#TNTBECAUSE - Meet Kathleen Tucker

Team In Training is starting a series of blog posts leading up to the BMW Dallas Marathon. We will be interviewing current Team In Training participants to find out why they are training and fundraising for this event. First up is Kathleen Tucker. Kathleen has been involved with TNT since 2012 and raised over $35,000. Read on to hear why she is doing the Dallas Marathon.

1. What made you decide to run the BMW Dallas Marathon?

When I learned that The Dallas Marathon would be a National event I didn't want to miss out on being a part of it. What an exciting thing for North Texas! This will be my 3^rd event in 2016, following the Pixie Dust Challenge and Chicago Marathon. Unfortunately, I’m currently sidelined with an injury so I’m not able to complete the Chicago Marathon this weekend but will still be traveling with the team to cheer them on.

2. What does it mean to you that the BMW Dallas Marathon has been named a national event for Team In Training?

It's an opportunity to show off the awesomeness that we are here in North Texas and the passion we have in our fight against blood cancer. There are so many dedicated folks centered right in our area and it's a great network of support and I'm thrilled we get to show it off!

3. What got you involved with Team In Training?
My brother, Billy, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2004 and lived less than one year after his diagnosis. He was an amazing big brother and had a huge influence on me. The year he was diagnosed I learned about Light the Night and formed a small team to walk. Billy was in treatment at the time but also came out and walked part of the course with us which made it that even more special. I had a team four more years after his death, but then took a break and ended up taking up running. After a race one time, a person at a purple tent handed me a TNT brochure and I was already familiar with LLS. I went to an information meeting shortly after and signed up for my first marathon, Rock n Roll San Diego in 2012. Since then, both my husband and I have done multiple events and have raised over $35,000 for Team in Training. Additionally, I lost my sister, Sharon, to renal cancer in 2013. Cancer has taken too much from me for me to not be involved in the fight to cure cancer so I keep going.

4. Finish this sentence, I do “TNTBecause…”
I do TNT because it helps fill the void that cancer has left in my heart.

5. Tell us about the team you’ve formed to run the relay with.
Our team consists of me, my husband-Mike Tucker, my two friends who are sisters Kayla Hughes and Amanda Wood-their father is a multiple myeloma survivor and Jonathan Eckberg-his father (Dave Eckberg) has been battling CCL for the last 14 years. We've all been impacted by blood cancers.

______________________________________________________________________________

Did you know?

• BMW Dallas Marathon is the longest running race in the state of Texas
• More than 40 different bands are on the course for your entertainment
• Stay 2 nights at the TNT hotel and you can skip expo lines and have your packet waiting in your hotel room!
• Earn Awesome Fundraising Incentives

Join the Dallas Marathon TNT Team or join the 5 Person Relay!  150 people have already taken the challenge.  Contact Mariel Bongiovanni for more details. 

www.teamintraining.org/ntx