Team Curing Hand had another successful year at the Marine Corps Marathon/10k, which included many new comers and new events for the team. Around this same time last year, the 2011 season kicked off with the “Have A Heart. Lend A Hand. Join The Team” run/walk to help recruit runners for the upcoming race. We were excited to have such an early response from both newcomers and alumni alike.

Kickoff was held in June in Reston and Charlottesville, Virginia very near the trails the NOVA crew would soon be running down every Saturday. We raced right through months of training and got headlong into distance mileage!  It’s a cool feeling as a coach to watch first timers knock out those miles and see the victory on their faces each time they realize how far they just ran.

Our “luck” ran out on the 20 miler, it poured rain and was cold and windy for the entire run but I’m proud to report our team showed their war faces and braved right through it all. We rewarded them with homemade pumpkin cake with chocolate butter cream frosting – thanks to Gretel for having a birthday to give us another excuse to celebrate (note to future runners – there are many rewards when you show up for training runs!)

After a couple of sunny and warm Saturdays in the fall we were excited for the prospects of  race weekend – and from no where came the SNOW the day before the race. It didn’t slow down our pasta dinner celebration but it did cause some jittery nerves for our first time racers (and jittery teeth for just about everyone!). Morning dawned very chilly and clear, however, and it was time to put all those lessons and trainings into practice. Yet by the time everyone got to the start line and thawed, it was truly a perfect day to race! The entire team did exceptional! EVERYONE finished and got a medal placed around their necks, just a small prize for the months of dedication, early mornings, hard workouts and determination.

Here are a few highlights and statistics:

  • Leah Kate Lounsbury, our Boston qualifier from 2010, came back and brought a friend. We’re excited to see her race Boston in the spring of 2012.
  • Kelley Kassay, Mason Thomas’ mom, who lost his battle June of 2011 ran the 10k in her his memory. ·
  • Sejal Gala, Ishan’s mom, ran the 10k in his memory alongside Mayank and were met at the finish line by baby boy Archer
  • More than 50% of the team were first-time racers, 7 were ‘repeat offenders’ from the 2010 season. 16 ran the marathon, 24 ran the 10k
  • Furthest distance traveled: Texas
  • Top fundraisers: Brooke Fields (marathon) and Sheena Aurora (10k)
  • Thanks to Kelly Mason for holding down the fort in Charlottesville during training runs!

Thank you for your support and stay tuned for new announcements for races this year!

Rich & Rebecca Wolfe
& the TCH Coaching Staff