All a Blessing in Disguise: I'm Running a Half Marathon!!

I have decided to run the Run, Walk, Wheel for RAMP Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on August 30, 2014. RAMP is a local non-profit organization that provides services that assist people with disabilities to live as independently as possible. Ever since hearing Stevie Hopkins from 3E Love come speak in college, disability awareness has been something I have tried to be an advocate for so I am happy to be doing a race for a cause I support rather than a big corporation. I encourage others to sign up for a charity run over just any old run. Often the registration fee for races goes towards a company. For example, the Warrior Dash is put on by an event company called Red Frog Events. You pay $40-60 for the actual race itself, a $10 parking fee, and a $5 fee to check your bag. NONE of that money goes towards St. Jude. According to the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC), direct spending on average by Warrior Dash attendees from one event is $4.5 million in hotel stays, restaurants, local stores, and gas stations. That is a lot of stinking money that is just being spent to run a race. They do have the option (not required) for participants to raise funds for St. Jude's, but like I said--it's an option and you will be spending at least $50 just to do the race. Registration fees for races like the Run, Walk, Wheel for RAMP, the Race for the Cure, and others are directly being used to make a donation to a local organization. Sure, it can be fun running through mud, but why not sign up for the Tough Mudder which supports the Wounded Warrior Project instead of the Warrior Dash if that's what you're after?

In addition to signing up for the half marathon I wanted to use this as an opportunity to raise money for an organization near and dear to my literal heart, the American Heart Association, a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. Heart Disease and Stroke might be something you think will never happen to you, but in my family, it is a reality. I have lost two grandparents to congestive heart failure. On September 7, 2010, my dad had triple bypass surgery at the age of 51. On July 10, 2011, he had a stroke leaving him blind on the left side and remains this way today hoping one day there may be a cure. My two sisters & I all have heart defects, and thanks to genetics a very high chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke in our future. But we have all made the decision to improve our lifestyle so that we can have healthier futures and beat heart disease. On August 30, I will be running the Run, Walk, Wheel Half Marathon for RAMP (a local non-profit organization that provides services that assist people with disabilities to live as independently as possible) in Rockford, IL. Then on October 25, I will participate in the Heart Walk in Decatur, IL alongside my family. I will not be able to finish the half marathon without knowing that I am doing it for a cause so I am dedicating my run to the American Heart Association to help fund research and programs that will help put an end to heart disease and stroke. Will you please support the American Heart Association by making a donation on my fundraising page?

In October 2010, I ran a marathon and used it as an opportunity to raise over $3000 for Team World Vision which raises money for clean water projects in areas in Africa. It is my greatest accomplishment to this day. I was overwhelmed with the support and that support is what helped get me to the finish line every day during training and then during the marathon. I couldn't imagine doing this half marathon without having that same feeling pushing me to the end. I simply wouldn't even start training

Heart Disease and Stroke might be something you think will never happen to you, but in my family, it is a reality. I have lost two grandparents to congestive heart failure. On September 7, 2010, my dad had triple bypass surgery at the age of 51. On July 10, 2011, he had a stroke leaving him blind on the left side and remains this way today hoping one day there may be a cure. My two sisters & I all have heart defects, and thanks to genetics a very high chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke in our future. But we have all made the decision to improve our lifestyle so that we can have healthier futures and beat heart disease. On August 30, I will be running the Run, Walk, Wheel Half Marathon for RAMP (a local non-profit organization that provides services that assist people with disabilities to live as independently as possible) in Rockford, IL. Then on October 25, I will participate in the Heart Walk in Decatur, IL alongside my family. I will not be able to finish the half marathon without knowing that I am doing it for a cause so I am dedicating my run to the American Heart Association to help fund research and programs that will help put an end to heart disease and stroke. Will you please support the American Heart Association by making a donation on my fundraising page? - See more at: http://maconcountyheartwalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1090604&lis=0&kntae1090604=82E221BF018C47A0BCA0CF1D9271AC0B&supid=407518233#sthash.Ny30vWLl.dpuf

All a Blessing in Disguise

Saturday, May 10, 2014

I'm Running a Half Marathon!!

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