Elle Woods Studies for the Bar...

For those of you who have not personally faced the torture of bar summer, this gives you a rough idea of what it feels like to study for the bar...and in case you don't get it, I am the squirrel.

Elle Woods Post-Marathon - Year 2

A slightly different version to last year's Elle Woods post-marathon adventure...only this year it was three days later in a courtroom in Suffolk County.

Judge: ADA Weinstein, can you approach so I may see you at sidebar please?
Elle: (sick to stomach - walks forward to speak with judge so that the crowded court does not hear) Yes, Your Honor?
Judge: ADA Weinstein, (in concerned voice) are you OK? What's going on with you today?
Elle: (Nervous quiver in voice) Yes, Your Honor. Everything is fine.
Judge: Are you sure? You are looking kinda --
Elle: (Nervous quiver in voice) My apologies, Your Honor. I ran on Monday.
Judge: (sigh of relief) Oh ok. I feel better knowing that. I thought something was REALLY wrong with you. Congratulations - that is quite the accomplishment.
Defense Attorney: Judge, did you run on Monday too?
Judge: No - I ran a 10k once and couldn't walk for a week. ADA Weinstein, you may proceed.
Elle: Thank you, Your Honor.

Cousin Eric's Blog - Mile 8

Please read my cousin Eric's blog about me and Ashley at Mile 8. Now I know why I missed that four hour marathon by 2min and 3seconds!

Ashley walks down the stairs - day after marathon

Final Email

April 19, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

Tomorrow early morning, my fellow members of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) Team and I will be joining 25,000 others at the starting line of the 113^th Boston Marathon. After dedicating the past five months to training and fundraising, I can hardly believe that at this time tomorrow, I will have finished my second Boston Marathon!

Tonight was the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Pasta Party. This annual event allows all the runners and Jimmy Fund Patient Partners to get together one last time to provide the runners with motivation before the race. We heard from many inspiring speakers – including Boston Marathon winners Bill Rodgers, Uta Pippig & Jack Fultz. We listened to a Dana-Farber doctor, also running tomorrow for DFMC, speak about the progress made at Dana-Farber through the research of the Claudia Adams Barr Program. We had a chance to take silly pictures with our 6 year old patient partner, Jaden Cabrera, knowing that the next time we see him will be tomorrow at Mile 25 of our journey to Boston.

We also watched a slideshow of over thirty pictures of the In-Memory Partners – children who have unfortunately lost their battle to cancer. Ironically, the slideshow was to the tune of the modern version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow – my Aunt Nancy’s favorite song. Although there was not a dry eye in the room, my sister and I almost felt as if our aunt was with these children somewhere. These children’s families were at the Pasta Party tonight, not because they felt that they had to be there but because they wanted to be there. They realize that Dana-Farber gave them the extra days and memories with their children.

Tomorrow when I leave Hopkinton, I will be wearing my Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge singlet. On the back of this singlet are the names of four people whose battles with cancer remind me what race I am really running in tomorrow. I run again to honor the memory of my Aunt Nancy. I know that although she lost her battle, she would be proud to know that I am doing what I can in hopes that others may be cured. I run in honor of Jaden Cabrera. I know that no one in their entire lifetime should have to face what Jaden faced in his childhood. I run in honor of Guy Alon. I know that his difficult treatments are getting him closer to a transplant this summer, and recognize that he maintains consistent optimism and strength as he supports his wife and three children. I run in honor of Jon Lin. I know that law school is difficult enough, and he will be graduating in May after fighting cancer during his law school education.

Running a marathon is hard. Fighting cancer is harder.

As I have said before, the battles these four individuals have fought, or are fighting, with cancer are not unique ones. Cancer attacks everyone around us – parents, loved ones, siblings, and children. The back of my friend Kristan’s singlet says “In Honor of Too Many.” Like Kristan, unfortunately there is not enough room on my singlet for the names of every person that I know touched by cancer. In addition to running in honor of the people on the back of my singlet, I also run in honor of all of your loved ones who are currently battling, have battled, or have unfortunately lost their fight to cancer.

If you have already donated, I thank you. If you have already donated twice, I thank you even more. If you have not donated yet and want to help me find a cure for cancer, donations can be made directly on my website (www.RunLindsRun.org) or by check, payable to “Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge” and mail it to the address listed below. If you know someone who may be interested in donating, please forward this email along to them. 100% of the money raised goes to innovative cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. If you are interested in learning about the Barr Program, please visit the website: www.RunDFMC.org

Every donation, no matter what dollar amount, will make a life-changing difference.

I thank you again for your emotional and financial support as I pursue this challenging but rewarding mission. Hopefully I will see some of you out on the course tomorrow. If you want to track me on www.baa.org, my number is 22469.

I should arrive at the finish line of the Boston Marathon in Copley Square sometime before 3PM. I hope that with your help, we can all reach the ultimate finish line – a world without cancer.

With miles and miles of endless love and gratitude,

Lindsey

Boston Marathon Magazine

I was reading the Boston Marathon magazine last night and there was a quote in an ad that totally makes me think of this season.

"If you think training for a marathon is hard, try fundraising for one in today's economy."

I understand the financial situation that everyone faces right now. I realize that I, like over 90% of my graduating law school class, will be unemployed come graduation in May. All this is true but what is even more true --- cancer is still out there attacking families and loved ones. I just learned of a dear friend who has a family member recently affected as of this past weekend.

I am asking - begging - pleading -- all of you to realize that cancer is not going away. The financial crisis will...just not today. I am training for this marathon as much as I can, but it is at the point where the hay is in the barn. I cannot train anymore because tomorrow is the day. But you can help me fundraise. Make a mini sacrifice this week - whether you have one more beer at home so that you don't have to buy one at the bar or you make coffee this week and bring it with you to work or school rather than buying $3 lattes at Starbucks or you make dinner at home with a friend or a loved one rather than heading out to a nice restaurant...think of what you would have spent on that beer or that coffee or that dinner and donate it to help find a cure for cancer.

Thank you all.

DONATE HERE.

Thirsty Thursday? Come Out to Support Us as We Try to Find a Cure for Cancer!

Who: Lindsey Weinstein, JJ Wellemeyer, Elyse Boyle, and You!

What: Boston Marathon Fundraising Party for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with free appetizers, opportunity drawings with great prizes (including Sox tix), and possible celebrity sightings! $10 minimum suggested donation at the door (cash or check made payable to "Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge").

When: Thursday, April 16th from 7-10 p.m. (or until close)

Where: The Point, 147 Hanover St., Boston, MA (behind Bell in Hand in Faneuil Hall)

Why: Because supporting us by partying with friends (new and old) 4 days before the marathon is a lot easier than running with us on Monday!!!

Co-Sponsored by the following Suffolk Law School clubs:

Health and Biomedical Law Society

Jewish Law Students Association

National Women Law Students' Association

Suffolk Law Ice Hockey Club

Suffolk Law Softball Club

Suffolk Trial Advocates

I promise you that a good time will be had by all.

If you are unable to make the party, but still care enough to want to help find a cure for cancer, you can make a completely tax deductible donation on my website at: www.RunLindsRun.org

Running With Greatness

As if I needed more reason to be proud to run in the footsteps of great American runners this year...
Boston Marathon legend Bill Rodgers returns to the event where his fame began - The Boston Globe

Posted using ShareThis

Forecast Update From Runners World

Everyone is getting amped for Boston. DONATE

A Shoutout from our cousin Eric

Our cousin Eric gave me and my sister a great shoutout here

He is riding in the PMC in the summer. If you want another reason to help support Dana-Farber research, he gives you a good one.

ONE WEEK EVERYONE! One week from RIGHT NOW I will hopefully be running by my cousins Eric & Liz and their amazing kids Cole and Tess at the 10k mark...the West Natick train station.

DONATE.

Jackism's in action

ONE WEEK. Need some Jackisms? Here is our fabulous coach, Jack Fultz in action. Donate: www.RunLindsRun.org

I have 9 others anyway...

Many of you have heard about my toe issues. Two weeks ago, about 6 miles into the fantastic run from Hopkinton to BC with JJ and John, my toe started to hurt. About five miles after that, it went numb. John and I hung out all day afterwards and it just was feeling funny (and he had to keep hearing about it - shocking:) ). I thought it was just the beginnings of the nail turning black and falling off, but no. It started to kill - I couldn't walk well, tried soaking it and nothing was working. I told Jack that I thought it was broken...he thought it could be possible but also knew that doctors wouldn't help with that. Then I figured that maybe the nail that should have fallen off just wanted to hang around for a bit longer...and instead of the new nail growing in underneath, it started growing in ABOVE that nail. Needless to say, it started looking pretty damn gross (quasi infected - see below).

My non-runner readers are probably grossed out by this photo. Heck, I think even my runner friends are grossed out by this, but its just a toe. I finally got into health services to get it checked out on Friday. After speaking with me for at most two minutes and saying it looked "ingrown" (but they were actually looking at my big toe, go figure - gotta love school health insurance), they referred me to a podiatrist, who I am seeing tomorrow. In the meantime...antibiotics and "resting my foot" (UGH!!). Fortunately the foot doc told me that no matter what I will be able to run in a week, which is all I needed to hear.

So tomorrow will mark the beginnings of a new toe - I am getting SOMETHING done to it so that I can run in a week - what that is, I don't care, and quite frankly, the foot doc can cut this silly toe off cause I really don't need my 4th toe anyway (I am already a klutz - why would this toe be the one to help me balance?).

Afterwards, I will follow the advice of Laurie and paint 'em dark. I can't say that Lincoln Park after Dark will do the trick...maybe have to go a bit darker - Wicked style. Thank goodness the only people who look at feet anyway are girls who want to criticize your shoes. Well, they will be closed toe for a while for me - or at least dark polish. Dark polish. Dark polish.

Nothing is going to stop me running this year. Not even a bum toe. These are the mini-sacrifices I make to get myself to the start line in Hopkinton to hope we can all make it to the ultimate finish line.

Donate. You know you want to.

10 day forecast

Well my sister texted me early this morning about the weather...I guess 4/20 is officially on the 10 day forecast but of course - after what happened last year, I know it will change a bazillion times between now and next week. So, for my readers (the two or three left out there now), here is the weather forecast. I think it looks nice - the rain doesn't bother me so long as it doesn't monsoon...temperature wise - I think we could be good to go....

Day
Few Showers High 53°F Precip 30% Wind: W 10 mph Max. Humidity: 63% UV Index: 7 High Sunrise: 5:55 AM ET Avg. High: 58°F Record High: 89°F (1976)

Remembrance...

Please read a powerful post from Helen, a fellow DFMC runner regarding her remembrance of the passing of her dear friend from cancer.

Thank you. And please donate: www.RunLindsRun.org

Why I am Running - Year 2...

It took me a while to write a blog post this year. I think I based a lot of this on the fact that I did not know how to say to everyone that I wanted them to donate to cancer research for yet another year after my aunt had passed away. If you think about it from a rational point of view (or at least a legalese rationalization) - my aunt had passed. She lost her battle. I ran last year in her memory and raised almost 12k. But here I am again - still honoring her memory. Financially, it was tough. I recognized this. I knew that it was tough to keep asking for people to donate to honor the memory of someone who although I love more than anything, I could not bring back.

But I know my Auntie Nancy and know that she would want me to continue running so that others don't suffer the way she suffered in the end of her battle. I know that I, personally, do not want anyone else to experience what my family and my Auntie's close friends experienced in the months prior to her passing. I know she would be grateful that I am continuing to honor her memory, but also am running so that others can have a fighting chance against this disease.

So this year - I reminded myself why I am doing this. I am running for all those out there who are still fighting cancer...I truly believe scientific research is incredible and that the Dana-Farber researchers have made incredible progress towards finding a cure with their research. Many DFCI researchers have spoke with the runners at our runners meetings. They reminded the DFMC runners that the money we raise counts and we are getting closer...but are not there yet.

I am proud to say that I am running in honor of two DFCI patients - one being 6 year old Jaden Cabrera, who is in remission. The other - my friend Inbal's father, Guy Alon, who is battling multiple myeloma with more optimism than I thought could be imagined in the normal person.

This Elle Woods is not a science person - in fact, when the researchers explain the sciencey side of cancer to us runners, I sit there hearing noises that Charlie Brown hears when adults speak to him. Despite this, I know they are making progress and that progress is obvious. I am physically able to run 26.2 miles (no matter how insane it may seem to the average person). So, this is my contribution to finding a cure. I'll keep running til I physically cannot anymore knowing that with every step from Hopkinton to Copley that I take, we are getting one step closer to the ultimate finish line.

Donate here.