Training Week 3 recap

Posted by Sammy on Aug 30th, 2010 | no comments

All week long I dreaded getting to Saturday because not only did that mean having to be up and ready to run by 7am sharp but it also meant a 50 minute training session. Granted at this point 50 min is a small fraction of the time I’ll actually have to do in January but still right now it seems like a lot

I was afraid I’d cramp up again like I did during Week 2′s session. As a preventative measure I not only drank water before I left the house but I had a banana. I also bought a handheld water bottle to take with me on my run/walk and I also had a bottle of Gatorade waiting for me in the car for the ride home. Surprisingly the 50 minutes went by super fast and I survived. My stats were:

3.59 miles in 50 minutes with a pace of 14’32″ per mile. Not bad. Slower than the week before but that’s ok because I was able to do my intervals the entire time instead of having to stop and walk for a good portion of it. That time is still within the range of what Disney is looking for so I’m good as long as I can keep that pace

Training Week 2 Recap :)

Posted by Sammy on Aug 23rd, 2010 | no comments

On Saturday I had my second group training session with TNT. Once again it was incredible. There is something about being around so many others training with you to achieve something most people can’t or won’t do let alone for an AWESOME cause that just makes it so exciting. Training began at 7am. This time I decided to join the run/walk group since my foot had been doing so well when I did my run/walk intervals at the gym. The run/walk coaches train for a 3/1 which means 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking. I decided to give that a try. About a quarter of the way through the training session I started to tire out a bit so I decided to walk a little bit longer than run which isn’t a big deal. Then when we turned back around for the 2nd half my right calf started cramping up. I decided to take it even easier. What’s odd is when I would attempt to run again the cramps would sorta go away. I still didn’t want to push it because the last thing I need is an injury.

My stats for this week are:

I was able to do 3.24 miles in 40 minutes with a pace of 12’48″ per mile. Not bad, not bad at all!

This coming Saturday will be a 50 min run/walk. If you would have asked me a year ago how I’d manage to run/walk for 50min straight I’d tell you that you were crazy. Now I can’t help but be excited about the prospect of not only doing 50 min, but eventually doing 13.1 miles!

WHY I RUN

Posted by Sammy on Aug 23rd, 2010 | 2 comments

This little poem was in the newsletter my Team in Training Coach sent out today. It’s just PERFECT and really conveys why I’m running. So I just had to share it on my blog because as I was reading it I totally got the chills.

I Run because I am not a scientist and cannot help by research and experiments.

I Run because I can and they cannot.

Training Day 1

Posted by Sammy on Aug 14th, 2010 | no comments

This morning was my very first training with Team in Training ever. And it was AWESOME!!!! I got up at 6am ready to go, quickly got dressed and drove to Weston. I got there around 6:45. It’s crazy to think that I was up THAT early in the morning to do any kind of physical activity, but it totally didn’t phase me.

I got there and got my training shirt, and drank some water to hydrate myself. They went over some stretches that we should do before we take off to help us prevent injury. Then we broke up into groups, the runners, the run/walkers, and the walkers. I decided to take off with the walkers today because my bad foot was acting up last night. I figured better safe to not push myself yet. Today was a 30 min walk and my foot didn’t bother me at all during the walk. I’m going to try to do some run/walk intervals this week at the gym. If it starts to hurt I’ll stop and resume walking but I need to give it a try to see if my foot is better and more importantly ready to resume running.

I’m soooooooooooo excited for this. Yeah it means my Saturday mornings for the next 5 months are shot, but you know what? I’m ok with that. Because in the end I’ll be doing my first race at Disney having raised a lot of money for a wonderful cause, and more importantly I’ll get to cross that finish line knowing that I’m helping make a difference for so many lives.

1/2 Marathon Training Night before Day 1 :)

Posted by Sammy on Aug 13th, 2010 | no comments

Tomorrow morning I need to be up and at the training location by 6:45am. Yup you read that time right. Crazy right!?!?!?!? I think so! I’m somewhat excited in a crazy and sick kind of a way. I’m basically beginning a 5 month journey that is going to take me from being someone that would never do such a thing to someone that WILL complete their first half marathon. I’m excited about the idea of doing something that most people would never try, let alone do it for a FANTASTIC cause.

I will be posting weekly training recaps here on my blog so that everyone can follow my progress. If you haven’t donated yet and would like to you can easily do so by clicking on the Team in Training link on the right hand side of this page. Thank you for helping out bring us closer to a cure for lymphoma and leukemia!

Running through the pain

Posted by Sammy on Jul 27th, 2010 | one comment

I remember stories that Gary told me of the days when he’d run his marathons. He’d tell me about that wall that you hit where your body tells you no more but your mind basically has to fight with your body to keep you going. I won’t say that I can even come close to knowing that that is like……yet. But I’ll admit that I have thought about what it’s like to hit that proverbial wall and I wonder if I’ll hit it myself on my big 13.1 mile run come January.

Like I’ve said before I’m NOT a runner. Never have been so running at all is a BIG deal for me. Last week was my first week running. I am slowly easing into it by doing the Couch 2 5k program. Week 1 was a BREEZE, except for the fact that I learned that the sneakers I was using were BAD. REALLY BAD! They caused the arch of one of my feet to hurt like hell. I went to a running store and got something to help me with that pain as well as got them to size me up to the right shoes for my feet. Well worth the money!

Today was day 1 of week 2 of C25k and energy-wise I did great. I didn’t get out of breath or anything. My calves started hurting a little but by the time they’d get unbearable my running interval would switch to a walking one and they’d get all better. Once I was done with my 29 minute workout my calves were perfectly fine. But when they were hurting I’d focus straight at the tv’s even though I wasn’t really making sense of what was on. It was that focus that got me through the pain. In my head I tell myself that it really doesn’t hurt and that the pain I was experiencing was NOTHING compared to the pain Gary went through with chemo.

He is going to get me through my training……HE is going to get me through my half marathon! I will NOT let the pain bring me down.

My new adventure :)

Posted by Sammy on Jul 24th, 2010 | no comments

I’m actually very excited about this too. When Gary was going through treatment he had told me about his friend, Josie, who was planning on running the Disney full marathon with Team in Training and wanted to run in honor of him. He was *so* moved by that. I actually got in touch with her shortly after to get more info on Team in Training because I thought it was such a great idea and I was interested in doing it myself once things calmed down with his health. I remember Gary telling me how when he was healthy enough he was going to train with Team in Training and run the Disney marathon himself, he used to be a long distance runner and ran a marathon or two back in the day.

So it was a no-brainer when I got the little postcard in the mail from Team in Training mentioning their info sessions for the upcoming winter season. Which just so happens to include the Disney marathon weekend. I immediately signed myself up for a session That session was this morning and I was so excited to go. Sooooooo excited. Being there and watching their little video just totally reassured me of the reason why I want to do this. I want to do this not only for Gary but for all of the others out there that are going through treatments for their blood cancer or those that will one day get diagnosed. I want a cure for this and like I’ve said before, whatever it takes from me I plan on doing it. So I filled out all of the paperwork and paid my registration fee so that I can run/walk (hopefully run) the Disney Half Marathon this coming January. It couldn’t be better timing either. I’ll be running my first half marathon EVER just days after the year anniversary of Gary’s death. Just thinking about the timing of all of it gives me chills.

I know people think I’m crazy for doing this but look at it from my perspective. I got to see my very healthy husband go from the pinnacle of health to someone that was gasping for air. I got to see him dwindle away to skin and bones while he was on his horrible treatment. I saw him cry when he was in pain….scream when things hurt…and pass out on the floor because his body just couldn’t keep him upright. At the time I felt helpless, now I know exactly how I can help. Yeah I can’t help Gary, but if he could put his life on the line in hopes of finding a cure for his very rare form of lymphoma well then the least I can do is put myself through a 6 month training program so that I can ultimately run 13.1 miles.

So stay tuned. I plan on posting updates. Training officially starts on August 14th Before then I’m hoping to have my website up so that I can start raising my money so that I can actually participate. I have a minimum that I have to raise in order to go in January so I can definitely use all of the help I can get.

My story on Sun-Sentinel!!!!

Posted by Sammy on May 8th, 2010 | one comment

Last Sunday as Mikey and I were sailing the seas on the beautiful Oasis of the Seas my story hit the Sun-Sentinel local newspaper. I never imagined my story being covered by a newspaper let alone the local one. Shoot just getting Gary’s obituary to read in the Florida State Times that comes out a few times a year has been more of a mission than this! So I’ve added my story below, here’s a link to the actual online article: My Story

Pembroke Pines woman uses her blog to tell of her experiences as a young widow, single mom

By Chris Guanche, Forum Publishing Group

May 1, 2010

Samantha Zullo’s blog isn’t like most others.

Every new entry she posts offers information about cancer, or chronicles her experiences being a widow and single mother at age 30. Blogging served as an outlet for her and husband Gary Zullo to help deal with the rare T-cell lymphoma he’d been diagnosed with.

“The blog was like therapy,” said Zullo, of Pembroke Pines. “Gary could write how he felt.”

Samantha Zullo said the diagnosis came as a shock — her husband was in his early 30s, exercised and ate right, yet he was afflicted with a form of lymphoma normally found in people twice his age. The diagnosis came two days before the birth of their son, Michael.

Gary Zullo received chemotherapy treatment for his condition. That meant flying to Maryland and both of them being away from Michael. After several treatments, he returned to work as a software engineer and was taking Michael to day care in the morning. It all changed last Christmas, when he began to act delusional and was taken to the hospital with pneumonia and kidney failure. He died Jan. 1.

“It’s completely unreal, like a really bad nightmare, and I’m still waiting for someone to wake me up,” she said.

But even after her husband’s death, Samantha Zullo kept blogging. She recalls the frustration of looking for information or people to relate to. She would use the blog to help people in similar situations.

“I can’t help my husband anymore, but I can help others,” she said. “I know he would want me to do things to help others.”

In addition to blogging, Zullo donates blood and helped with a fundraiser for Weston’s Relay for Life cancer awareness event. The fundraiser started with a simple idea: 2-year-old Michael and his classmates at the Creative Child Learning Center in Sunrise decorated flags to sell at a silent auction.

“We wanted to do something for the family,” said Sarah Braisted, the center’s director. “When there’s a loss like that, there’s not much you can do to make someone feel better.”

Children decorated the flags with handprints or drew fish and other animals on them. The flags were displayed at the Relay for Life’s opening ceremony on April 24.

Because the effort was organized at the last minute, Zullo said she was expecting to raise about $250. Between the auction and other donations, the effort netted about $1,500.

“A lot of people are struggling with the economy, so to see donations coming in like that is incredible,” Zullo said.

As for the blogging, Zullo doesn’t intend to quit anytime soon. She said comments from strangers who can identify with being widowed or experiencing cancer have been helpful. Gary Zullo’s blog remains online, and he’d intended to write a “witty book” about his experience with cancer. Samantha Zullo intends to write that book for him, using material from his blog.

“I want to take something that was very negative and put a positive spin to it,” Zullo said. “Even if no one else reads it, it’s for me.”

One year anniversary

Posted by Sammy on May 5th, 2010 | no comments

I’m not sure why it’s even worth noting, but it is my blog and I control what I write or don’t write…right? Well even though I’m on vacation with Mikey I can’t help but know what today signifies. Today is the one year anniversary of Gary getting his official diagnosis of Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma. I remember this day last year like it was just yesterday. We knew the call was coming because Gary was playing phone tag with the doctor. Finally around 6pm when we were both home his cell rang and we both knew who it would be on the other line. I didn’t have to be listening in on the call to know that it wasn’t going well. I saw the look of concern overcome Gary’s face as he was told that not only he has a more aggressive type of cancer but that he’d need chemo asap. I heard the word chemo come out of Gary’s mouth and I felt this sinking feeling in my stomach. I could only imagine the feeling Gary was feeling at that very moment. If Gary would have known that less than a year later he wouldn’t be alive I just know that he wouldn’t have done the treatment. He would have totally had taken his chances with this lymphoma thing and would have seen how long his body would let him be here for. It’s just crazy to think of all of the things that transpired in this past year.

Please take action!

Posted by Sammy on Feb 16th, 2010 | one comment

Act Now – Urge Your Representatives to Support Increased Cancer Research Funding

The president’s recently released budget proposal includes increases of just 3.2 percent for NIH and 3.16 percent for NCI. Advocates are urged to contact their legislators and urge them to increase both NIH and NCI’s budget by 13.5 percent; increases of $4.2 billion for NIH and $691 million for NCI. Please contact your elected official now!

As most of my readers already know, the NIH is responsible for finally giving Gary an accurate diagnosis AND he also participated in a clinical trial at the NIH since his form of lymphoma is so very rare. It takes places like the NIH, that solely rely on government funding, to help get us closer to a cure for cancer.

The NIH is a fabulous place with some very talented individuals that know their shit! Even though Gary is no longer with us I feel the need to help advocate for proper funding for the NIH.

I urge all of my readers to click on the link below. It’ll take you to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s website and you just need to plug in some contact info in a form and they’ll take care of notifying your representatives. It’s THAT easy.

Click here to take action