A pillow fight against leukemia
By Melanie Marshall

A Boone woman is preparing to go toe-to-toe with leukemia – in running shoes.

Jennifer Pillow, an adjunct professor of anatomy at Appalachian State University, an athletic trainer at Watauga High School and a manager of Peppers Restaurant, has been training since February to compete in the Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon on June 27 as a part of Team in Training (TNT).

TNT was founded in 1988 and has grown to include more than 30,000 runners, walkers, cyclists, hikers and triathletes who participate in competition events to raise funds and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Pillow began running by keeping a 2008 New Year’s resolution. She started slow on a treadmill and began to build up to longer runs. Pillow is currently running 20-30 miles a week in preparation for the upcoming marathon.

“I entered races as goals to keep running,” Pillow said. Since beginning the new fitness regime, she has participated in a 10K run in Charleston, S.C., a 10-mile run in Washington, D.C. and a half-marathon in Miami.

Pillow discovered TNT through a conversation with a team visiting Boone. They began to talk while she was waiting tables at Peppers in the fall of 2008.

Pillow contacted the coordinator for western North Carolina and began the process.

She will be competing in the Seattle event with a team based in Asheville. The team consists of a total of seven people — a coach, mentor and the other runners participating in the same marathon.

Each team member must raise $4,500 before June 10 to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Pillow will have the make up the difference if the goal is not reached by that date. Tax-deductible donations can be made through Pillow’s profile at the TNT Web site. Her link is

pages.teamintraining.org/nc/mrseatl09/jpillow.

Pillow has organized the Pillow Fight dodge-ball tournament to raise money toward her goal. The tournament will be held on May 16 at the Watauga High School gymnasium.

Teams must consist of six players of each and is open to all ages, with parental consent for those under the age of 18. Teams are encouraged to dress is costumes or matching uniforms.

The cost to participate is $10 per person, $60 per team. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the first game is set to start at 10:45 a.m. Teams must register prior to the start of the first game.

For more information or to pre-register contact Pillow at (828) 226-5210 or via e-mail at tntdodgeball@gmail.com.