Lisa Rose and Beth O'Grady complete their first marathon in Boston on April 21, 2003 as a ray of light from Heaven shines down just on them. Talk about inspiration!

For marathon number 9, I selected Baltimore, MD- blissfully unaware at the time that it would be the most challenging course I've run yet for so many reasons...

My training partners were Karen Giroux and Sally Holtzman from the Wicked Running Club to whom I am very grateful! Our "long run" conversations made the miles fly by, and our team work on tough races like the Cape Ann 25k and Nahant 30k (tons of hills in the pouring rain!) helped me to prepare the best I could to keep a steady pace on a hilly course. In hindsight it would have made alot more sense if we had all run the same marathon, but it was only our training journey we were meant to share as we each tackled our own individual marathon goals.

While I worked hard on my physical preparation, my mental preparation took a nosedive about a month before the race at the shocking news that my mother's Kidney cancer had returned 17 years later, and had spread to several areas. Life turned into a mix of tears and fear as my brother Paul and I brought my mother to a string of doctors to get as much info as we could about what all of this meant. After a strong does of chemo left her almost immobile, she was rushed to the hospital with a blood clot in her lung and remained in ICU for over a week. During those difficult days I trained in a blur, sometimes unable to breath feeling an emotional weight on my chest. Thankfully my mother's health improved the week prior to my trip, and she was stable enough for me to complete marathon number 9 in Stephen's memory, with my own marathon journey paling in comparison to the journey my mother is undertaking now.

Despite all, Doug and I finally arrived in Baltimore, only to find unseasonably warm temps in the 70's, not ideal for running a long distance. I tried to suppress any fears or questions about the physical and emotional toll the prior weeks may have had on my preparedness, as there was little I could do now but say a prayer and hope that Stephen could once again pull me along the tough stretches. And tough they were! The first half of the race I ran with a pace group with a goal to finish in four hours. I knew that time would be too fast for me, but also knew if I could stick with it at least to the halfway point I would have some time "in the bank" so to speak in case I ran out of gas towards the end. As expected, I saw my 9 minute mile friends slowly drift ahead of me about mile 15 and I was left tough the rest of the race out on my own.

I have run Boston twice, and I would still say this was the toughest marathon I've ever run. While the hills may be comparable to Boston, there were no cheering crowds to pull me over the tough stretches, and without my running partners to talk me through it, I walked over some of the toughest spots. Still, I did a PR of 4 hours, 13 minutes, and boy did I suffer for it! I've honestly never felt so bad after a marathon as I did in the moments immediately after. In the crowd of thousands, I found Doug who had run an admirable half marathon of his own, and we shared a cold beer and hobbled back to the room to pass out for a few hours.

Later that day we saw that the Baltimore Sun had profiled some charity runners in the sports section, including my run in memory of Stephen. But as many times as I try to explain exactly how this journey has made me feel, or how it has kept me connected to the brother I so dearly miss- words could never fully express what this has meant to me.

It is amazing to think that there is only one marathon left in this physical and emotional journey. To those of you who have asked me when I'm going to ask for donations again, be prepared because it is right around the corner! My goal is to raise $40,000 by what should have been Stephen's 40th birthday in August 2009. With $30,000 and counting raised to date, I look forward to accomplishing what seemed to be a lofty goal just 6 years ago and is now just within reach.

The money raised for these efforts go to the Stephen O'Grady Scholarship Foundation which assists Salem Little League Alumni continuing their education, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem where Stephen served as Executive Director at the time of his death. To date we have raised almost $30,000, with a goal of $40,000 by 2009.

None of the money raised is used to defray training, fundraising or traveling expenses. 100% of funds raised go directly to these two causes dedicated to Stephen's memory and supporting the youth of Salem.

Thank you to everyone who continues to follow and support my lofty goal. Attached is a form if you choose to send a donation towards these efforts. Keep running!