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In 1996 Melissa Kushnick’s father was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. T. J. Caplinger’s good friend was also diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a few years ago. She is also doing well now.
Both turned to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT) to honor their loved ones and make a difference in the fight against blood cancer. And both relished the thought of meeting people with similar interests and running goals.
In separate parts of the country, they were both training in preparation to travel to San Francisco for the 2006 Nike Women’s Marathon, a Race to Benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Kushnick, began her training with the New York City chapter of LLS, but then moved to San Antonio and finished training with the South Texas chapter of LLS, where Caplinger, was also a member.
They met at a Wednesday afternoon practice. They had the same exact car – and that’s what sparked their first conversation.
“I knew from the moment I saw her, she was the one,” Caplinger recalled. “As soon as I left practice I called my friend and said, I know this sounds crazy but I just met the girl I’m going to marry.”
They began dating in September 2006 and did the Nike Women’s Marathon together in October. It was such a great experience that they agreed to return the following year.
And it wasn’t long before the idea began to take shape in Caplinger’s mind. “I wanted something unique and special,” said Caplinger. “I knew people had proposed at the finish line before so that’s why I went with the ‘one word at each mile’ plan.”
The first set of signs started at mile 21. At first Kushnick had no idea the signs were leading to a proposal. “I thought they were just going to be inspirational,” she said. But by mile 22 she was 99% sure. She was right.
Now Kushnick and Capligner have scheduled their wedding date for March 7, 2008 outside of Austin.
Both agree that being part of a supportive group where all share the common goal of wanting to find cures helped secure their bond. They are among many many couples who have met through Team In Training.
“I couldn’t have proposed the way I wanted without the support of my great friends at Team In Training,” said Caplinger. “Everyone that helped by holding the signs had run the event first and then returned to their designated spots to hold the signs. They gave up valuable recovery time to help me out and even ran back in with Melissa to be there at the finish line. I have to thank them and everyone as at LLS who helped me with this."
Credit: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Brett Buckles
Colorado
My story: I grew up ski racing from age 5 to 19 and retired from the U.S. Ski Team due to a nagging shin injury. I was thoroughly frustrated with the sport and needed to get away from it before I lost my passion for skiing forever. I took a three-year hiatus from skiing altogether and moved to Arizona to pursue rodeo and journalism at Arizona State University. After seeing no mountains or snow for a year, I returned to Colorado and transferred to the University of Colorado to continue my schooling. That winter I fell into the sport of skiercross and am now going into my fourth season. In the last three years I have climbed the ranks and am the number one woman skiercross competitor in North America!
The only reason I got back into competitive skiing is my love for the sport. I feel most connected to nature while I'm skiing and am in my most blissful state. After first leaving the sport miserable and unhappy, I have kept my second chance in perspective. Being happy, having fun and following my heart are my ultimate goals with skiing now, and that will never change.
This season I will be competing more than ever--traveling to Europe to compete in World Cup skiercross competitions against the best in the world! I will also compete at the Winter X Games for the fourth season as the top American female on home soil.
If all continues to go well, I look forward to representing the U.S. in the 2010 Winter Olympics as part of the U.S. Skiercross Team.
Lena Lago Washington, DC.
(Home away from home - Tampa, FL)
Favorite activities: Traveling, cycling, and avoiding work.
Next adventure: Training in Krav Maga. Loves to: Lounge on the beach, commit random acts of baking, and spoil my nephews. Goal: Finish the Ironman by age 40 Favorite Quote: "Words without actions are the assassins of idealism." –H. Hoover
Michele Myauo (2nd from the rt.) Washington DC
My story: In December 2005, while I was training for my first marathon, my neck swelled out and I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Intravascular Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Intravascular Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, is a rare subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, where disease is in the veins and arteries that go to the heart.
With the support of family and friends, I completed six cycles of CHOP-R chemotherapy and eight weeks of radiation therapy. During my radiation treatment, I trained for and ran the Country Music Half-Marathon. Since being “cured” (some call it remission) in June 2006, I ran one marathon and am now training for my second marathon with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training® program.
Team In Training is the world's largest endurance sports training program which provides participants training to run or walk marathons and half marathons or participate in triathlons and century (100-mile) bike rides while helping to raise funds for the cause. The mission of the Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. I decided to become involved in Team In Training because I wanted to have the chance to help an organization whose research support was directly responsible for the discovery of the therapy that has cured my disease.
Participating in the Team In Training program has provided me the opportunity to use my hobby to make a difference. As you look to complete your next endurance event, I urge you to consider completing your event with the Team. You can obtain more information about the program at www.teamintraining.org/nca.
I wish you continued health and I look forward to seeing you on the trails.
Christine Bone, Adventure Racer Northern VA.
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