Running for a Cause

YMCA member Aimee Marquardt plans to run her first marathon on May 2 in Lincoln.

Running 26.2 at one time is a challenge. But, Aimee is running to help fight an even bigger challenge - ending leukemia and lymphoma.

Aimee’s dad, Paul Lee, died of leukemia in January of 2009. She is running in his honor, as well as in honor of a 3-year-old girl from Omaha who currently is in remission from leukemia, through a program called Team in Training.

Aimee said Team in Training provides a support system for runners who want to race to help raise funds to fight leukemia and lymphoma. The program provides runners with a training program, a personal coach, a mentor, nutrition advice, moral support and tips for injury prevention. Team in Training plans a pasta party the night before the marathon and a victory celebration afterward.

Each runner sets a personal fund-raising goal for the race. Aimee set her goal at $3,000 and has already raised nearly $3,600 through sending letters to friends and family and through her Team in Training web site.

What makes her ambitions even more amazing is that Aimee makes time to run while parenting her young twins, Taya and Derreck, who will turn 2 just after the race.

“If I couldn’t come to the Y, I don’t think there’s any way I could do the race,” Aimee said. “It’s worked really good for me to bring the kids to Child Watch.”

Her training schedule has her running four days a week with shorter runs during the week and a longer run on Saturdays. She runs at the YMCA, at home on her treadmill or outside when it’s nice.

When training, Aimee has special songs that remind her of her dad programmed into her Ipod.

She said it does help her stay motivated to know she is running for a cause and that people have donated for her to run.

“I don’t want to let all of these people down who donated money,” she said.

If you would like to know more about Team in Training or would like to donate to support Aimee’s run, you can visit her link at http://pages.teamintraining.org/ne/lincoln10/amarquardt.