Dear Friends and Family (and partners in the fight against blood cancer),
Isn’t it amazing how little things over a long period of time produce big results?
A few months ago I began training for the 2010 Walt Disney World Marathon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. Our first training run was only 2 miles long. Our first week of training only covered a total of 8 miles. Each week we added a mile or two to that total. Five months later, and each member of our team would run 26.2 miles in one day. Just a mile or two each week added to the total made all the difference. Little things over long periods of time produce big results.
A few days ago I laced up my shoes to run the marathon and somehow managed to get my right sock twisted under my right little toe. 26.2 miles (and 4 hours and 47 minutes) later, I had rubbed such a blister on that toe that I no longer have any skin left on that appendage. I finished the race and had a great time doing it, but that blister is a reminder that little things over long periods of time produce big results.
Two weeks ago I received a final set of contributions to my Team in Training fundraising efforts from some of you that pushed me over the top of my fundraising minimum. In total, you all contributed around $2,843 on my behalf towards the fight against blood cancer! Though this is a sizable amount of money, I am sure that probably seems like a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of scientific research. . . however, together (with all my Team in Training teammates from around the country that competed in the Disneyworld Marathon this year) we raised $5.4 million towards cancer research!! Little things over long periods of time produce big results.
Ongoing today, blood cancer patients around the country are receiving new chemotherapy treatments that give them a great chance for survival with quality of life. These treatments were not possible 25 years ago, but are available today based in large part on the scientific breakthroughs and discoveries fueled by the grant dollars raised by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (and people like you). Little things over long periods of time produce big results.
I write you this today to say “thank you” from the bottom of my heart to you for being a part of a little thing that (over a long period of time) is producing big results: longer, richer lives for people fighting blood cancers. You are all very dear to me, and I thank you for your partnership together in this grand endeavor.
Sincerely,
Mark Robinson
Very cool. It’s amazing to see the dedication that goes into marathons like these.
And I definitely agree about your underlying message. I have to remind myself that the most important things come by process, not by lightning bolt! It’s hard to see progress, because it’s not always as fast as I want, or in as large, visible increments as I want, but it is always worth it in the end.
Thanks for the post Mark- you’re inspiring me to not only run one, but to look into possibly doing it with Team in Training. Glad you were able to be a part of it!