Week 6 Going Strong!

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for everyone who has donated! I am SO close in meeting my recommitment deadline! I only need $300 more and I will be recommitted for TNT!

This past week was a great week! I got to attend the group swim session which was awesome but it scared me a little bit. I didn't realize how much work I still had to do on my swimming technique. Couch Justin was a huge help and really focused on helping me swim smoothly and breathe easier. This week we get tested for our open water swim and we must swim 400 meters without stopping. So I have been practicing and practicing to make sure I meet this pivotal deadline. So far, I have done well and finish around 11 mins. (4oo meters =8 laps). I am worried about Liz, because she can barely float! hahaha! Just kidding, she has been working hard all weekend and this week to make sure she passes the swim review.

I was telling Armando yesterday that I psyche myself out before I swim and instead of thinking, "great! only 5 laps to go!" I think to myself, "damn, I still have 5 laps to go, boo!" It's difficult to overcome that mentality but I need to because that is the type of thinking that stops you from pushing yourself forward. I've decided that when I start to think like that, I think of my aunts. And then I push on through or I push harder, determined to finish my drills or run.

This training is moving quickly and I am surprised at how fast we are moving along. I am a bit frustrated as I have yet to hear back from corporate sponsors and I am also frustrated because we have been unable to find a venue for a bar party. But, I'll stay optimistic and I know I will find one soon.

As a funny side note, the blizzard that hit Denver on Friday didn't stop Liz and I from going to the pool to train. It was hilarious walking around with our swim fins in blizzard conditions. I am sure people thought we were crazy.

Thank you to everyone who stepped up to help me meet my recommitment fee, to all my families and friends thank you! These are the folks who are helping make a difference in the lives of so many people.

Besos and I will tell you how I do on SWIM Review! :)
Jazmin

My Thanks to

Fernando Chavez $ Oscar Somoza	100.00 $100.00
Alejandro Masias	$75.00
Andres Pedraza	$50.00
Catrina and Erick	$40.00
Lauren Jones	$30.00
Shelby Burnette	$25.00
Veronica Ornelas	$25.00
Linda Te	$25.00
Saul Huerta	$25.00
ANGELO MAESTAS	$25.00
Jeffrey Henry	$15.00
Angelica Tovar-Hastings	$10.00

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/sunrise10/jazminchavez

Recommitment Deadline!!

Dear Family and Friends!

Would you give up your daily mocha or latte for a week for a good cause? Please consider donating those lattes to our cause!

We are in desperate need of your help to meet our recommitment deadline. I must raise $875.00 by Thurday, March 25, 2010!

We have some fundraisers lined up but they are not until April and Liz and I really need your help! ANYTHING an EVERYTHING helps.

Interesting Facts:
Among Mexican American and Puerto Rican women, cervical cancer incidence is
two to three times higher than in non-Hispanic White women. (2)

Even though Hispanic women have lower rates of breast cancer (69.8 per 100,000) compared to non-Hispanic White women or Black
women (111.8 and 95.4 respectively), breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanics.

Poverty, lack of insurance, low education, limited access to health care, lack of awareness of breast cancer risks and screening methods,
physician referrals, acculturation levels and barriers related to language, culture, and negative provider attitudes, play an important role
in the lower rates of screening services utilization by Hispanic women.

Cervical cancer risk is high among Latinas, with incidence rates that are double those of Whites. This risk differential has not appreciably improved over the last decades. Cervical cancer mortality is also markedly higher among Latinas.

In males and females, incidence of primary liver cancer is about twice as high as for non-Latinos in the same area. Rates of primary liver cancer appear to be particularly high among Mexican Americans in Texas, even when compared to Latinos in California or
other regions.

The five most frequently diagnosed cancers among Hispanic men are prostate, lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, urinary bladder and stomach.

The five most frequently diagnosed cancers among Hispanic women are breast, colon and rectum, lung and bronchus, cervix uteri, and corpus uteri.

The five most common types of cancer deaths among Hispanic men are lung and bronchus, prostate, colon and rectum, stomach, and pancreas.

The five most common types of cancer deaths among Hispanic women are breast, lung and bronchus, colon and rectum, pancreas, and ovary.

While Latinos represent about 12% of the population, they make up 25% of the Nation’s uninsured. They are almost three times less likely to have a consistent source of medical care, so they rely more heavily on emergency room treatment. In fact, Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to use the hospital ER as a primary source of care compared with the general population.

Sixty percent of Latinos have insurance through their jobs - compared to 85% of non-Hispanics. Among children, 30% of Latinos areuninsured - compared to nearly 20% of Black children and 13% of Whites.

Uninsured Hispanics are two to three times more likely to have cancer diagnosed at a later stage, making it less treatable. Uninsured Hispanic women with breast cancer are 2.3 times more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage while uninsured Hispanic men with prostate cancer are 3.75 times more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!
** For more facts check out iccnetwork.org/cancerfacts/ICC-CFS4.pdf -

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/sunrise10/jazminchavez

Week 5 of Training!

Hello Everyone!

This week wasn't as great as last week. I only got to swim on Monday because I had my aunt's funeral on Tuesday night. Then my Wednesday was so busy (I have class until 10pm) that I didn't get a chance to swim then either! This week will be a lot better because I am on Spring Break! I get to attend the group swimming session so that they can evaluate my swimming!

Today I got to speak to someone about open water swimming and they gave me a lot of great advice. I have been looking around for road bikes as well and I hope to buy one soon because I am realizing how hard it is to train with a hybrid bike. I am starting to get a bit nervous about fundraising, but I have faith that it will all come together.

I contacted the Mercury Cafe about holding a fundraiser there but they are completely booked until June 6th! I am going to ask El Centro Su Teatro and a few other venues. I need to have a fundraiser booked before the end of March.

I also found out this past week that my cousin Liz might not be able to compete after all due to a fractured toe. Boo! It makes me sad but if anything, she can heal her toe and we can race together in the Tri 4 the Cure! We'll see!

I will be training twice as hard this week for slacking this past week! I am ready to get back on track! Thank you to all who have supported me thus far and who continue to inspire me daily!

Besos y Abrazos!
Jazmin

Week 4 Triathlon Team In Training

I am in my fourth week of training and I absolutely LOVE it. This week was a difficult week for me and my family. We lost our Tia Elva to breast cancer on Friday, March 5th, 2010. She fought a valiant battle for almost 3 years and was incredibly brave and strong every step of the way. Her strength and courage astounds me and it is a constant reminder of why I decided to help find a cure for various cancers. My tia Marta died due to Colon Cancer and My Tia Adela, who passed away January 21, 2010, lost her battle to Liver Cancer. And now, this week, I lost another beautiful aunt to cancer. I am angry, I am sad, I am grieving, but I am now determined to make a difference in the lives of all people battling Cancer, but especially Latin@s facing Cancer.

Every time I prepare to train, I remember them, I think of them and push myself harder. I do this for them, and just when I think I can't take anymore, I think of them and go harder. I miss them terribly and it has been especially difficult for my mother. She has lost 2 sisters in less than 2 months.

This Saturday, my cousin Liz and I biked 12 miles. We woke up at 7am to ride from Sheridan to Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison. We biked 10.5 miles in 30 degree weather at 745am. It was cold, our hands were frozen, our butts were in pain, and we were still hurting from losing our aunt the day before. But we rode. We rode without complaining and without thinking of how early it was or how cold it was. Our hands were literally burning because they were frozen. We simply rode in silence. I knew we didn't have to say anything to each other. We just rode in silence, sometimes alongside each other, sometimes in front or in back. We pushed each other to the end and congratulated each other at the end. For us, every mile, every step, ever stroke is a victory. I love running, riding and swimming with my cousin because we constantly push each other to be better and because we know what we are feeling and thinking without saying a word. I love her dearly and I feel honored to have her along my side as we embark on this journey together.

We still have a long way to go for our fundraising, together we must raise $5000 and we only have $130.00 donated. :( So please support us and any little bit helps. Also stay tuned for our fundraisers! Many to come! Thank you for your love and support. Throughout my postings you will find pictures of my beautiful aunts who give me the strength to train every single day!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/sunrise10/reyesliz

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/sunrise10/jazminchavez