St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend 2016

Another great weekend running for the kids at St. Jude! My friend Lauren and I ran the 10K. With a 7AM start time, bit was a brisk morning but we were thankful the rain held off. It was also super crowded at the beginning with all the 5 and 10K runners starting together but after the 10Kers split off we could set a decent pace. While it wasn't our best race in terms of time for the year, it was certainly the most rewarding! And thanks to all the folks who donated to support my hero efforts, I surpassed my goal!

Team Carson Elizabeth 2016

I was struggling to write a post asking for support for this year's St. Jude Memphis Marathon. Trying to engage my brain to draft something that would inspire people to give. I was coming up short with each typed word. I thought back to what inspired me to sign up and commit to running and raising money. It was Paula's words, Carson's mother. Perhaps they too will inspire you to donate here. Every single dollar matters.Thanks for taking the time to read!

From CaringBridge, by  paula head — Apr 29, 2016 5:41pm

I can hardly believe it is almost time once again to gather our amazing group of marathon runners together to support St Jude and to keep Carson's legacy alive. It seems like only yesterday that Carson and I were bundled up tightly on the St Jude campus waving at her team members as they ran by; little did I know that by that time the next year our sweet angel would be gone and I would be running that same marathon for all of the children still walking the halls of St Jude. Oh how I long for those days back again so I could just see those bouncy blonde curls one more time or hear her say "I love you Mommy".

I spent a long time at the cemetery Friday in the pouring down rain trying to remember all of those happy times so they will never be erased from my memory. I have such a hard time remembering those happy days because my thoughts are still so fresh and raw from all of the nightmares Carson had to endure. All four of us still struggle with these dreams daily but I want you to know we still feel your prayers as we struggle with putting one foot in front of another each and every day. It is that very struggle that moves us onward in supporting St Jude.  No family should ever have to endure the daily heartbreak of losing a child.  It is a heartbreak that presses down on your chest until you feel like you can't breathe. It is a dark cloud that follows you wherever you go. It is the constant ache of your mind racing with questions like "Why my child? And what did we do to deserve this? And will we ever feel true joy again?" Just why....

These very feelings push us in supporting St Jude. Childhood cancer has to end. It must. And I truly believe with all my heart that St Jude can find the cure to accomplish this. But not without your help. Let's run and raise money like we never have before.  Our team raised over $80,000 last year! But I can hear Carson saying we can do better. So I have a challenge for each of you. If you are signing up to run, don't just sign up and then run! Yes the run is amazing and an experience like no other, but that's not what it's all about. We need you to commit to raise money for these children. I would love to see every single member on our team be a hero! That means you will commit to raise at least $500. If you are reading this and you aren't a runner but want to support Team Carson Elizabeth then find a team runner to sponsor on her team. Let Carson's legacy live on let's go out there and end this horrible disease!

We love you all for the support you continue to show us each and every day. Your prayers, texts, cards and calls never go unnoticed. I believe God put each of you in our families path because without you and God's love we would not be standing. I told someone the other day that I am truly blessed and they looked at me like I was crazy. I went on to tell them that even though I am heartbroken I still feel like God has blessed this family above and beyond what we deserve. And for that I am grateful. 

St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend

What a weekend! It was my first time to run the marathon relay and it was so much fun! And the sunny, beautiful 60 degree weather certainly didn't hurt anything! The energy downtown amongst 18,000 runners and thousands more fans is something you have to experience to understand. Amazing! And I know Carson was cheering on her whole team as we ran in her memory! And thanks to some super swift runners on our marathon relay team, we placed 8th out of 70 all female teams and we weren't even trying. If we had known, I wouldn't have chatted it up with Bethany at our exchange point for so long. Ha! We killed that 26.2 miles! 

Waiting for Betsi at mile 4

A little Elvis entertainment at mile 4

Chandler sighting at mile 4! Stopped for a quick pic! 

The view as I began my leg around mile 10. People as far as you could see running down Madison Ave.

Lauren, Bethany, Me, Betsi and Erin. Not a shabby bunch! 

Team Carson 2015

Earlier this summer Carson Head lost her hard-fought battle with cancer. And in true Carson spirit, one of her requests to her family before she passed was that all of the money from her piggy bank be given to St. Jude.

Carson was a true hero and Team Carson continues on strong, carrying her fighting spirit forward. And I'm certain that Carson is cheering us on from Heaven.

As a St. Jude Hero, I'm once again participating in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon in December alongside four amazing women in the marathon relay.

But I need your help! Please join me (and TEAM CARSON) by visiting my St. Jude Heroes fundraising page and making a donation of any amount today. Every single dollar counts!

I can't think of a better way to honor Carson and her family.

And if you pray, please pray for peace and comfort for this amazing family that we love so dearly.

Carson is now cancer free.

  

St. Jude Heroes!

I may have only logged 3.1 today instead of 13.1 or 26.2, but I'm a hero just the same thanks to all those who supported my St. Jude Hero fundraising efforts! In fact, YOU are the real heroes! You are Carson's heroes! Just like her sign says above! 

I had a blast running the 5K (hit a new PR) and then cheering on the rest of the half marathon and marathon runners. Especially TEAM CARSON! It was the largest Memphis St. Jude marathon weekend ever with over 18,000 runners and over $4M raised to save the lives of children from all over the world! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Carson's sign today said "Run like your life depends on it because mine does! TEAM CARSON!" 

Team Carson - An update

It's almost time for the St. Jude marathon weekend and this is my last big push to raise some funds for TEAM CARSON as a St. Jude Hero! I'm oh-so-close to my goal! Please won't you help me reach it?? Click here to donate and here to read more about why I'm running to support Team Carson and why St. Jude is the most amazing place on earth. 

Many many thanks to all those that have already donated! I've been amazed and overwhelmed by all the support I've received so far! You guys (and gals) are awesome!  

Yesterday our family joined hundreds of others for Carson's Make-a-Wish ceremony at Highland where she was granted the wish to go to Chicago to the American Girl Store among many other fun things!  Carson looked beautiful and was the star of the fashion show! Blessed by this sweet girl and her whole family (you know we are a little partial to big sis, Chandler)! 

Please, please, please continue to pray Carson and her family. You can read more about her journey and follow their story on Caring Bridge. 

TEAM CARSON

For those of you who don't already know, this is the Head family. They are a part of our Highland Church family here in Memphis. Such wonderful family that we have grown to know and love over the past several years. In fact, we even recruited Chandler (big sister) to be our nanny this summer and the kids are loving having her around every day! She just finished her freshman year at Samford University in Birmingham, AL and is home for the summer. We are lucky to have her and don't know how we will be able to function when she returns to school in the fall!

Paula (Mom), Michael (Dad), Cameron (Brother), Chandler (Big Sister) and Carson (Little Sister)

In March, the youngest of the Head family, Carson (8 years old), began her fight against cancer and is still battling strong. She has endured more over the past few months than anyone should have to endure in a lifetime.

Chandler and Carson enjoying downtown Memphis carriage style.

I have struggled over the past several months trying to figure out ways that I can help. Of course we are in constant prayer for Carson and her family, but what else could we do??


  
I've always been proud to share this great city in which I live with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, but now that I have a personal connection to a sweet life they are helping save, I am compelled to do more.

So, I am participating in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend to support Carson and all of the kids of St. Jude. I may not physically be able to run all 26+ miles, but will be running the 5K.

But I need your help! As a St. Jude Hero, I have a personal goal to raise $1000 and would appreciate your support and donation. Any donation amount is appreciated! If you don't know much about St. Jude, please allow me to enlighten you.

• No family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for anything, including treatment, housing or food. And it costs over $1.5 million/day to keep it running.
• St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90%, by 2020.
• Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since it opened 50 years ago.

Please join me (and TEAM CARSON) by visiting my St. Jude Heroes fundraising page and making a donation of any amount today. 

I appreciate you support and please keep Carson and this sweet family in your prayers. You can follow her story on Caring bridge.

Mother's Day