amount, brings us one step closer to conquering childhood cancer. Personally, I have set a goal to raise $1,800, and I can only achieve it with your support. Donations can be easily made online. If you prefer, however, you may opt to mail a check - email me and I will send my address. Even though the run is not until February, I would greatly appreciate it if donations are made by November 1, as this is when runners will be officially selected for the Extreme Team.

As I train for the relay, I am able to explore my new home in Michigan in a new and unique way, and it helps me to feel connected to the things that matter to me most, even if I’m far from home. I am so grateful for all of your help, love, and support, which inspire me to give to this incredible cause. As always, please feel free to follow my journey by visiting here often, as I will continue to write about running and my experiences training for the big event.

For the Kids,

Darian