My Brother Made Me Do It

Happy Birthday Bob!

2010-02-20T21:10:00.002-05:00

(By Tori)
I had Moose Tracks ice cream for supper and thought of you ...

What Did Bob Get Me???

2009-12-24T09:55:00.010-05:00

(By Tori)
Two of my strongest Christmas memories involve my brother. Neither are single memories but a collection of the same thing year after year. First is that Bob didn't treat kids with the special careful attention that adults often do. Our gifts to him were subject to the same scrutiny as ones from adults, and he applied his uncanny ability to detect what it was through the wrapping paper to our gifts as well. Imagine my chagrin after painstakingly picking out Bob's gift thinking how surprised he'd be, only to have him pick up the wrapped package and announce, "feels like a Miami Vice calendar!" Because of this (and Laura's tendency to squeeze and rattle packages), our family has established a tradition of employing elaborate disguise techniques while wrapping our gifts. This tradition carries on today ... I was so excited to hear Natalie describe to me last year the clever way she put her mom's perfume inside a slipper and wrapped the whole slipper as a gift.

The other Christmas memory is how excited I would be to see what Bob got me. Bob and Auntie Dot were both amazing gift givers, able to pick out the neatest gifts. Always unique, fun, or cutting edge, or some combination. Bob made sure that Jen and I didn't ever have the dreaded shared gift. We would often get the same thing, but always our own and in a different color so we wouldn't have to fight over whose was which. Some of the coolest things I had growing up came from Bob. :)

In recent years as Bob's disease progressed, Christmas shopping became increasingly difficult for him. For a number of years I would take him out shopping, and later as he began having more trouble, I would help him decide what to get. It is a tradition that I treasure, remembering the fun we had, and feeling honored to be a part of his gift giving. He was such a giving person, that Christmas shopping was such a natural thing for him ... thinking of someone he loved, then picking out something he knew would light up their face when they opened it. What a neat thing to be a part of.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Bob Always Loved Elephants

2009-12-13T12:07:00.004-05:00

(By Tori)
If I were to ask you what Bob's favorite animal was, almost all of you would probably say Wolves! And the rest might say Llamas! Such was the thought in our family as well. So one day we were sitting around Mom's dining room table talking about all sorts of random things. At some point we must have mentioned elephants. As was Bob's way, he had been sitting with us listening but not saying very much. Then out of the blue Bob announced, "I'VE ALWAYS LOVED ELEPHANTS". We all stopped talking and stared at him. Finally someone (probably me) said, "what? no you haven't ... you like wolves!" but he was adamant that he had always loved elephants and refused to budge on the matter. I suppose we should have deferred to him given the fact that it was his opinion but we all know our family doesn't work that way :) After that, it became our funny joke. At random times someone would break a silence by stating "Bob has always loved elephants!" It was one of the many ways guaranteed to elicit the little smile from Bob that we all loved so much.

So imagine our surprise when we were with Kathy Lalonde and decided to tell her about this funny elephant thing that had sprung up in our family. We just started telling her the story, starting with something like, "so we were sitting around talking and the subject of elephants came up ..." when Kathy broke in and said "OH! Bob's always loved elephants!" ....... ummm ... WHAT? Oh geez! I guess he wasn't kidding. Kathy totally had Bob's back on that one. Of course Bob didn't make a big deal out of it. Just gave us the little smile that showed he knew he was right all along but loved us enough to be patient while we figured out how wrong we all were :)

Fast Cars and Blondes

2009-11-23T10:15:00.001-05:00

(By Kathy [Lalonde] Young)
Hi all
I have been reading all the blogs and comments. I wish more people would write and make comments about Bob. I want to re-type a story that I wrote before but lost it when I posted. So here goes...again.
The last story I wrote about Bob and I was when we were little kids - best friends. Bob and I grew up together then his family moved away from Natick but that did not end our friendship and family connections. Flash forward to early twenties. We had both finished college and Bob was living up in New Hampshire with his room mates and I was living in Natick with the Mackenzie family who happen to be the people who bought the house from the Hunters. It was a perfect summer day and Bob called me up to ask if I wanted to go to Salsbery beach. I said sure, where are you? He said, "I'm in New Hampshire but I'll come get you". I was really surprised and confused until he showed up an hour later in Pete's convertible spider! I was so pyched and we drove all the way back up to the beach. It was so fun! We sang and laughed and people on the highway were looking at us in envy. We had an awesome time walking around on the boardwalk and playing games. It was such a memorable day. The kind of summer day you see in the movies or in a paperback novel. At the end of the day he drove me all the way back to Natick again. We didn't even mind the summer traffic! Before he dropped me off I said I was so glad he wanted to spend the day with me. He teased me and said he just wanted to drive around with a blonde in Pete's car:)

Lurking in the Shadows

2009-11-16T10:11:00.005-05:00

(By Tori)
Well, this experience has turned into quite a significant event, coming from its humble beginnings. It all started innocently enough, with Lisa sending me a link to the race website. I was intrigued, noting that the race was near my mom's house, it was advertised as a flat course, and I'd be running alongside the ocean. I was already pretty much sold on it when I noticed there was a charities page and I realized that I could raise money as part of my racing experience. Of course my first thought was that I could raise money for HDSA. Then it all clicked into place ... running a half marathon is exactly the type of challenge that I say Bob helped me learn to embrace, and the race is in his hometown! It was a done deal from there. I excitedly told Lisa that I was going to do it, and she took it a step further, reminding me about the companion 5K, and suggesting that we have Bob's family and friends join in. That way we could make it a large celebration with something for everyone. I'm delighted that it worked out just as we had hoped, and the day turned out just perfect.

I'm truly blown away by the response to my fundraising efforts. I raised almost $1200 for HDSA, and can't thank those enough who donated. I realize that times are tough and everyone has their own charities that are important to them, so I didn't have any expectations about who would donate, or how much I'd be able to raise. The fundraising site had a spot to put a goal and I picked $500 as a stab in the dark, having no idea if that would be achievable. Needless to say I'm overwhelmed by the response.

What really surprised me though was the way people reacted to this project as a whole. I've received so many nice emails, conversations, and general words of encouragement and support. I've heard from people I haven't talked to in ages, and from people I didn't expect to hear from. I've gotten feedback on the ways this experience as a whole, and this website in particular, have touched people. The first time I heard from someone I didn't know really touched me deeply. The thought of touching people's lives that I haven't met really made it hit home how far reaching something like this can be. How much more fitting of a tribute to Bob could there be?

So, the race is over. The hubub of preparation is gone, training is over, and life is settling back down to it's regular rhythm. As it should ... things like this take up a lot of time and energy and are best done in spurts, otherwise they wouldn't mean as much. But one thing Lisa and I were hoping for is that beyond the race this website would continue to be a place people liked to visit, and perhaps contribute to. Maybe foster a little community, or just give people a place to air some feelings or share experiences.

Which leads me to wonder ... who's out there? And what do you think? I know some people aren't comfortable speaking up, and we have no intention of dragging anyone out in the open who wouldn't be comfortable with that. We'd love to have you continue to read anonymously and get what you do out of it, without anyone knowing you've been here. But if you're out there reading and would like to poke your head out with a quick "here I am!" we'd love to hear from you! Does anyone have anything to share? You don't have to consider yourself a writer, or have anything particularly fancy to say. Have you read anything here that struck you? Is there someone in your life who inspires you to strive for more? Have you lost a loved one that you'd like to tell us about? Are you someone who knew Bob who has a story about him to share? Do you have a funny joke or did something wacky happen to you today? Whatever bubbles up ... we'd love to hear it ... if you're so inclined.

To see what other people have been saying, click on the "Your Stories" link up above, and it will show the posts that have been submitted so far (filtering out the boring stuff like my training logs :) ). Only site administrators can create new posts, but if you send us your story, either Lisa or I would be happy to post it for you. Just email us at our regular email addresses (if you have them), or email us here at mybrotherbob@gmail.com. Or if you prefer, you can just leave a comment anywhere on the site. If you click on the title of any post, it will bring you to a page with that post, and below will be a spot to submit a comment of your own, along with any comments that have been made so far.

And if nothing happens and this site fades into the background, then that's okay too. I have gotten so much out of this whole journey, and would like to thank each and every one of you who have been a part of it. I am honored that you have chosen to help celebrate my brother's life in such a positive way, and wish you all the very best.

:) Tori

Race Report Part 2 (Race)

2009-11-11T20:14:00.007-05:00

Okay! I left off right as the race was about to begin. I had a few moments to look around and marvel at the same thing that struck Lisa ... how many women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and levels of fitness there were! It was an incredible sight to be sure. We were all milling about, some groups of women chatting, some quietly waiting, until our official gunshot went off to start the race. There was an excited surge there at the back where I had strategically placed myself. Then we stalled. There were just too many people in the way! Everyone waited a bit, then started to walk, a few started to jog, then gave up and walked again. It takes a while to get 1200 women and one guy moving. It was pretty funny though. By the time I approached the starting line there was enough room for me to start a slow jog so I can officially say I was running at the start.

Now is as good a time as any to express my appreciation for anyone that comes to watch me (or anyone) race. It's a lot of standing around waiting for short glimpses of your racer, but there is nothing like it when you run by someone cheering for you on the side of the road. It probably means more to me knowing that it can be kinda boring sometimes and I truly appreciate anyone coming. Having not one but THREE people cheering me at the start was awesome!

So off I went, looping around the high school and out to start the course - first heading towards the beach. It was so neat to be in such a big pack of people and be running by such a long line of spectators. We turned left out of the school and you could see the ocean from there. There was not a cloud in the sky, and the sun glinting off the water was so pretty. Soon enough we were at the intersection and running alongside the ocean. By then I had settled into a nice comfortable pace and was trying not to go too fast. From my training I was thinking I should aim for about a 12 min/mile pace in order to be able to make the distance and have something left at the end. We turned left onto Webber and before I knew it I was at mile 1. One down, 12.1 to go! I checked my watch - oops! 11:08. Too fast. But starting out too fast is typical of how I run, even in training, so I noted it and slowed my pace down a little more. I started wondering how long it would take me to pass my walking family. I didn't think it would be in the first mile, but from that point on I was keeping an eye out. A woman next to me commented on how beautiful one of the nearby houses was, and I agreed, telling her there are many houses around here I'd love to live in. Around that time I heard someone say "there she is!" and I thought to myself how cute it is to see people's families and friends looking for them and exclaiming excitedly when their runner comes into view. Then I got closer and realized it was my family! I called out to ask what the heck they were doing standing on the side of the road - since they were supposed to be walking. They told me they stopped to wait for me and see me go by, which made me feel very special. I gave them all a wave and carried on my way. That group was only half of them, though. I ran for a little more and saw Natalie and Lisa up ahead, with baby Mikey. Natalie was looking over her shoulder to keep an eye out for me but I was directly behind her so she couldn't see me. So I called out her name and she spun around to wave and cheer and give me the high five she had promised to give me. A wave and hello at Lisa and I was on my way again. Speedy little Jen and Chloe were a bit further ahead. So I called out Chloe's name and got my promised high five from Chloe and cheers from Jen too. Wow, was that ever fun getting to run by them all. A woman next to me asked if I was a school teacher in town or something because it seems that everyone knows me. I told her, "nope, that's just my WHOLE FAMILY!" And it struck me again how fortunate I was to have everyone there.

Around the 2 mile mark I heard the woman I had talked to before about the nice houses say oops she'd better slow down since she's trying to maintain about a 12 min/mile pace. I wondered to myself if we'd be running together the whole way since that was my intended pace too. I don't remember exactly how it started, but soon enough I found myself chatting with her, and found her to be delightful company. And before I knew it we were past mile three and back onto the beach road again. Wow - the first of the three legs was already over!

My new friend's name is Jen, and we got to see her husband and two children cheering for her on the side of the road. I told her I had noticed her daughter earlier - an adorable little girl on her daddy's shoulders overlooking the crowd. We passed an old guy with an antique pickup truck and bantered with him as we went by. It was just such a fun atmosphere. Everyone was happy and the day was beautiful with the ocean spread out beside us. I looked up ahead and way off in the distance saw the piece of land jutting out into the water where Nubble Light is. Then it hit me ... oh my god ... I have to run all the way out there! It really sunk in then just how far I was going to be running that day. But soon enough Jen and I were chatting again and before I knew it we were heading up the hill towards the lighthouse.

The Nubble Light section was more hilly. These are considered gentle rollers if you're from New England, big hills if you're from a flatter part of the country. Nothing to sneeze at but definitely smaller than some of the hills on my regular training routes. I just had to be careful to slow my pace down a little so I didn't get too winded and lose valuable energy that I'd need later. Jen and I started talking about the different houses and which ones we'd like, and both agreed that the tiny cottage hidden down below the bigger houses would be just fine. Either of us would be happy with just that one. Come to think of it, we'd be happy with some water! We knew there should be a water stop coming up soon so we just put that in the back of our minds and paid attention to the panoramic view - ocean on three sides. After growing up on the seacoast, having a stint living on an island, then moving inland, I have officially fell back in love with ocean again.

As we were finishing the Nubble loop, we came across a family sitting on their front lawn watching the race go by. Lawn chairs, a 12 pack of Guiness, and they were all set. One woman was even in a Snuggie! Hey, I guess if you're going to have 1200 women run by your house you might as well make a party out of it. After that we came across the "water stop". The poor thing looked ravaged. The table was lying on its side, there were cups all over the ground, luckily packs of new cups too, and jugs of water all over the ground in various levels of empty. Uh ... okay ... I guess this one is the self-serve water stop? Hmmm. Well, nothing to do but go with the flow so we served ourselves up some water and off we went. At this point we're heading back inland some, and through neighborhoods again. After a while Jen said, "I really need a water stop!" and a guy who was pulling his trash can out to the curb was happy to let us know there's one right around the corner. And this one had people! And they were handing out water! And even giving out Luna Moons. Oops, I forgot to mention that I had just taken my Hammer Gel. My warm weather running outfit didn't have pockets, so I had safety pinned that to my shorts, following Jen Fields' learn-the-hard-way advice to not stick the pin through the part where the gel is since it will leak out the pin hole. The gel behaved nicely and didn't bounce around too much, and tore off the top just right when I gave it a tug. The key to the gels is that you need to follow them with water, so I was happy to see the water stop too. But because I had just taken my shot of sugar I didn't need the Luna Moons. I tried one of Jen's blueberry ones which was quite tasty, but didn't open mine, figuring I'd be seeing my gang soon and could hand them off.

Sure enough, we were back onto the road along the beach before we knew it, and approaching mile 8.5 which goes by the turn off for the high school. The same spot where we saw Jen's family when it was mile 3. Sure enough, Jen's family was ready and waiting and she was able to drop off her 2nd bag of Moons for her kids who apparently love them (marathoners in training?) Then in jumped Jen Fields to run with me. It was like I had a real crew! She asked how I was doing, met my new friend Jen, handed me some lip balm and took the Moons off my hands. Then we came across Aric who was so awesome to see. He's been such a quiet but solid support during all my weeks of training so it was emotional to be able to share that with him. Like not only "look what I can do!" but "look what you helped me do!"

Then everyone else went by in a blur. Natalie and Chloe had pompoms which I guess they were handing out to all the kids. Come to think of it Jen Fields had her pompoms too but those are her own that she brings to races. Did I mention she's a pro at cheering? Anyway, it was so awesome to be waving to a cheering crowd like a celebrity!

Then we shot passed the turn off for the high school to begin the third and final leg. Wow, this was going by fast! By this point Jen and I had fallen into such a comfortable rapport, you'd think we'd been friends our whole lives. Jen's knee was hurting a little, and my legs were starting to feel pretty heavy, so I figured the final leg would be where we'd really earn our bragging rights. Not long after, we started passing the leaders who were on their way to the finish. That's what was so neat about the course, it looped back on itself a couple times which was good for spectators and fun for the runners. Although we finally figured out that we should switch to the other side of the road so we could stop feeling like salmon swimming upstream, and get out of the way of the other racers.

That stretch of road - 1A along the ocean until the turn off onto Axlethome was soooo long! It seemed much shorter the day before in the car with mom. But by then my legs were really starting to feel fatigued and I was getting out of breath. I told Jen I needed to slow down and she was fine with that so we adopted a slower pace and kept plodding along. I told her I was glad she was there because this part would have been hard for me mentally. Although I knew I would have been able to finish, it was much better having someone to talk to and keep my mind off my lead-legs. Two more miles ... I can do anything for two miles! Then it was one mile to go, and we were back on the main road for our final stretch along the ocean. And then there's the turn for Long Sands Road! Look, now here's the turn for the high school! Earlier Jen had been telling me that she usually gets excited for the finish and has an extra spurt of energy. I usually do that too but warned her that I had nothing left so if she wanted to sprint at the end to go ahead without me. Or I thought I had nothing left. But then I saw the 13 mile marker, and the finish line was only one tenth of a mile ahead. I looked at Jen and said, "wanna finish strong?" she said something along the lines of "hell yeah" and we gave our final burst across the finish line.

And then I was surrounded by my whole family! Getting big hugs and congratulations. I wish I had more memory of that but right at that moment I felt like I was going to barf, and I really just wanted to lie down. Hahaha... okay I guess I really didn't have anything left. Natalie, helpful as usual, asked if I'd like her to get me a gatorade and I told her I'd love one. There wasn't any left but Natalie came back with a water for which I was just as grateful. Then it was a hubub of activity, getting the skinny on how everyone else's day was, how the walk went, and telling them about my experience. I had lost my new friend Jen in all the commotion but she came back over with her family and I got to meet her husband and daughter and son. We posed for pictures together, exchanged facebook information and thanked each other for a nice run. What a nice unexpected bonus to my day, meeting a new friend :)

We all hung around for a little while, extracting pizza from the militant woman guarding the food table, and then people started to go their separate ways. Jen Fields home to her family, the Ritzes headed off to pick up their new puppy, Lisa and Rowly started their trek back to Vermont, and Aric headed home to relax. I went back to Mom's with Laura, Mikey and Debbie for a bit. I took an ice bath to help with my leg recovery, then a quick shower, and Mom served up some Chicken Divan ... a great post-race meal! After a little more visiting I decided to follow Laura out and head home, assuring Mom I felt totally fine and not to worry about me driving. It did kind of hit me on the way home how tired I was but I was still ok to drive and anxious to get home. Aric had some spaghetti ready which I had some of, then was snug in my bed by 8:30pm. Ahhh, what a busy day! I closed my eyes and was out like a light. :)

Race Report Part 1 (Prep)

2009-11-09T21:26:00.008-05:00

Wow. Well it's come and gone in such a blur. What an amazing day! Well, weekend actually. I went to Maine Saturday afternoon and grabbed my mom to head out to York. The plan was to zip over to the high school and pick up my race packet, then drive the course so I could see what I was in for. In typical Hunter fashion, Mom and I were driving around York with the directions in hand going, "is this Long Sands Road?" and "do you think that was the left hand turn or the 'bear right at the fork'?" After about a half an hour of this tomfoolery we were cracking up at ourselves and Mom said, "it's good we're doing this today instead of tomorrow." And I pointed out "this is exactly why we're doing this today instead of tomorrow!" I know from experience how flaky directions can be, how bad my sense of direction is, and how absolutely terrifying it is to think I might miss the start of a race that I've trained for months for. Never again! We eventually found the school and I made it inside to register. I checked in with the charity people to tell them how much money I'd raised. Which was over $1000!!! $1020 to be exact. So I got a free hat! I had purchased one when I signed up for the race so I decided to give the bonus hat to Lisa since a) she's done a ton to help organize this and b) I know she likes to wear a hat when she runs. I figured she more than deserved a souvenir for efforts. After that Mom and I checked out the booths they had set up then headed out to drive the course. I got so excited during that part. There are some places that are just darn nice to run, and this was definitely one of them! I was delighted to see that on three separate occasions I'd be running along the ocean for a good stretch. It was also great to realize that the course was broken up into three distinct sections, which is always good for the mind games that are required to keep me running for that long. The real bonus though was the variety. I love it when my route changes a lot. There was the long ocean stretch that was flat and open, a rolling hills section that went around by Nubble Light, and some shady sections through quaint little neighborhoods. The more we drove the more excited I got. We ended with me telling Mom, "I can't wait to run this tomorrow!"

Then we stopped at the grocery store for a few things and were heading home when my cell phone rang. I looked at the display and laughed when I told Mom, "your house is calling us!" Poor Lisa and Rowly had arrived at a dark and empty house. We didn't think to put any lights on because we didn't expect to be gone that long. But as Lisa knew my mom would want her to do, she just went in and made herself at home, and we arrived not long after. Spaghetti and meatballs were made and consumed, last minute fretting was done, and I was cajoled into calming down and stop worrying about everyone else. We were all in bed by 9:30 to get a good night's sleep. The morning went smoothly, with a relaxing breakfast (my typical pre-race oatmeal with cranberries, walnuts, and brown sugar), and some relaxing conversation. I went up to put on my running clothes, and took a few minutes to compose myself. Then we were off to pick up Debbie and head over to the race. Lisa's suggestion of leaving at 9 instead of 9:30 proved to be very wise, as we were among the bunch of cars zooming around the high school parking lot to snag the last few parking spaces. It was so nice to be able to walk out to the car to grab stuff or drop stuff off, and not be a shuttle bus drive away.

Once inside, we picked up the race packets for the 5K walkers. It was so fun to pin race numbers on Mom and Debbie and show them how to put the timing chip on their sneakers. Lisa and Rowly did the same but they're old pros at that sort of thing. It's a little thing really but I got the biggest kick out of seeing my mom standing there as an official racer! It's just so like her to charge fearlessly ahead into a new situation, and it made me realize that in addition to Bob, I get a lot of my nerve from her.

Not long after, the rest of my crew started to show up. First Jen Fields, then Jen, Laura, Natalie and Chloe, with baby Mikey in tow. Wow, he's gotten big! I went to the bathroom a couple times, Aric arrived, we snagged some free Luna bars, and Jen put her Group Shepherd skills to good use, talking to Little Margaret and Nick on the phone and helping them find us. Then we went over to the start and got ourselves ready. Aric, Jen Fields, Rowly and I stood alongside the course and cheered for the rest of them as the 5K started and they were off! The race actually started with a real starting gun! What fun. Then Jen reminded me that I should probably go get in position for my start so I gave them big hugs and off I went. After all the hubub, there I was, alone in a crowd of 1200 women (and one guy in there somewhere). But that's okay ... running is something I'm used to doing alone and at a nervewracking time like just before the start it's better for me to be by myself and in my own head.

So after all the training and preparation, the time had finally arrived. I was happy to find myself excited but calm, and definitely ready.

My next post will be about the race experience itself, and I'll put up some pictures as soon as I can :)

Lisa's after race report

2009-11-09T08:12:00.002-05:00

I know that Tori will have so many things to say about her own race experience and I can't wait for that to happen. Pictures of smiling faces have been downloaded on our Facebook accounts and we were blessed with sunny and 60 degree weather! But I wanted to add my own perspective.
Several times my Aunt Frieda or someone yesterday would mention that the day was my idea. I guess so. I do remember mentioning to Tori back in the spring that if she ever wanted to run a 1/2 marathon, I know of an all women's one in York and that some of us in the family could walk in the 5k if we wanted to. I don't know for sure which of us thought of the fund-raising piece and really, it doesn't matter.
What does matter is that if all came together is a most lovely way yesterday on the southern seacoast of Maine when a family--ranging in age from 9 months to 72 years old-- got together for multiple reasons and had a great time at a great event. The fact that we honored Bob's memory and Tori kicked butt in her first 1/2 marathon after raising over $1000 for the Huntington's Disease Society of American made it all that more special.
Tori was rightly worried about the extended family knowing where they should be and Auntie Fried and I had to remind her several time Saturday night that the only thing that she really needed to worry about was herself. We were all adults and we would take care of each other. (And I think we did fine in that regard!)
I was designated Goose in the Front for the 5k and while in the beginning I did have to literally yell at the group that we were too far back and that they needed to follow me as Goose in the Front...it was all good. I spent much of the 5k walking with Natalie who was pushing Little Mike in the stroller. It was quite a sight as the 1200+ women half-marathoners passed us and all you could see in both directions was strong women running. I told Jen afterward that I was glad to see women of all ages and body types running!
Jen and I walked across the finish line together at 57 minutes and felt great.
I am known in the family as not being the most emotional person. Well, that may not be true. I don't usually show my emotions and I certainly don't cry often. I will say that every time I saw Tori running by, I got a bit teary and I hugged her hard at the end of the race because I was feel pretty darn overwhelmed. It was so wonderful to be there to witness her great accomplishment.
I hope this becomes an annual family tradition. Bob, I know, is very proud of us all, especially Tori.

Free Time

2009-11-07T11:47:00.004-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
This is weird not running. Yesterday and today are rest days, and to be honest I don't know what to do with myself. I'm so used to shoehorning in runs around all the other stuff in my life. Setting the alarm on Saturday morning to get up early and run before heading out for a family party at noon, running long on Sunday and having my day revolve around that, that sort of thing. So this morning I slept in, ate a leisurely breakfast, and calmly packed up for the weekend. How odd. But rest is important before a race and I know it's what I need to do. I'll have enough excitement tomorrow to make up for it all.

I'm excited to see everyone, and be in the race atmosphere. I read there are 1000 registered runners and 2500 spectators expected. Or something mad like that. It's such a neat experience to be part of something that big and festive. They say there's a post-race party for the 5K participants, and I've seen a fun list of things for kids to do, so hopefully my family and friends will be having a ball while I'm out there doing my thing. The weather report says sunny with a high of 60 degrees. I couldn't have asked for anything better!

I'm not sure if I'll be able to post anything tomorrow or not, but either way stay tuned for pictures and a race report early next week! :)

Black Hole

2009-11-06T13:22:00.006-05:00

(Tori's Training Log ... and general musings)
Warning: this one might get heavy so if you're the weepy type and not in a "safe" place, you might want to wait and read this later.

It was very strange today walking in to work without my gym bag. I felt so light and kept feeling like I had forgotten something! So with no training to talk about, I figured I'd think a little about why I'm doing what I'm doing.

There is no way to truly describe what it feels like to lose someone to Huntington's Disease. It's not just one loss, but a series of losses, one after the other. And it never stops. You get used to what your loved one has become, and mourn the loss of what's gone. Maybe they can't drive anymore, or their personality has changed, or it's suddenly more difficult to have a conversation with them. Over time you realize this is your loved one. You adapt, and love them for who they are now, because that's what families do. And just about when you've learned to become ok with the status quo, BAM! here comes another one. I look back to 1996 when we went to a family reunion in Montana. I remember at the time I was having a lot of difficulty with the changes that were happening to Bob, although I worked my hardest to not show that to him. But I look back now and think if we could have just had that Bob from there on out, that would have been great.

Mourning the death of a loved one is tremendously difficult. Watching the slow decline of living loved one is torture. When someone is gone, you can cry and tell stories, and talk about how hard it is. When someone is still here, but not the way they used to be, you have to be brave and remember that even though they've lost things, they are still alive, and living their lives as best they can with what they have left. It's such a contrast and can really mess with your head.

In some ways it was easier with my Dad. I lived in Rochester, NY and was only able to come home on occasion. Those times were filled with emotion, good and bad, and I would return home and recover. But then there would be a big gap of time where I'd live my life and could pretend like this wasn't happening to my family. But with Bob, I lived nearby and worked even closer, and was able to go up and see him and my mom every other week. On Thursday I'd leave from work and go have supper with them and spend the evening, and come back to work from there in the morning. I will always treasure those times I was able to spend with him. I was able to maintain a relationship with my brother, in whatever form he took at the time. I was able to see that regardless of what happened to him, his soul was the same, and I took comfort in being able to recognize that. But you know what? It's hard. Some nights I would sit with Bob, laugh and joke, and while on the one hand I was enjoying the time, on the other hand I was using all my might to avoid breaking down into tears in front of him. It is a grief so profound it is impossible to describe. But you can't show it. Not until later.

Thank god for my friend Jim, who would be waiting in his office on Friday mornings to help put me back together again. I would usually be weepy driving to work but be able to hold it together so I could arrive at work and be able to function. After downloading with Jim I would go about my day as if nothing was wrong, although looking back those Fridays were a lot more sluggish than usual. The drive home is where it would all come out. A full hour drive and sometimes I would sob the whole way home. That's where the title "Black Hole" comes from. The grief in those times was that profound. I remember thinking "how can it possibly hurt this much?" But it did. And there was nothing I could do about it. Thank god for Aric too, who would be waiting at home to patiently piece me back together again.

Deep breath. Shake it off. Move on. Get ready for the next round. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Through all of that, these people that were shrinking away from me maintained their identities and continued to have much to offer right up until the end. My dad had his sense of humor and kept telling jokes until he couldn't tell them anymore. But you could tell them to him and get him to laugh! He was always excited about what was going on in my life, and would push me out the door when my visiting time was over. Even though my visits were only occasional, when it was time for me to go back to my life he made sure I knew that he wanted me to and it was ok leave him. And the next time I saw him I always got a big, enthusiastic "HI!" when I walked in. And even as he was losing his battle, Dad was able to make his friend Fred feel special, when that was what Fred needed most of all. So it's not all bad, and these times are what send a tiny crack of light into that black hole to remind you all is not lost.

Bob never stopped being quirky and I love that. He was playful and funny and like my dad, always interested in what I was doing. He was proud to hear of my accomplishments and enjoyed hearing about my life. He was able to make everyone feel special and unique, and he was fun to be around. And he milked whatever he had left for all that it was worth. I know of healthy people with everything going for them that don't get one tenth the enjoyment out of life that Bob did. Every time someone would ask him how he was doing he would always answer "great!" and you knew he meant it.

When Bob died, it was sad and hard, as you'd expect. But not exactly in the way that I expected. I had mourned each piece of him as it was lost along the way, so his death just meant the mourning of the core piece of him that was left. Don't get me wrong, that's big, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that the full force of it didn't hit me all at once. Thank god, as I think that might have done me in. But what that meant for me is that his funeral felt incomplete. It was the mourning of that last piece, but I wanted to put it all together and celebrate the whole Bob, and do something that celebrated his entire life. You can't do that in an afternoon in a funeral parlor. Well, you can (because we did) but it didn't feel like enough for me. So I signed up to do this. It pulls in people that were important to Bob, and creates the sense of community that always seemed to be humming around him. And it's been going on for a while, which gave me a longer celebration period to focus on. And I spent a lot of time running where there's nothing to do but think. So that gave me time to be with Bob in my head.

So this is my sendoff to Bob, which feels more fitting to me. Big and bright and powerful. A supernova to offset the black hole (and some space references to keep Bob entertained). Bob ... I love you and miss you and hope you have been enjoying watching all of this unfold. Hopefully you can be there with us on Sunday and feel the love of everyone whose lives you touched. :)

(Tomorrow I promise to just talk about race prep and excitement for Sunday. No heavy stuff, I promise!)

Ready or Not

2009-11-05T15:42:00.004-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
So today is the last day of any scheduled activity on my official training plan. Two mile run today, then rest Friday and Saturday to gear up for the race. So you know what I did? I blew it off! Gasp! How very rebellious of me. But you see it's volleyball day ... and we've already been through this ... there are very few things I'll skip volleyball for. At first my wheels were turning ... "hmmm... it's exactly one mile to the YMCA from our office ... I could run there, play, then run back and there's my 2 mile run ... I'm told I play better volleyball after I run ... " etc. But we sort of already push the limits of "lunch hour" because no one wants to stop playing and I realized that tacking a run onto both ends would have me taking a lunch that is just way too long to get away with. Plus there's the problem of me needing different shoes for volleyball, my knee pads, a different shirt for indoor play vs. outdoor running, etc. I could have a coworker bring my little bag to the Y for me, but it all seemed so complicated this morning at 6am when I was lying in bed thinking it over. So I decided to just let it go. I've learned over the years that training plans are meant to be tweaked and they still work even if you don't do them exactly as written. And I've learned that whatever I needed to do for the race should be done by now, so a 2 mile run today isn't going to make or break the race. And technically my plan does say I can swap the Thursday run for cross training if I want. I've always been a bit sketchy on whether or not volleyball counts as cross training since it doesn't involve constantly elevated heart rate, but on the other hand I am moving around for 90 minutes or so, so it's gotta count for something.

I'm told that I sometimes overthink things. Nahhh... I never do that! Haha. So there it is. I'm done with my training. There's nothing left to do but plan my nutrition and hydration strategy, figure out a good meeting place for my friends and family, and figure out when/where people might be able to see me run by. Ready or not, here I come! :)

An Act of Faith

2009-11-04T13:15:00.002-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
For those of you who have known me for a while, you can probably appreciate the irony in me saying "It's 55 degrees out - what great weather!" I have always been cold. I never again want to hear "put on a sweater" instead of "yes, I'll turn up the heat". Some of my worst fights with Aric have been in the car over the temperature (thank god for dual climate controls - hooray!)

But first with skiing, then ski racing, and now running, I've developed a different appreciation for the other locations on the thermometer (other than my preferred 75 degrees). 55 and sunny is a "perfect day" if I'm running. 25 degrees and sunny is a "perfect day" if I'm skiing. 75 degrees and sunny is "perfect day" if I'm going to be sitting outside reading a book. It's really opened up the seasons for me in a fun way.

The thing is though ... those temperatures are good when I'm actually running, or skiing, or whatever. But there's a gap between when I step outside and the time that my body is warmed up by activity. That's where the old me goes "Holy crap! What the heck am I doing out here without a coat?" Such was the case today when at 44 degrees and sunny I knew a t-shirt was appropriate. I've tried going out in long sleeves on days like today and regret it within 5 minutes. So I have to go on experience and faith that my chosen attire will be appropriate (having come by that experience by some very unpleasant trial and error). Thus at noon today I popped out of the building, gasped in reaction to the cold air on my arms, and got moving asap.

As expected, I was totally fine within 3 minutes. Which is about when I saw the most amazing red maple tree and forgot all about my goose bumps. The leaves were the most brilliant red that I have ever seen in nature and I couldn't stop staring at it. I love it when something so unexpected takes my breath away like that.

What? Oh, I'm supposed to be telling you about my training! I ran a 30 minute tempo run today, which was 10 min warmup, then 15 minutes where I slowly increased my speed, peaking about halfway through then ramping down, then ending with a 5 min slower cooldown pace. My long runs are somewhere around 12 min/mile pace and my fast runs are somewhere around the 10 min/mile mark. That middle mile today was 8:54. Holy cow! I just ran something that starts with an 8!

In other news, I've been on the phone a lot the past few days, checking in with everyone on all the various plans for Sunday. It's shaping up to be a great time, and it's so fun to see everyone getting geared up for it. I'll go up to my mom's on Saturday to stay overnight, and that will give me a chance to stop over on Saturday afternoon to pick up my race packet and drive the course to see what I'm in for. Then my mom will feed me spaghetti and put me to bed early for a good night's rest :)

Sunshine!

2009-11-03T14:17:00.002-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
Wow ... it's 55 and sunny ... an absolutely perfect day for a run! I was running in shorts and a t-shirt even. I ran my 4 mile loop through the Andover country club, and got to look at all the fancy houses with professionally manicured lawns. It's a really nice route, as long as I don't go on Friday (Friday is garbage day in that neighborhood ... peee-uuuuu!!)

Looking ahead to Sunday's weather, it says it's going to be like today. I know, I know, weather predictions this far out don't really mean much, but wow, running the race on a day like today would be awesome! :)

Boot Camp

2009-11-02T22:22:00.002-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
Today is a rest day ... or more specifically no running. Throughout the training plan Mondays have been set aside for stretching and strength training. I've been alternating between doing a circuit on the machines and making up my own stuff with free weights, depending on my mood (i.e. how much I want to have to think about what I'm doing) and how much time I have. Today I didn't want to think at all, and found myself down at the gym just as the Boot Camp class was about to start. It's a mix of cardio and weights kind of like (but not nearly as good as) Jen's Body Pump class. I've taken this class off and on over the years, depending on whether or not I'm training for something and/or have room in the schedule. Today the class was great and it was good to be in a social setting with other people. I do so much of my exercise by myself, which is good in some ways but I think there's room for more human contact in my athletic endeavors. Maybe after the race I'll start going to that class again regularly.

Anyway, I'm officially in taper now that I've done my last long run. My knees held up remarkably well after yesterday's 12 miles. The ice bath is key after a long run. I skipped it after the 11 miler and really felt the difference. Tomorrow is a 4 mile run, Wednesday is a 30 minute tempo run, then Thursday is a 2 mile run. Friday and Saturday are both rest days then it's off to the races :)

Memories of Bob

2009-11-01T18:22:00.002-05:00

(by Kathy [Lalonde] Young)
Hi everyone.

I'm going to try to write a story about Bob. As many of you know, Bob was my childhood best friend. I met him when I was about 4 years old. Of course I don't remember that day but all my early childhood memories involve Bob and the Hunter clan. We lived next door to each other. we were always together, two scrawny toeheads playing in the back yard, first in the sandbox, then as we got older we graduated to the sand pit. Behind our houses, over the railroad tracks, down a gravel hill and over a wire fence, Bob and I went down to the sand pit. We weren't alone, there were other kids who played there too, the Griffins, Garulays, Cashins...all the kids within a square quarter mile hung out there. It wasn't a playground with swings and jungle gyms, it had no play equipment at all. It was a gravel pit with mounds of sand, rocks and weeds. There was a brook which was 1/2 spring fed and 1/2 runoff, and there was a pond that everyone just called Roundy. This wasted area belonged to the Government and for at least a dozen years it was our play yard. In the Spring and Summer we built forts, made dams in the brook, learned to catch polliwogs and fish in the pond. In the winter it was our sledding and skating place. Nobody ever bothered us and amazingly, nobody ever got hurt there. Our Moms or siblings knew where we were and called us home from the tracks for meals. When Bob and I were little (7 -8) we could go down the sand pit, but never alone. My mom would usually tell my older sisters or brother to go with me, but they didn't want to be with "the little kids". So Bob and I went together. He helped me climb over the fence or up and down the steep sand hills. I loved being there, the adventures we created, the independence, and the security of never being alone. I remember how long the days were in the summer. We came home for dinner everyday with sand in our sneakers and dirty from head to toe. We were fortunate enough to always have a friend to play with and a carefree place to go.
My friendship with Bob was nurtured at a young age and we continued that friendship all through our life. I have a lot more stories to tell about Bob. It makes me happy to recall small details of those days and tell you all what an important part of my life I shared with Bob.
I will continue with another memory story next time.

Little Pieces

2009-11-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

(Tori's Training Log)
As I described yesterday, it's much easier to tackle a big job if you break it up into little pieces. I did that exact thing with today's 12 mile run. Originally I was going to do my 2 mile loop, then an out-and-back of my 5 mile route. But that just seemed hard. So instead I came up with a much better plan. Start at home and run the first 3 miles of the 5 mile route, then turn around and come home. That's 6 right there. Swap out my water bottles at home, then keep going the other way. 3 miles up to the retreat center, then turn around and come home. Wa-la! 12 miles before I knew it. I had a nutrition/hydration plan (always important) ... water every 2 miles and hammer gel at miles 4 and 8. Trying to keep track of all of that, coupled with the fact that I had a turn around within 3 miles at all times, kept me so busy that the run was over before I knew it.

It was a beautiful day for a run. The crunchy fall leaves smelled like the Hampshire House (a reference that will probably only make sense to my family), and there were lots of people out working in their yards. I passed another runner on mile 4, then again on mile 7 - she was doing the opposite loop I think. See, I'm not the only nut out there running for hours.

Then I came in and took my ice bath, ate some protein for lunch, and proceeded to spend the next three hours putting in our new floor in the bathroom. I have a feeling I'm going to be a hurtin' puppy tomorrow :)

Life is Good

2009-11-01T16:00:00.000-05:00

(by Lisa)
It must have been a funny sight to the uninformed---elegant parlors of a funeral home brimming with people wearing “Life is Good” shirts. Those without shirts sported stickers donated by the local store. Indeed, the person those mourners were there to honor, my cousin Bob who lay still in his coffin at the front of the room was also sporting his own navy shirt with the familiar logo.
Yet when Jen called to tell me about Bob’s death and filled me in on various details and she mentioned they were asking people to wear the shirts to the services, I was hardly surprised. In fact, I’d wished I’d been there in the room when the idea came to the Hunter women, this strong group of cousins and an aunt whom I admire. I can picture them standing in a circle with tear-streaked and exhausted faces talking logistics about funeral arrangement and what not. I can see their faces light up when the idea popped out of someone’s mouth---they are nodding---yes, life is good shirts, let’s do it! Bob would love that.
And so I thought nothing of heading out to buy my first Life is Good shirt for myself, Rowly and Grace. It was an easy concept for me to embrace. And so on that cold, rainy March day in Maine, a group of family and friends bid farewell to Bob and did their best to honor him. He lived life to the end as if it was good despite the disease that overtook him in the end. The least we could do was to wear a shirt that reflected that optimism.
When I bought my Life is Good shirt last spring, I found one that reminded me of a challenge I’d given myself, swimming a mile as part of a team triathlon with my husband and father-in-law. My shirt shows someone jumping off a dock, just like the dock my race in Lake Erie started from.
I am honored to be part of the race that Tori will be running, her first half marathon, in York, a place that Bob loved. I am so proud of her for taking this challenge herself, having had the privilege of participating last fall with her in a half-marathon we ran as a relay.
I’ll be walking the family/friends 5k with family members and keeping the “Life is Good” philosophy to heart. We’d love you to join us!

http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/ArkktwmQ/1/3806846

Easy Three / Easy Seven

2009-10-31T20:26:00.002-04:00

(Tori's Training Log)
Today's run was an easy three miles, saving the big effort for tomorrow's big 12. Yikes! It's windy but warm and I kept getting pelted with kamakaze leaves divebombing themselves off the trees. It was pretty funny.

I started running sort of by accident. A few years ago I was working with a personal trainer to get in shape for ski racing, when my brother-in-law called to tell me about this awesome duathlon at Watkins Glen where you get to ride your bike on the actual track! I have been to countless auto races at Watkins Glen with Aric and it feels like home to me, so the chance to ride on the track itself was too good to pass up. So I asked my trainer to help me learn how to run. She set up a plan for me and off I went.

At that time, my goal was to be able to run 2 miles. The race was run/bike/run/bike/run where each of the run legs was 1.75 miles. At the time of the race I was just able to squeak out 2 miles and it was enough to get me through. At the time I remember thinking to myself, "someday I'll be able to run all the way around our lake". A few weeks ago I did that 4.5 mile loop twice for my 9-miler!

Last year I ran the Applefest Half Marathon as a relay with my cousin Lisa. At that time the thought of running 7 miles scared the crap out of me. And somewhere along the way in that training I said to my friend Jen "I think the day before the race I'll just run an easy three miles to stay loose". She laughed and asked, "since when did 3 miles become easy?" That really woke me up to what I had achieved.

The other day I was talking to Jen again and telling her about a couple of weeks ago when I felt worn out and decided to change my Saturday 5 miler / Sunday 11 miler to one run on Saturday. I think my words were, "I figured I'd just take it easy and do an easy seven". This time I realized it as I was saying it, and Jen and I laughed and talked about how much of a big deal it was to do an easy three. Now I'm up to easy seven!

The lesson for me in all of this is how important it is to take big challenges and break them up into little chunks. The scariest, most unachievable looking thing becomes totally do-able if you just take it step by step. Focus on the task of the moment and only glance up once in a while to check out the big goal. As it gets closer it becomes smaller and less imposing and before you know it you're doing something you never thought possible! :)

Love / Hate

2009-10-30T20:24:00.001-04:00

(Tori's Training Log)
I have a love/hate relationship with running.

I love being in shape. I love setting a crazy goal for myself and the feeling that I get when I've achieved it. I love the process of slowly improving over the course of weeks to be able to get there. I love the feeling of being freshly showered after a good workout. I love the feeling of a hot shower after a good workout. I love the smells that abound while I'm running - fresh tree blooms in spring, cut grass, the smell of dryer sheets when I run by a house where someone is doing laundry. I love the crinkle of fall leaves under my feet, and the crunch of snow under my feet in winter. I love the serenity of having the whole world to myself when I'm out running after a snowstorm and the rest of humanity are hunkered down in their warm houses. I love feeling like a total badass when I come in from running in the pouring rain, or when it's 10 degrees out. There's just so much good about this.

The problem is ... I hate to drag my butt out to run. I hate dragging myself away from what I'm doing ... switching gears is not easy for me. I hate having to change my clothes and get ready. I hate having to shower, dress, and do makeup all over again at lunchtime when I just did all that stuff this morning. Some days I really just don't want to run. And some days running is hard!

What I've learned though, are the days that I don't want to run are usually the days I need to run. When I'm grumpy and stressed and worked up, I've learned lots of things that won't make me feel better - bitching to co-workers, eating a donut or two, working through lunch to get caught up, etc. And I know the one thing that will make me feel better - running! So I've learned over time that if I'm feeling like I really don't want to, the best thing I can do is get up and go before my mind figures out what I'm doing. I'm always happy I did.

Today wasn't one of the really bad ones, but I was feeling like I didn't want to go. The good thing about training for a race is that I know I can't afford to skip it. So it makes the internal struggle quite efficient. "I don't want to" ... "Too bad you have to" ... "Fine." It was 51 and overcast, and a good day for a run. I did my familiar 3 mile loop past the park and through the Andover neighborhoods, then came back inside to the gym for a quick trip through the weight circuit. I took my shower and thought about how awesome it felt to be freshly showered after a great workout :)

Volleyball

2009-10-29T20:21:00.001-04:00

(Tori's Training Log)
No running today ... it's a rest / cross training day. Well, technically today is supposed to be a 3 mile run followed by strength training, then tomorrow a rest day. But Thursday is volleyball day where I play at the YMCA during lunch with my coworkers. Those who know me know that very few things get in the way of volleyball! Every event I've ever trained for has had the training plan tweaked to work around Thursday volleyball. So I made today my cross training day, and tomorrow I'll do the run/weights instead.

Volleyball was great fun today though. Nothing like spiking a ball at your coworkers to work out those aggressions :)

Running in the Rain!

2009-10-28T11:00:00.002-04:00

(Tori's Training Log)
Well, there won't be as much exciting stuff to report, since the race is coming up soon and training is starting to wind down. But some folks have requested updates on my training so I'll keep you guys updated for the remainder of the time.

Today was my last speed workout at the track. I'm told this is to increase my V02-Max which in turn makes me run faster. Something is working ... as my "comfortable" pace has gotten faster since week 1. Although I know it's important, this workout is my least favorite of those on the plan. I started with an easy 3x400's @5k pace. For those not familiar with the lingo, this means run one lap of the track (400m) at the pace I'd run a 5k race, then walk or jog to recover, and repeat for a total of 3 times. Every other week on Wednesday's I've been doing one of these, increasing the repeats each time. So today was 10x400.

Overall not so bad ... I know I feel better after I do it, and the track I go to is very nice. However, today was 44 degrees, pouring rain, and generally wild and wooly winds. Yikes! Yes, I have a treadmill but it has to be a lot worse out than that to get me on that boring thing. So out I went. Once I warmed up it wasn't so bad, except did you know that if you keep your arm up to check your watch that rain will go down your sleeve and make a puddle in your elbow? I didn't either! Until I put said arm down and a big gush of water came splooshing out. Hmph ...you learn something new every day :)

My Brother Made Me Do It

2009-10-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

My name is Tori, and this is my brother Bob. On March 24, 2009, Bob died of Huntington’s Disease. He was only 48 years old. For nearly 20 years, he battled the disease with courage, determination, and most amazingly, optimism. In the process he touched the lives of many people who came to know him. It is truly amazing to hear the stories of how Bob helped them view life in a different way, handle a rough time, or overcome a personal challenge.

Even before Bob became sick, he did these things for me. He was 10 years older than I and I looked up to him as much as a little sister could. He had a way of making me feel like I was the most special person in the world, and I would have done anything to make him proud of me. This desire to impress became one of my most formative life experiences. There are countless times I would be facing something that scared me to death, yet knowing Bob was watching I took a deep breath and plunged in. No matter how scary the situation, anything was worth the look on Bob’s face when he was impressed with something I’d done. These times taught me a valuable lesson about myself, and has allowed me to go through life looking for and embracing new and exciting challenges. My life would have turned out very differently had Bob not helped foster this valuable ability.

To honor Bob and the difference he has made in my life, I’ve signed up to run the Maine Coast Half Marathon on November 8, 2009. 5 years ago I did not run, and when I signed up for the half marathon I had never run more than 7 miles. I felt that tackling a new challenge was the most fitting way to remember him, and the race will take place in York, ME, which was Bob’s hometown when he died.

As part of the race, I am collecting donations for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. HDSA is a wonderful organization which is coordinating the tremendous amount of research that is being conducted in search of a cure, and provides immeasurable support to the many people and families affected by this disease. If you'd like to donate, click on the "Donate" link above and it will take you to our donation page.

I am also inviting anyone who would like to join me to come for this special event and celebrate the legacy this wonderful man has left behind. There is a 5K that you can run or walk, and my cousin Lisa is leading a contingent of people who are already signed up to do the walk. They would love to have you walk with them or wave as you run by. You can sign up for the 5K by visiting the race website here, and use the "Contact" link on this page to let us know you are coming.

Overall, my goal in this is to remember Bob and celebrate the footprint he left on this world. When I told this to Lisa, she came up with the idea for this website and enlisted her friend at Badass Designs to set it up for us (a big thanks to both of them). So we’d love to hear from you! If you have something that you’d like to share, please send it along and we’ll post it here (just click on the "Share" link above). This could be a memory of Bob or a story of how he has touched your life, a story of a challenge that you have faced in life and overcome, or tell us about a person in your life who has had a positive impact on you.

Lisa and I hope that over time this site will become a place of cheer, optimism, and humor, which is exactly the way Bob saw the world. We hope to be busy posting your contributions, so check back in with us often!

Donate

2009-10-13T15:10:00.005-04:00

If you'd like to make a donation to HDSA, you can do so online by clicking here to go to my FirstGiving donation page.

Or if you prefer to pay by check you can mail it to:

HDSA - New England Chapter
6 Boston Road, Suite 203A
Chelmsford, MA 01824

And please note that it is for "Tori Hunter's race in honor of Bob Hunter"
(Checks should be made out to "HDSA")

Many thanks for your support!

Contact

2009-10-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

Feel free to contact us anytime at mybrotherbob@gmail.com .

About

2009-10-13T10:05:00.004-04:00

2009-10-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

Want to share your story, or a story about a loved one? E-mail us.