12 Sep Team In Training Sugar Cookies {Support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society}

In 2011 I ran my first half marathon. And then in February of this year my second. Currently, I’m struggling to get in shape for my third – the Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco on October 20. It’s soon. And in the midst of moving, attending happy hours very important social functions and doing everything I can to avoid the Texas heat, I’ve managed to seriously neglect my training schedule.

The race is 6 weeks away and I’m not ready.

I’m going to do it! But I will most likely cry. Probably at the bottom of a very large hill.

And here is why I’m not crazy. Rumor has it that at the end of the race I will be awarded a Tiffany necklace. By a firefighter. In a tuxedo. Oh yeah. 

But this post isn’t really about me or my impending doom training. Or well-dressed, fancy-jewelry bearing civil servants. It’s about cancer. Real talk.

The fight against blood cancer, specifically Lymphoma is one that is very close to my heart. In recent years I have seen it affect the lives of multiple friends and acquaintances. Young, healthy people, like myself. On more than one occasion I have found myself wondering, How at the age of 25, do I know multiple people who have suffered  from the same, seemingly rare disease? There’s no answer to that question. Except for that blood cancers must not be as rare as I thought. And that life is full of trying, and often inexplainable circumstances. Regardless of the why, the pursuit of more effective treatments and (fingers crossed) an eventual cure for blood cancers is a cause that I am committed to supporting.

I ran my first two half marathons through The Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. It’s a truly amazing organization. If you are interested in giving back while at the same time bettering yourself physically and emotionally, I highly recommend you look into joining Team in Training.  Here’s how it works:  You  join a Team (either your local chapter or the virtual chapter, TNT Flex), choose a race or endurance event and commit to raising a certain amount of money for LLS in return for personalized training from your very own TNT coach. For every dollar you raise, the majority goes to LLS and a remaining, small portion goes to paying for your  entry fee and hotel room for the weekend of the race.

You then spend the next 2-4 months of your life in running shoes, bonding with your teammates, joining around the common cause of kicking blood cancer’s butt and supporting each other through the aches and pains that endurance training brings. And fundraising like a crazy person. That friend of your parents that you met at your cousin’s wedding who may have overindulged and asked you to dance on the bar? You’ll reach out to him, and he’ll probably write a sizable check on your behalf. And then you’ll be so touched by his generosity that you’ll maybe feel slightly bad about judging his drunken celebratory behavior. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.

When race weekend finally comes it’s worth all of the sweat and effort. You put on your purple jersey with pride, and hit the course with your family of  fellow TNTers knowing that you’ve not only reached the heights of personal accomplishment but that you have also helped to make a difference in the lives of others.

It’s one of the best, if not THE best things I have ever done. I am so proud to have had the honor of wearing that purple jersey alongside some of the strongest, kindest most giving people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting (and sweating with).

Since I already ran one Team in Training race this year, I made the tough decision not to participate for October’s race. But I’ll be damned if that’s going to keep me from doing all I can to support my friends in purple!

One of my very best friends, Steph, is participating in Team in Training for the first time for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon. I couldn’t be more excited and proud! And while I’m not going to be a part of the official “Team” this time around, I can’t wait to run beside Steph in October and mooch off of all of the TNT love she is going to be getting from teammates and supporters. And by beside her I mean behind because she is seriously kicking my butt in training!

I made these Team in Training Sugar Cookies in support of Steph and her first journey with TNT. Training for a half marathon is tough. Training for a half marathon and raising over $2,900 is even tougher. You can read Steph’s training blog and donate to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society HERE.  Stop by and leave her some love and should you feel compelled, help her in reaching her fundraising goal. Donations are tax deductible and come with a free gift – good karma. 🙂

Note: Donations are used to fund research for a cure as well as to help patients and their families. To date, LLS has invested over $875 to blood cancer research, and that number is ever-growing.

Okay, on to the sugar. This was my first experience decorating sugar cookies with royal icing, and I’m pretty pleased with the result! Of course my outlines are a little wobbly and I covered up any imperfections with a heavy coating of purple disco dust – but hey, these things take practice. For some great tutorials on decorating cookies with royal icing, visit Callye at The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle and Bridgette at Bake @ 350. These ladies are the real deal. Even if you’re not planning on making cookies, stop by and gawk at the beautiful cookies they create. It’s art. Sugary, delicious art.

And of course, you can use any shaped cookie cutter you please – once you have the recipes down, the aesthetics are yours to run with. Pun Intended.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

BEST OF LUCK TO STEPH IN REACHING HER FUNDRAISING GOAL! GO TEAM!

I used The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle’s for recipes for Basic Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing.

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