Team Transplant, UWMC » for team members

Apparel

greenglove — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:15:55 +0000

Apparel

Ida and James will be at practice this weekend and will have our current inventory of apparel available…

•   hats with brim
•   fleece caps
•   socks
•   technical shirts, long/short sleeve from previous years
•   short sleeve cotton t-shirts
We have a new supply of short-sleeve technical shirts on the way and will have more hoodies coming soon….

***If you are interested in ordering a running jacket or have other thoughts about Team Transplant apparel, please contact Mark Rosinbum at markrosinbum@gmail.com***

Superstars of the Week – September 3

greenglove — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:12:31 +0000

Superstars of the Week

Laura “the Animal” Lewis…Laura is one of our UWMC social workers who joined us during the 2009 spring season. She has since become a regular on the Team Transplant scene and finished her first half with us last November. For June’s Rock’n Roll Half, you might remember that incredible surge of encouragement you got at 9-miles…well that was Laura Lewis who along with Lenore Miller made up our very spirited race day cheering section! And this past Saturday she was once again out on the sidelines…this time providing Gatorade and Fig Newtons in addition to encouragement at our 6-mile turnaround water station. It’s very clear she enjoys spending time with the team and truly looks forward to her long walks with all of you on Saturday mornings. And…it seems that all that hard work is paying off as she went back after practice and completed the super human feat of picking up all of the yellow cones by herself! Laura…you’re an animal!:-)

Meanwhile back at the ranch…Micah Gwinn and Steve Miller minded home base. Micah is one of our kidney transplants and is returning for his 4th season. Steve and his wife, Lenore, joined the team several years ago as a way to support Lenore’s sister who is waiting for a heart transplant. The three have become regulars at practices and even get together for midweek training sessions around Green Lake. Their incredible friendship has become a symbol of one of the greatest rewards of being on the team… making new friends and developing lasting relationships!

Gary Lanis! Gary, one of our liver recipients and an original Team Transplant member, took some time off last year, and it seems the break has paid off. He competed in the Snoqualmie Railroad Days 5k Aug. 21st, finishing the course in 43:48. That works out to a very fine 14:08/mile pace…Nice job, Gary!

And…last, but certainly, not least… Lenore Miller.…I know I’ve already mentioned her name a couple of times here, but I had a request to give her her own special Superstar status….and not just because she’s been such an incredible support on the sidelines or because she’s been such an amazing training partner for Micah and Steve, but to recognize all of the improvements she’s made through her own hard work and training! Her nominator writes…
I cannot express my joy enough over witnessing the progress of Lenore last Saturday. The expression on her face to feel so FIT AND STRONG was more than a thousand words. She is feeling great and her form has improved so much. You gotta give her a nod for your Super Star of the week. REALLY !!!

Protected: Schedule Update – September 3

greenglove — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:06:06 +0000

Protected: Schedule Update – Aug 20

greenglove — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:08:23 +0000

Schedule Update – August 9 – Release Forms

greenglove — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:56:07 +0000

Hey, everyone!

Sorry for the delay in getting these out to you, but we wanted to make sure everything was up to date and as accurate as possible. I’ve attached copies of the Physician Release form, Team Registration form, and the Seattle Half Marathon race entry form.

Explanations are below…Let me know if you have questions…

Physician Release Form
•   This is only necessary for transplant recipients.
•   It must be updated each year in the fall and it is MANDATORY that we have one on file for you before you come to a practice.
•   Last day to turn it in and still be on the team for the fall is September 7th!
Registration form + waiver
•   It is MANDATORY that EVERYONE, transplant recipients AND non-transplant recipients, submit a new form each year.
•   Due date: September 7th!
Race Entry Form
•   Everyone who plans to do the race must turn this in to us. We will turn in all of the entries together as a group.
•   This is the only way that you can still be eligible for the early bird entry fee
Fees
•   Early bird entry fee for the Half Marathon is $65 this year.
◦   Transplant recipients. We will again cover the cost of your entries into the race.
•   Membership fee is $20. This goes toward supporting our practices by funding the purchase of Gatorade, water, Fig Newtons, paper towels, Kleenex, Purrell, cones, tables…as well as to help cover expenses for transplant recipients when needed.
◦       If you are a transplant recipient and this is your first year on the team, your membership fee is waived.
•   Please make checks out to the UWMC Service League with a notation that the money is to go to Team Transplant (We are in the process of setting up an account through them)
Race Options
•   Our primary focus is training for the half marathon; HOWEVER, Seattle Marathon weekend also offers the option of the 5k (3.1 miles)…
•   SOOOoooooo… if you’re not sure if this will be a good time for you to do the training required for the half marathon, think about entering the 5k!!
•   For mor information on the race, go to www.seattlemarathon.org
Apparel
•   Short sleeve (cotton) t-shirts are in! We will have them available at practices…
•   We are also planning to order more *green* technical shirts this year …I believe this is a short-sleeve season but we do still have some long-sleeve ones left over from last year.
•   We still have hats, fleece caps, and socks available…and plan to place another order for hoodies…We’ll keep you posted!
Practices/Training schedules
•   The training schedules start Aug. 9th…I’ll be sending out the training schedules along with locations and directions to those locations within the next week (and yes…I’m aware that Aug.9th is next week!)
•   The first group practice will be at 8:00am on Aug. 14th, location TBA
•   Our kick-off breakfast will held following our practice on Aug. 21st, location TBA
Other Ways to Be Involved
•   The Team Transplant Department of Homeland Security assists with the set up and take down of our training routes; coordinates water station volunteers; purchases supplies for practices; and is the key to the success of our practices. This group is going through some transitions this year and could really use additional volunteer support!!
•   Post-Race Party…Janette has done a fantastic job of coordinating this event the past few years, but she will be going out of town for Thanksgiving this year so we will need someone to take over planning our 2010 party .    I’m sure she’ll be willing to serve as a resource and may even want to still be involved in some way.
•   Water station volunteers at individual practices. We will have a sign-up list at practices.  We typically have 2 water stations at each practice.
•   Water station on Race Day…Sam (Niles) Leishman will once again be coordinating an official race day water station for us. I’ll be sending more information out as we get closer to half marathon weekend.
•   E-mail me at teamtx@u.washington.edu if you’d like to help out!!!!

That’s all for now…I look forward to getting back into the swing of things!

Protected: Schedule Update: Aug 1: Physician’s Release

greenglove — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:17:36 +0000

Jennifer Herlihy takes GOLD at Transplant Olympics!!

greenglove — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:06:45 +0000

This is just too good for me to sit on any longer…

Jennifer Herlihy, one of our liver recipients, flew to Madison Wisconsin last week to compete for her first time ever in the Transplant Olympics…and let’s just say…she has certainly made the experience worth the trip!

On Saturday, with some solid pacing from her husband, Todd, she won her age group in the 5k in an amazing time of 24:29 (~7:53/mile)….Then on Monday she returned to action on the track where she managed to pick up not one…not two…but THREE MORE MEDALS!!!!: Gold in the 1500m (6:45) and 800m (3:27) and silver in the 400m (1:42.5)…not bad for someone who’s been training for half marathons!

Congratulations, Jen! You done us proud!:-)

If you’d like to see a picture of Jen on the awards stand, you can go to: http://www.kidney.org/news/tgames2010/USGames/photos/index.cfm
Click on 5k Race. She and Todd are in the one 21st from the end…They’re both wearing blue tie-dye shirts…

Savor the Memories – July 5

greenglove — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:14:15 +0000

It all started when I showed up down at Safeco Field around 4:25 am.  Shirley Schultz and Ida Boecksteigel were already there. I parked my car a couple of blocks away, and as I walked to greet them, I started to feel kind of guilty…really…was it necessary to have them get there so early?…I made a lame attempt at apologizing, saying something like, “you know…this might’ve been overkill. We’ll have to talk about if we really need to get here so early next time.”
To which they both energetically responded, “Oh…Dick’s already been here and signed in!”
I waited with them for the next hour seizing the opportunity to recharge my energy stores by plugging into the enthusiasm that Mark Scott, Micah Gwinn, Janette Morantes, Jason Stahl, James Boecksteigel , Dave and Carla Trulson Essenberg, Katherine MacDonald, Allen Vary, Jonathon Baird and his niece all brought with them as they chose to launch their journey down to Tukwila from our check-in station.
Leaving downtown around 5:30, I headed out to my post. I parked above I-90 with plans to run to Seward Park. It’d been a long time since I’d made it out to run that early…shocking how tight I am at that hour! Nonetheless, I timed everything just right so that I had enough time to run up the very long hill from Seward Park to the Colombia City Cafe Vita for coffee and a piece of squash bread before the first runners came through. Otherwise, I’m sure I would’ve collapsed on my couch much earlier in the day!
I positioned myself at my post just as the elite runners started to run by…and made small talk with the event official until our team members started to appear….
The first Team Transplanter on the scene was Jennifer Herlihy. Looking very fit and comfortable, she cruised down the hill with training partner Lynne Sloan, yelling, “We love you Alysun!”   To which I responded, “I love you more!”   They looked awesome…like they were on an easy Sunday afternoon run.   I know Jen was hoping for a big PR, but her time of 2:0:40 was still very respectable especially when you consider that she was injured most of last fall.   Her performance on Saturday was a certain sign that she’s back and that she has a good training base to take along with her to the Transplant games later this month!
Next to arrive was  Allen Vary.   While Allen’s become a self-proclaimed aerobic training junkie since his transplant, he’s had all kinds of obstacles challenging his status as a super endurance athlete. The most recent was a stumble (something about admiring someone’s shoes??) that left him with a broken hand about 3 weeks before the race. While this curtailed his cycling, he managed to maintain enough of a running/walking regimen to finish the half marathon in a very fine 2:18:01…It’ll be exciting when he actually gets a day when all the pieces to fall into place…I hope to be there to see it happen!
Mari Jo Fraser once again squeezed us in between baseball games…I think I read somewhere on Sunday night that she had completed a half marathon and 3 baseball games over the weekend. Now…really….how many people can say they’ve done that in a lifetime let alone in 2 days?!! Her half marathon time was 2:33:45.
The next participants were a bit of surprise.   Lenard Yen and Mark Scott somehow found each other during the first 5 miles of the race. And anyone who’s come to a practice knows that when you mix a little Lenard Yen with a little Mark Scott…well….you just have to hold your breath and hope for the best. And heaven forbid you should get a dose of an awful lot of either one of them! From all reports (well…this would be all of the reports from Mark and Lenard), they spent the entire race egging each other on and pushing each other. If you look at the race photos, you can’t find one shot that doesn’t have both of them in it…or one that doesn’t show the steely determined look of competition on each of their faces.   When they flew by me going downhill to Seward Park…it was very clear they were on a mission…
In the final results…Mark, aka, the “coyote” or ”the sticky green guy,” prevailed with an official time 3 minutes faster (a reflection of the corral start) than Lenard, aka, “rock star” or ” cheerleader charmer,” although from the race photos, it’s obvious that in the head-to-head competition, Lenard wasn’t about to Mark an inch and just clipped him at the line. Both finished with incredible times with Mark finishing in 2:52:31, a near personal best, and Lenard, who has spent the last 2 years ringing on the 3 hour doorbell and who had apparently grown weary of waiting for someone to answer, deciding to just go ahead and bust the whole darn door down. He crossed the line in a mind-numbing 2:55:27!
And…what of that other walker??….the one that would not be named…the mystery Team Transplanter of Lenard’s e-mail…the one who was sneaking along the course disguised in a hot pink skort… Well….Far be it for me to ruin the intrigue or blow her cover…but I believe it’s important to give credit where credit is due…and while I have yet to get a formal confirmation…I believe that that elusive walker…the one who managed to overtake the cat’n mouse game just ahead of her… was none other than lung transplant, Anne Hagerty!   Anne completely ripped up the course, finishing in a super spectacular PR of 2:45:13!!!   Coming so close on the heels of her big race down in Oregon where she set finished in 2:46:30, it’s obvious she was able to ride that thin line between recovery and preparation in the months leading up to the Rock’n Roll Half…not an easy thing to do! Nice work, hot-pink-skirted mystery transplant walker!   We’re proud to call you one of us!
Jonathan Baird once again had an impressive day that showcased his incredible consistency.   While he got off to a slow start this season, he rallied his training over the last few months, and was bouyed by the support of his niece, who has become a regular at TT events, on race day. As they passed me, they flashed big grins and laughed…Who laughs in the middle of a half marathon?? People who are having a good time, that’s who…It’s awesome to be in the kind of shape that you can go out and do 13.1 miles and enjoy it! Jonathon, wearing his floppy safari hat to the end, finished in just over 3 hours, as his chip time was a very fine 3:01:54.
Next…was newcomer, Maggie Kim. Hard to believe this Team Transplanter is just 6 months out from her surgery as she coasted through the course, running every other mile.   It was a lot of fun to see her cruising downhill to Seward Park…headphones in place…dressed in a brown tank top with her foliage green TT shirt wrapped around her waist…and huge smile on her face! hmmmm… seems to be a theme here!   Maggie finished in a stellar debut of 3:04:35!
Dan Tennant made his second appearance in the Team Transplant green…and make no doubt about it…we love seeing him in that color! Another recent transplant, it’s amazing to see the progress he’s made in the past year! He was someone who got right into training after his surgery which probably explains why he looked so comfortable as he walked by. He and his wife finished in fine form with a very respectable 3:22:11.
And then…came Dennis Cole…What an incredible story this is! Dennis received his 2nd heart transplant about 2 years ago…His first one lasted 18+ years. I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to see him running down that hill. Also dressed in his best TT green, he was flashing one of those amazing smiles as he paused to give me a report on the first half of the race…and make some editorial comments about the water. I know he slowed down a bit at the end…his final time was 3:27:05…but you know…that just means he’s got a good goal for next time!
Now…about this point, you’re probably thinking…STOP!! Stop it with all the good stuff, Alysun…I can’t take anymore, but…I can’t do that…because you see…there’s still more good stuff to share! And…rememeber…I’ve had all this marinating and simmering inside of me for a WEEK so I’ve got to go somewhere with it…
The next wave included our kidney transplants, Micah Gwinn and Jason Stahl. Micah was in a group with James Boecksteigel that was commandeered by Janette Morantes. They were all business as they marched by…Janette was determined to keep everyone moving and on task. Incredibly….they all fell in line and the extra focus paid off as Micah who has really been making great strides with his training this past year, finished along with Janette in an unbelievable 45-minute PR, completing the 13.1 miles in 3:28:45….James, who’s also overcome some incredible obstacles to be there on Saturday, finished in 3:10:04 (obviously he used the corral start to his advantage)…
Jason Stahl, biding his time back in the chase pack…was soaking it all in…the crowds…the music….the scenery…the cheering squads….He had waited one very long year for this moment and he wasn’t going to miss out on any part of it! He cruised by looking incredibly at ease and relaxed…With this approach, it was obvious that he was in for a big day…and a big day it was! He chopped an astounding 30 minutes off his time in Seattle last fall crossing the line in….3:48:11!
Also sneaking in with this group was Carla Trulson-Essenberg.   Walking her second half marathon as a Team Transplanter, she once again showed us that gritty determination and competetiveness that we’ve come to expect and love. Despite a foot issue that popped up during the week leading up to the race, she hung on to finish in a time that was just 5 minutes off of her impressive debut in last year’s event.    I know it was big race for her as as both her husband and son walked along with her this year. Carla’s official time was 3:47:11.
Dick Fitzgerald and Ron Adkins, two of our seasoned veterans, rounded out the squad.   Both steady and focused, they wisely avoided the quick early pace and patiently made their way along the course as they waited to make their big strategic moves up the hill to I-90. When the dust had cleared, Ron, together with his daughter, Heather, managed to edge out Dick at the end, crossing the line in 4:24:14. Dick still pulled off an excellent finish, winding up the 13.1 mile race in 4:24:30!
Once everyone had cleared the Seward Park area, I started to make my way back to I-90 and my car…darting in and out of the competitors and stopping to walk with team members…whew…it had been 5 hours since I’d last journeyed along this path. Shocking how stiff I can get when I stand around for 5 hours in between runs!   As I approached I-90, our cheering section was still going strong. The Millers and Laura Lewis were still every bit as excited to see people come by then as I’m sure they were earlier in the day. I stayed with them until everyone had passed the 9 –mile mark….
I retrieved my car….headed back to QWEST Field…enjoyed the music and reverie of the finish area…and then once everyone was in, headed back home where I had 45 minute break until the fabulous celebration started back up again in my backyard.
It was a wonderful day…and a wonderful celebration. Thanks to all of you who helped make it possible…especially those of you working behind the scenes and on the sidelines!   The day would never have happened with out you….
•   Sign in /Sign Out…
Shirley Schultz, Ida Boecksteigel, Jeannie Reynolds, Suzann Stahl, Cindy Weber, Colin Rines, and Vanessa Whitacre
•   Mile 9 Hoopla Station!
Lenore Miller, Steve Miller, and Laura Lewis
•   BBQ
Kris Hendricks, Steve Miller, Dennis Cole, Janette Morantes, and Susan Bussell…and everyone else who contributed to the potluck! It was unbelievable!
And… I need to give an extra big helping of thanks to Steve and Lenore Miller…Steve was at my house on Friday afternoon ready and eager to report for yardwork duty; both of them were out at the Mile 9 Hoopla Station all morning on Saturday;  and then they showed up early to help with the BBQ set up and ran the grill for all of us.   They definitely earned their Hollywood stars last weekend!
That’s all for now…I’ll be sending updates on our fall season very, very soon. Tenative plan is to start up training again the week of August 9th!
Have a wonderful summer…and savor the memories!

Alysun

Race Day is Upon Us!

greenglove — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:54:16 +0000

This is it!

The Second Annual Seattle Rock’n Roll Half Marathon…a wonderful celebration of everything you’ve accomplished over the past 16 weeks! The whole process of getting to this point can seem so mundane…going out for your daily walk or run…eating right…stretching…hydrating…pacing. Just looking at any one individual day, it may not seem like much…but when you add them all up…each day that you followed through on your commitment to exercise; all of the time you shared with your teammates….or enjoyed the solitude of a walk or run in the rain…or spent reading one of Alysun’s lengthy e-mails; every healthy lifestyle behavior that has now become routine…it all becomes something incredibly special!

It becomes the bundle of memories, learning experiences, relationships, improved health, and sense of peace that makes all of the hard work and early mornings worth it. It redefines how you see yourself…adjusts what you see as your limitations…and expands how you see your role in this world. Finishing a half marathon is a big deal…there’s no doubt about that…but even bigger is the ripple effect that accomplishing such a feat can create. If you can walk or run 13.1 miles…what other things are out there waiting for you to conquer?

Yes…training can be a grind…but having the discipline to stick to a plan…to set a goal that you actually reach…to put yourself out on the start line on race day…well…those are mighty powerful things! And they’re the things that you can take with you to your next great endeavor…

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before we solve the problems of the world…and yes…I believe this group could make some great strides toward doing that…let’s not overlook the specialness of this Saturday morning. You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and it’s going to be an amazing day….an incredible reward for sticking to the daily grind. So soak it up! Enjoy the bands…enjoy your teammates and all of the people around you…and enjoy the fact that you truly belong out there…It’s going to be a wonderful celebration!

Go Team!

A few final tips…

It may be warm tomorrow…
Remember to hydrate! Both during the race…and before. If you have a long wait at the start, be sure to bring (or seek out) water to sip on.
Dress appropriately! If it seems chilly at the start, remember that it (and you) will warm up! Layer your clothing for easy removal later in the race when you may not want all of it.
As the sun comes up, try to run and walk on the shady side of the road…
…and remember SUNSCREEN!!!!

For those of you not participating in the race, consider meeting up with Lenore Miller and Laura Lewis out on Lake Washington Blvd where the racers connect with I-90. They’re planning to show up around 8:00am.

That’s all for now…Take it easy today…Get some good rest tonight.

I’ll see ya at O’Dark Thirty tomorrow morning!

Protected: Schedule Update – June 22

greenglove — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:45:17 +0000