2013: My 4th year to run a marathon for a cause or three...

It might be my 4th year to run a marathon for a cause but it's my first year to run this marathon and raise money for the National MS Society in honor of 3 separate individuals who all live with an autoimmune disease.

I've signed up for my 5th marathon with the Akron Marathon on September 28th.

I've signed up to raise money for Ohio Buckeye National MS Society for the 4th year in support of TEAM JULIA because I live in awe of my sister, Julia Neal.

I've decided to also run this marathon in honor of my dear friend, Lorene Adams and my incredible dad, Bob Capes!

Training:
To be perfectly honest - I haven't gotten in the training runs that I had hoped to at this point.  I had a hard time training last year - so I feel a little intimidated by the entire process.  I'm not too worried about it yet but I know I have a hard 2 1/2 months of training in front of me!  I have found a great running community in Mt. Juliet, TN - so I'm pretty excited that I've made new friends and have some people who will help me get the long runs completed!

TEAM JULIA:
It's an interesting thing to ask others to donate money to a cause that I care so deeply about.  My younger sister, Julia, lives with an autoimmune disease called Multiple Sclerosis.  And she doesn't know what every day will bring!  I spent a couple days last week in Ohio with my family and my sister said in passing that she hadn't been feeling great for a few days. I asked her what she meant and she said that she is feeling numbness in areas again.  I think I was hoping (she probably was too) that since she had her beautiful daughter, Grace, that her MS would just disappear forever.

But it hasn't. The MS is still around and will be until we find a cure!!!

So.  I will be training to run a full 26.2 miles and asking many of you to donate any amount of money towards the National MS Society!  You can click here to support TEAM JULIA for 2013!


ADAMS' AVENGERS:
I also was able to go to Pittsburg for a day with my mom, sister and niece to see friend Lorene at the Univ of Pittsburgh Medical Center!  Lorene had a double lung transplant about 3 weeks ago because she is living with another autoimmune disease, scleroderma.  It has been an emotional couple of months while she waited to the perfect lungs for her.  I can't even explain how proud I am to know Lorene and to be able to share in her story just a little bit.  She is such an incredible miracle!

Lorene has been one of TEAM JULIA's biggest supporters over the past few years when I've participated with RUN MS - because she has her own story and struggle with Scleroderma.

Two of my best friends and their families are signed up to Step Out to Cure Scleroderma on August 10th in York, PA as ADAMS' AVENGERS - You can support them here.


My dad:
This year I am intentionally running for my dad too.  Robert Carl Capes was diagnosed in 2006 with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - also a disease that affects the autoimmune system.  He will be running the half marathon as part of TEAM JULIA again and honestly tells me every year to focus on raising money for MS.  So I am.  But he's part of my motivation as well.

See why I run a marathon to raise money and awareness?

I am surrounded by individuals who fill me with awe every time I think of them.  Each one of them inspire me to live each day more fully.  So how could I not run?