For years I really wanted to find a church, well, maybe not really a church, but a place I could go to meditate and feel good about life. For a short time here and there I thought maybe I really was looking for a traditional church. But ultimately, I never completely felt a sense of peace that some people suggested.

What I have found that works for me is the Temple of Running, a come-as-you-are and go-when-you-please sort of church. I get a great deal out of running. It’s the time that I take to meditate and reflect upon the happenings of my life and, much like some churches I imagine, I feel uplifted and exhausted at the same time by the end.

But it’s sort of self-indulgent. I go running alone, I run in races alone, and I reap all of the benefits from it.

So, maybe my church needs a “give unto others” aspect.

A couple of months ago, I ran my first half-marathon at the Battleship here in Wilmington and before I got started, I stopped at a booth decked in purple. It was for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Campaign, also known as TNT.

They run, walk and bike in major races across the country, while raising money for blood cancer research. I decided to write about the group, share a few of their very inspiring stories and the mission of TNT. By the end, I wanted to be a part of it.

So, I will be raising money and training for a half marathon in Washington, D.C. this April. I just began the training part, which is going well and I am very impressed with the people who are getting ready walk or run their first race.

With my goal of about $3,000, 76 percent of that goes directly to cancer research and treatment, while the rest goes towards the race and travel.

This is like the giant donation box that I can give to at my “church” and goes to a life-changing cause. I’m still running, even getting up early on Sundays to do (if that makes it more churchy), and it’s for something that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.

For anyone interested in TNT, please visit My Fundraising Page and maybe see if TNT is for you as well!