Mission Monday: Fred Campagna

Fred Campagna tells us about his experience running the Goofy Challenge at this past year's Disney World Marathon. Within two days, Fred completed both the half and full marathon, leaving all of us here at TNT speechless and inspired!



{Fred and honored hero Arieana}

 Running the Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but thanks to my involvement with Team in Training, it was also among the most rewarding. Long before arriving in Disney for the races, I was inspired by the people I met while training and raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I ran in honor of Arieana Carcieri who was going through her second battle with Lymphoma in the past two years. Her determination and positive attitude was on my mind during every training run in the chilly, late-fall weather.

  

{Race ready!}

I was an experienced runner, but I did not know much about how to effectively raise money. The staff at LLS RI was incredibly helpful with answering any questions I had about fundraising; they truly made it easy for me to reach my fundraising goal by providing me with helpful hints and innovative ideas. I already felt fulfilled before I even arrived at Walt Disney World for marathon weekend, but the whole experience went to another level when I saw how the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society went above and beyond to make it an unforgettable time for all of us. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my LLS RI teammates and coaches. The pre-race dinner was fun and incredibly inspirational. The actual races in Disney are a blast;  they are unlike any other road races on the planet! Personally, I was dealing with an injury that, under normal circumstances, would have prevented me from completing both the half and full marathon, but, because of my involvement with with LLS, I was helped by TNT coaches throughout the races. Their words of encouragement made something that I would have deemed impossible, not only possible, but truly rewarding. It was the experience of a lifetime.　

{Fred and fellow TNT-ers showing off their medals!}