Hollister runner prepares for Leukemia and Lymphoma half
marathon
Elizabeth Moreno has always enjoyed distance running. This fall
the 16-year-old junior at San Benito High plans to go the distance
for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by running in the 13.1-mile
Nike Women’s Half Marathon, which takes place on October 21 in San
Francisco.
Hollister runner prepares for Leukemia and Lymphoma half marathon
Elizabeth Moreno has always enjoyed distance running. This fall the 16-year-old junior at San Benito High plans to go the distance for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by running in the 13.1-mile Nike Women’s Half Marathon, which takes place on October 21 in San Francisco.
Moreno, who is a top runner on the Balers cross country team, has been training since June to run the half marathon. She hopes to raise $2,500 for the society, which, in turn, will help battle and raise awareness for the diseases.
For Moreno, competing in the race has extra meaning. In May, her grandfather, Roberto Valdez, 87, a Hollister resident, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and is fighting for his life everyday.
“That was a big reason why I’m doing this,” she said. “It made me want to get out there and help someone else out. We can’t do anything for my grandfather now, but I wanted to help other people and give them a chance.”
And running is the perfect tool for her to help out.
“I’ve always liked running,” Moreno said. “I really love running long distances. I always wanted to run a marathon to challenge myself because it was always something different, a little longer.”
Although challenging, finishing the October race shouldn’t be a problem for Moreno, who, on Labor Day, competed in and finished the Disneyland Half Marathon, which started in Downtown Disney and made its way through the park’s California Adventure and Disneyland areas before winding through the streets of the Anaheim resort.
“I actually really felt good,” Moreno said. “I felt like I could have kept going.”
In addition to competing on the Baler cross country team, Moreno plays soccer in the winter season and runs track in the spring.
In all, some 13,000 runners competed in the Disney event. Moreno, who competed in the 14-17-year-old age bracket, finished fourth in her group and 668 overall.
She completed the 13.1-mile race with a time of 1:54.10.
“My dad has been in the hospital since last Friday,” said Elizabeth’s mom Juli-Valdez Moreno. ”
When she’s not competing for the school team, Moreno can be found running on Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the Bay Area with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training for the South Bay Fall team.
“It’s a great support group for my daughter too,” Valdez-Moreno said.
So far Moreno has raised $1,244 towards her goal. To learn more about Team in Training or to donate to the cause, go to www.active.comdonatetntsvmbELIZABETHMORENO
