Keegan's first Furry Scurry

Laura, Keegan and Adam having fun.

Rocky completes the obstacle course challenge! Proudly prancing.

Keegan gives Rocky a hug.

Adam, Laura, Keegan and Harley

Today was one of our favorite things we do together as a family and hopefully we started a new tradition that will include our great nephew Keegan.

One of my favorite charitable organizations(Denver Dumb Friends League) has an annual walk each year to raise money for their shelter. We have adopted several of our pets from this shelter. It is a wonderful event that we have been attending since 1988. It was originally called the Doggie Dash and had to be renamed to the Furry Scurry as some people felt other 4 legged animals were being discriminated against.

It was a beautiful sunny day today, I am sure they must have had a new record for attendance.

We walked with our two dogs, Harley, a Maltese and Rocky, a standard poodle. Rocky loves seeing all of the dogs. He is so excited and happy the entire time. Harley is a bit nervous around all of those bigger dogs, but he does fine.

Keegan had a great time, pointing out all of the dogs to us. He is such a joy to be around. Getting a hug from Keegan is the best therapy for those moments when I feel sad about Kelly.

Rocky even went and did the obstacle course they had set up after the two mile walk. He nailed the fifth challenge, which was to sit in a big blue box. He is an excellent sitter. It was funny to watch him do some of the more challenging stuff. He was very proud of himself after completing it the first time and went back and did it again.

We had a wonderful time as a family today. Some of my favorite memories with my kids when they were younger were at the Doggie Dash and the Furry Scurry. More great memories and now a special one with Keegan.

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Second of Firsts

Two weeks ago I went to my first LLS board meeting since Kelly's passing. I have sat on the board with many of the same people for years so they were well aware of Kelly's cancer journey and the impact she had on my life. I felt strange seeing them now. It didn't feel real, this wasn't how it was supposed to play out.

The TNT campaign director gave me a big hug at the end of the meeting and told me she wants to create some sort of ongoing memorial award in honor of Kelly during each TNT training season. Since Kelly started with the Rocky Mountain chapter, she wanted to do that for her. Oh my gosh, how that touched me. That is so nice to know that Kelly's life and her spirit will continue to be inspiration at the Rocky Mountain chapter!

I made it through the board meeting, quickly exited to my car and cried most of the way home. On a side note, I ran out of gas and had an unusual conversation with a gas station attendant that will be a topic on an upcoming post.

Last Monday I went and spoke at a Team in Training info meeting for the Rocky Mountain chapter's fall season.

This is something I have done so many times over the last nine years as part of the volunteer work I do for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am always honored when I am asked to give the mission moment at these meetings, sharing Kelly's story, connecting people to the mission.

Again, the feeling was different. I don't know how to describe it. I stumbled a bit, my voice quavered as I shared my feelings with a small group of strangers, asking for their help to put an end to the loss of these young people like Kelly and Laiken. We all have to be more relentless in our efforts than this disease. We have to do this to honor their lives. It's up to us.

Seven of the ten people at the meeting signed up before they left, seven more people to carry the fight for Kelly and Laiken. The battle rages on, but reinforcements are on the way.

Cancer-You are on notice, be very afraid....

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Unabated, the battle rages on

I received the sad news today from a fellow Team in training teammate that her patient hero Laiken Kenwood passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 13.

I never had the honor of meeting Laiken, only knew a little bit about her story from Shayna who is walking for her at the Nike Women's marathon this fall in San Francisco.

How sad to face another loss of a beautiful young girl from this unrelenting disease that never takes a day off.

Please keep Laiken's family in your prayers.

I take comfort in knowing that Kelly most likely greeted Laiken at the gates of heaven and they are now best friends who are free of their cancer forever.

My heart remains steadfast for Kelly and now Laiken. I will continue to fight for them and honor their courage and their lives.

Love never ends, never.

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Kelly's special friend-Fenway Bark

I think this is a neat story. When Kelly and her family were at the Ronald Mcdonald house she made a special friend, Fenway Bark.

Fenway is a service dog that came to visit the families staying at the Ronald Mcdonald house. Fenway, like so many others , absolutely loved and adored Kelly. The night before Fenway was scheduled to visit, we made a special stop after dinner at a Petsmart where Kelly lovingly and carefully chose treats she thought Fenway would enjoy. I never knew a person could shop for so long at Petsmart. How Kelly loved to shop.

Fenway was a different dog around Kelly and her family much to her owners dismay. You would never know this was a trained service dog, acting much like my totally out of control, misbehaved dogs. My mom said she thinks dogs sense when people need extra love and it was obvious that Fenway loved Kelly and her family.

Fenway and his owner Louisa flew to Great Falls and then drove to Cut Bank for Kelly's service. Louisa bought a ticket for Fenway for the plane ride and sat in the seat next to her. How wonderful that was to have Fenway come for Kelly's service. That was such a touching moment. I think it speaks volumes about the way Kelly touched so many lives.

Thanks Fenway for the love and comfort you brought to Kelly and her family while they were separated from their dogs. Kelly had so many amazing friends. I am so glad I got to meet Fenway!

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Surprise! Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

As I went to the doctor today, I was prepared to hear the news-You have a torn meniscus and will need surgery. You have to stop running right now. Totally prepared for that.


I was totally surprised to hear him say that I didn't need surgery, my knee actually looked good, no signs of arthritis. That was the good news , oh and by the way, I will give you an injection in your knee to try and calm the inflammation. Off he went to get to prepare the steroid injection. Didn't even have time to think about it.


The bad news is I have had chronic pain in my left knee since the middle of November last year. Off to physical therapy to try and resolve something called Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome(PFPS). I did a google search and found lots of information about the treatment and it is steeped in controversy. So much information available on the Internet. How do you determine what is true?




Good thing, is no surgery. That was quite welcome news. Last time I went to the doctor with a running injury, I found I had a stress fracture in my right foot. I had managed to break my foot while tapering for a marathon. That is still a painful memory.


Now starts the wait to get a prescription for therapy. How long until I actually begin rehab? In some ways the rehab makes everything a bit murkier. Do I keep running, do I stop, and if so for how long.


Doctors and Insurance companies add an extra layer to the challenge.


More to come on this topic.

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My hero Kelly

This is my first post ever. Decided to also do some journaling as I work through my grieving process over Kelly.

For those of you that don't know, I have been one of Kelly's runners since 1999 from the Team in Training program for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

I have run 15 marathons in her honor and have also completed 3 century rides and two triathalons for her.

Kelly has been an amazing inspiration in my life and to everyone that knows her and to quite a few people that never met her, but have witnessed her faith and courage in a 12 year battle against Leukemia. Kelly left this world far too soon for me. I will miss her so much. She changed my life forever.

She is my hero and always will be.

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About Me

My name is Ross, and I am someone who came to running later in life.

I am a Colorado native, happily married after 26 years to my wife Sue who is also my best friend,  and have been blessed with two wonderful children, Laura and Adam.

I enjoy running and cycling, Yoga, spending time with my family.

We live in Colorado with our 3 dogs and one very mean and unhappy cat.

I began running marathons for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 1999 and had the course of my life completely changed by an act of serendipity when Kelly Grubb was assigned as the patient hero to my group.

Kelly and I became the best of friends over the next nine years of her cancer journey.

I began this blog in April of 2008, shortly after Kelly died after an almost twelve year battle with Leukemia.

I continue to run in her memory and also still in honor of this wonderful, amazing young lady that left my life and the people that loved her far too soon.

I continue to write about Kelly and other things of interest to me.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will visit often.

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