Alpharetta resident, Rachel Mudd will compete for the tenth time in the Nike Women’s Marathon to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) this Sunday, October 20th. The marathon takes place in San Francisco, CA and features many of the famous city’s iconic landmarks such as Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf and views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Over the past 10 years, the partnership between Nike and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has raised over $134 million through the event to help find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. Rachel is considered a “legacy” at the Nike Women’s Marathon – she has not missed this race since its inception in 2004. Rachel has been competing in endurance events for the past fourteen years and has completed 29 events with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) program including two Ironman triathlons.
Rachel first joined TNT to honor her close friend Debbie who passed away from cancer on October 13, 1998. Rachel says that, “To be able to do this race every October, the month of her passing, keeps her spirit alive.” When asked why she keeps participating in the Nike Women’s Marathon, she said, “The Nike Women's Marathon embodies everything LLS and Team in Training represent. The sea of runners on race day provides hope to every person living with a blood cancer. That sea of runners is full of Heroes running in memory of family members or friends they have lost to cancer. That sea of runners is full of Heroes running with their own limitations due to cancer treatment. That sea of runners is blanketed with Team In Training coaches, staff, and participants providing encouragement to everyone on the course! And last, but certainly not least, the Tiffany necklace given to you by the really handsome San Francisco firemen at the finish line are truly the icing on the cake!”
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program is the world’s largest endurance sports charity training program, and is currently celebrating its 25th Anniversary. Since 1988, TNT nationally has trained over 600,000 runners and has raised over $1.4 billion towards the fight against blood cancers. Participants in the program receive four to five months of training with a supportive group of teammates under the guidance of a certified coach, and clinics on nutrition, injury prevention, gear and other essentials to prepare for the race. In return, they raise funds to find new and better therapies for leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, and support services to help improve patients’ lives.
“Every person who joins Team In Training helps bring us closer to beating cancer,” said Lauren Schilt Kennedy, Team In Training Director for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Georgia Chapter.
For more information about The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training, call (404) 720-7842 or visit www.teamintraining.org/ga.
