Sunday, April 30, 2023

April Events

Running Update:

Week of 3/20/23:           14.1 mi               2:17:12

Week of 3/27/23:           31.8 mi               5:23:19

Week of 4/3/23:              14.3 mi               2:22:07

Week of 4/10/23:           18.1 mi               3:13:41

Week of 4/17/23:           28.1 mi               4:44:58

Week of 4/24/23:           21.8 mi               3:34:24

ONE WEEK until the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon!  The last month of my training was a bit disrupted by travel (see below) but I think I’m ready for marathon number twenty!  You can still donate to our campaign for the Children’s Tumor Foundation.  Just click HERE or go to KRath4Jane.com!

Because of my upcoming marathon milestone, I was honored to be recognized as the Person of the Week in our local newspaper recently.  Take a look at this lovely article in the Madison Source.


Jane Update:

April brought Jane’s 16th birthday.  SIXTEENTH.  No, I can’t believe it either.

Opening birthday presents

Her favorite?  A ring with teeny tiny D&D dice inside!

April also brought a trip to Seoul, South Korea for Todd, Jane, and I.  Our oldest daughter, Helen, is studying there this semester.  What a treat to see her in her element!  We are so proud of her.  I took over 600 photos—here are a few of my favorite.


Helen greeted us at our hotel when we arrived

At Bukchon Hanok Village

A nine-course traditional Korean meal with friends

Wearing hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace!




Changdeokgung Palace

Water show at Banpo Bridge on the Han River

Jane and I took the cable car to Namsan Tower

Korean barbecue with colleagues of Todd's

Walking Helen back to her dorm at Yonsei University

In the National Museum of Korea

On the grounds of the National Museum of Korea


Noodles and dumplings in Myeongdong

I got to sound the drum at Deoksugung Palace

The gardens at Deoksugung

Trying her hand at the ring toss at Namsangol Hanok Village

Korean fried chicken with Helen!


NF Update:

Another NF event this morning (with even more photos!), this time for NF Northeast.  It was the NFNE Steps2Cure Walk, right in time for the start of NF Awareness Month in May.  The rain didn’t stop us!



My awesome team from NEMG North Haven!

Yale-New Haven Hospital even featured the walk on the hospital workstations

The walk was held at Dunkin Park in Hartford, home of the Yard Goats baseball team


We had use of the Jumbotron!



Cam's Team



Team Yale on the board!

Chew Chew, the Yard Birds' mascot



Dr Asher Marks, Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Yale, and Sharon Klein, the Executive Director of NF Northeast, with Chew Chew :)

Cara's Team


Neuro-fibroma-tosis.  Hard to say, harder to live with!

Chew Chew had many pint-sized fans

We heard some inspiring words from Sharon, Cam's mom, and Dr Marks

Cara's Team led the walk


The rain kept us from walking on the field, but we made a loop around the stadium instead




This is Callie Lanzel, a medical assistant in my department.  She enthusiastically spearheaded recruitment and fund-raising for Team Yale, even though she has no personal connection to NF.  What a joy to work with her!  We are so fortunate to have such allies as Callie.


The littlest participant of the day


Wednesday, March 22, 2023

The 2023 NYC Half Marathon

2023 NYC Half

3/19/23              13.1 miles          2:03:44

This year’s NYC Half was chilly (30F at both the start and the finish!) but I was faster than either of the halfs (halves?) I ran last year.  This was my 6th in-person NYC Half, but because of pandemic cancelations, I hadn’t run this race since 2019.  I had forgotten how special it is!  So many iconic New York City streets are closed to everyone but the runners—we run over the Manhattan Bridge with views of the Statue of Liberty, up FDR Drive looking out across the East River, across Manhattan on 42nd Street, through Times Square itself and into Central Park.  It is a unique and thrilling experience.

Here's an overview of the course:


At the Expo collecting my bib

Every year they the names of all the participants on one wall


Obligatory pre-race gear shot.  This year I had to add layers after this photo because of the cold!

Our CTF NF Endurance Team Captain, Lydia, was cheering for us and snapping photos at mile 10. 

42nd Street

And, in one of my stranger race experiences, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was standing in the middle of the finish line giving high-fives!  Not something I expected.


Finished!

It didn't warm up at all between the start and finish


Next up—the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon in May!

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to our campaign for the Children’s Tumor Foundation this year!
And if you haven’t yet, you can always donate here: www.KRath4Jane.com

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Rare Disease Day

Running Update:

2/20/2023

7.6 mi

1:17:53

2/24/2023

7.6 mi

1:15:04

2/26/2023

14.1 mi

2:24:52

2/27/2023

5.0 mi

50:40

3/1/2023

9.2 mi

1:32:31

Just a little over two weeks to our first race of the year, the NYC Half Marathon!  This is the race I had to defer from last year because I had COVID.  It will be the seventh time I’m running this event.


NF Update:
Yesterday was Rare Disease Day (www.rarediseaseday.org)!  First established in in 2008 by the European Organisation of Rare Diseases, Rare Disease Day is the globally-coordinated movement to raise awareness for rare diseases and improve access to treatment and medical representation for individuals with rare diseases and their families.  Rare Disease Day is observed every year on 28 February (or 29 in leap years)—the rarest day of the year.
 
This year I was asked to participate in a Rare Disease Day online symposium at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine!  I was among a dozen or so speakers giving short presentations, each on a different rare disease.  The audience was mostly medical students, but members of the public were invited to join as well.   The meeting itself wasn't recorded, for privacy reasons, because some of the presenters interviewed patients in real time; but I was able to record my talk so that it could be shared.  I hope you enjoy it!