February 20, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Pre-Race Nutrition

Make your plan now, folks – and practice, practice, practice until race day!

From the lovely Runner’s World:

Perfecting Your Prerace Food Strategy

What and how much should you eat and drink for your prerace breakfast?

By Monique Ryan, M.S., R.D.;

Image by Mitch Mandel

Published by Runner’s World, October 15, 2012

Media: Perfecting Your Prerace Food Strategy

If you’re like most runners, you spend the final days before your half- or full marathon feasting on high-carbohydrate foods. But a good nutrition plan doesn’t end with that last plate of pasta the night before your race. Just as important is your prerace breakfast, which helps restock the liver glycogen (or stored energy) that got depleted overnight. “Liver glycogen keeps your blood-sugar level steady during exercise,” says Jackie Berning, Ph.D., R.D., sports nutrition and metabolism professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Your morning meal provides fuel for your brain, helping to sustain motivation and concentration during a long race. But just how much should you eat on race morning to optimize your performance? Probably more than you think. Here’s how to choose the ideal amount and combination of foods and fluids to power you through to a strong finish.

THE RIGHT STUFF
The best prerace breakfast consists mainly of carbohydrates, since they’re digested most rapidly and are your body’s preferred fuel source, says Penny Wilson, Ph.D., a Houston-based registered dietitian who works with endurance athletes. Small amounts of protein will help stave off hunger during the later miles. Limit or avoid fat and fiber; the former takes too long to digest, while the latter can cause bloating and GI problems. “I recommend foods like a bagel and peanut butter, oatmeal with milk and dried fruit, or yogurt and toast,” says Wilson. Other good options include a banana and high-carb energy bar, waffle with syrup and strawberries, or even a bowl of rice.

For runners who tend to feel queasy on race morning, sticking with liquid carbs can help prevent GI problems while still providing energy and hydration. Smoothies, juices, and sports drinks all pack quick-digesting carbs that empty easily from your stomach, says Wilson.

GETTING ENOUGH
While your usual bagel and banana might power you through a morning of meetings, it’s not enough to fuel you through a half- or full marathon. Research shows that consuming 1.5 to 1.8 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight is ideal for improving performance, says Berning. For a 150-pound runner, that translates to 225 to 270 grams of carbohydrate–or about 1,000 calories, which may sound like a lot just before a hard effort. The key is to get that meal in early–three to four hours prerace to be exact, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. That gives you enough time to digest so your stomach will be fairly empty and your muscles and liver totally fueled. If you’re not sure you can stomach 1,000 calories at once, you can divide them up into two smaller meals, says Berning. In that case, eat 200 to 400 calories four hours before the start, along with 12 to 20 ounces of water or sports drink (giving you plenty of time to hit the porta potty). Between 90 minutes and two hours before the start, eat most of the remaining carbs–again, choosing easy-to-digest options.

Since many races start at 8 a.m. or earlier, you’ll have to set your alarm for a very early wake-up to hit that four-hour window. If that’s not realistic, you may choose to eat your entire prerace meal just two hours before the start. But because you’ll have less time to digest, eat only one gram of carbohydrate per pound of body weight (or 150 grams, or 600 calories, for a 150-pound runner)–sticking with foods and liquids you know are very easy on your stomach. Since you’re consuming less, you do risk running out of liver glycogen, which will cause your blood sugar to plummet and may mean you hit the wall. So be vigilant about fueling early in the race (consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbs per hour) to keep your energy levels high.

Finally, have your last 25 to 30 grams of carbs 30 to 60 minutes prior to the start. This could be an energy gel or chews (with 12 to 16 ounces of water) or 16 ounces of sports drink. “This provides the last shot of fuel to hold you over until you get into the rhythm of fueling midrace,” says Berning.

Berning also stresses that every runner has different food and fluid tolerances, which means a plan that works for one runner might spell GI disaster for another. That’s why it’s key that you practice your prerace meal strategy during training. “The stomach and gut need to be trained to handle food before a long run,” says Berning. She suggests trying different combinations to find the one that works best for you. And once you find the perfect mix, stick with it. “Eat the exact same meal on race morning that you practiced with in training,” says Wilson, “and you’ll be set.”

PRERACE MEAL PLAN
Can’t stomach one huge morning meal? Divide it up. Here’s how a 150-pound runner would fuel

3 to 4 hours prerace
1 cup cooked oatmeal with 2 tablespoons honey 62 g of carbs
6 ounces yogurt 17 g
1 large banana 31 g
2 tablespoons raisins 16 g
4 ounces juice 14 g
12 to 20 ounces water 0 g
Total Carbs = 140 g

90 minutes to 2 hours prerace
1 slice bread with 1 tablespoon jam 28 g
24 ounces sports drink 47 g
Total Carbs = 75 g

30 to 60 minutes prerace
1 energy gel or serving of energy chews 25 g
8 to 12 ounces water 0 g
Total Carbs = 25 g

Recover Right
How to eat and drink after you cross the finish – right away and beyond

Focus on carbs
Eat half a gram of carbohydrate per pound of weight. For a 150-pound runner, that’s 75 grams, or the equivalent of a bagel and banana.

Eat protein
Consume 15 to 20 grams of protein to kick-start muscle repair. Get it from a high-protein energy bar along with fruit, or a PB&J.

Drink up
Aim for 20 ounces of fluid. Including 200 mg of sodium or more will boost fluid absorption. Try sports drinks and recovery shakes.

But skip the booze
You’re already dehydrated. Wait at least several hours, till you’ve had a chance to rehydrate and refuel, and then toast your finish.

Keep it going
For the next 48 hours, continue to focus on eating plenty of carbohydrates and modest portions of high-quality protein.

79% of runners always have breakfast in the morning before a race, According to a poll on runnersworld.com.

EAT BETTER: If you’re prone to midrun GI trouble, try cutting back on fiber, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners, all of which can exacerbate symptoms.

February 19, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Why Fundraising is Like Running a Marathon

As one of our runners pointed out to me recently, raising funds is just as hard as training for the marathon… and she couldn’t be more right! The comparisons are endless…

Fundraising and Marathon Training both require:

Motivation
- Just like with those long runs, fundraising isn’t a short game: you need to think about your personal goals and the friendships our campers make each summer to help drive you over that finish line.

Repetition
- You get out almost every day to run, be it short, fast or long. Fundraising is the same: you need to ask again, again, and again. By letter, by phone, by email. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Courage
- It takes a lot to commit to a marathon and to get up every day and do what needs to be done. So too, does fundraising. Our culture is trained not to ask about money… and now you have to ask for money. Be as courageous as you are when you set out for that 21-miler!

Planning
- Just like your week-by-week marathon training guide, you should develop (in your own head if not on paper), your own step-by-step guide for fundraising: how and when are you going to reach out to your contacts. And when you do go back to remind them?

Support
- Besides your fundraising coach (me), you’ll need the support of friends, relatives, acquaintances, etc. Start with a spreadsheet of everyone you know! Later, who can you empower to fundraise on your behalf?

Events
- Just like group training runs can provide consistency and camaraderie, so to can fundraising events (from big ones at a bar, to small intimate dinners) can help provide a kick-start to your

Commitment
- You pledged to raise $4,000 (or more!) for Camp Shriver. And you will get there. You will get there because you can run 17 miles. You will get there because you will not stop until you do. You get there because you will be creative, smart and dedicated and will continue to push yourself until…

You can sit back with your fundraising commitment met and know that if you can raise that much money for children with disabilities, then surely you can run 26.2 miles, too.

And you can.

And you will!

Happy fundraising, Team.

February 15, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Coach’s Letter

Hello Everyone,

Greg and I are looking forward to seeing you at Saturday’s training. Greg has mapped out the best possible 17 mile route considering the volume of snow still remaining on the route:

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/173222838

Many of you are concerned that you weren’t able to complete the scheduled 16 mile run last week. I suggest you focus on the upcoming 17 mile run and put your best effort into it. Complete this run will restore your confidence and allow you to get back on track.

Make sure you’ve eaten well, sufficiently hydrated and gotten plenty of rest before our run. Start off slowly and find your rhythm as your body acclimates to the rigors of the run. Take brief and frequent walk breaks (e.g., 1 minute of walking for every 9 minutes of running). This will allow you to maintain proper running form and stave off fatigue.

It’s important to be mindful of traffic on Saturday as we will likely not be able to use many of the sidewalks on the course. Drivers will be less patient with our intrusion on ‘their’ space 🙂

– Coach Rick

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

True greatness is not what we accomplish ourselves, but what greatness we inspire in others!

February 14, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Fundraising Event Ideas

I love those folks over at Team in Training… they are so generous with their ideas! Here is another list to love from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training (TNT):

MISCELLANEOUS FUNDRAISING IDEAS

My favorite:

SELL YOUR BODY AS A BILLBOARD DURING RACE DAY

Often when people make a donation, they want to feel like they are getting something in return – and it doesn’t generally matter what the “get” is. My buddy Joel has for a long time sold his body as a giant billboard during his events. He even sells different parts for different prices. Last year he sold ribbons with your name on them – for example, for $50 you got your name on a ribbon he wore on the front of his jersey; $25 to be on the back of his jersey. Then he had a way of making photographs into temporary tattoos and he offered to put a tattoo of the picture of your choice on his arms and legs (with the front being worth more than the back), and even on his face (for $500 donations). He showed up at the starting line absolutely covered and looking ridiculous – but he became a conversation piece and met a lot of really interesting people on the course. This year, he sold miles, half miles and quarter miles. He was doing multiple events, so he had a lot of miles – and he created one major cue sheet he laminated and wore on his back. When people asked him about what he was doing (he was doing a marathon, century and half Ironman in the same month), and whether he was daunted by the challenge – he simply said no, and pointed over his shoulder (at the cue sheet) and said “why would I be, all these people have my back.”

Barbara’s Note: I just love this idea! I think right now is a perfect opportunity to bring some extra life into your fundraising during these cold winter months!

HOST A TOURNAMENT – GAMING

You can set up a tournament around any game, we will use Texas hold’em poker as our example.

How it works — Invite people over for a “game night” or “poker tournament.” You can call it “Chips for Charity” or something like that. Charge people an entrance fee to the tournament, with a 50:50 split of the collected amount being given to the winner of the tournament and the Society. A 50:50 split is best for small groups, but if you have a larger group you could skew the ratio to give more money to the Society.

You can be really creative with this – ANY game could be turned into a tournament. It just needs to be a game that enough people would want to play. Then you turn it into a party and make it a bit of an event.

THE KEY ELEMENT: Because half of the money is going back to the person who wins the tournament, the cash receipt given back to the person who donates should be half of what the entrance fee is. For example, if you charge a $40 buy-in, $20 is going to the Society, so that is the amount of the donation to the Society. So long as “the house” does not take in any money, it is okay to host these types of gambling parties – just as long as you donate any of your winnings to the Society.

HOST A PARTY

Host a party at your house to raise money for the Society – charge attendees an entrance fee. You could host a Halloween party or a holiday party. If you have access to a pool, you could host a pool party before the end of the summer. You can tie your party into other fundraising ideas – such as holding a silent auction with donated gifts, or holding a 50:50 drawing (sell raffle tickets: the winner gets half the pot and the Society gets the other half).

Parties that are “events” tend to be better, because then people really feel like they are getting their money’s worth. Stores now sell pre-packaged party boxes, sort of a dinner party in a box – murder mystery parties are a good example. You can invite folks to come over and participate in the party, and charge them a donation to the Society. You need to purchase the box, and provide dinner – so make sure you set the admission price up well so that you do not lose money on this. These pre-done boxes tend to be limited to 8-10 people. If you are creative, you can purchase one and adapt it if you would like to host more than that.

Another fun party to host is a movie night/PJ party. You invite people to come over in their PJs and bring their favorite movies. You provide the snacks, they provide a donation to the Society. You can be really creative with this one, with themes, etc.

If you know a chef, recruit him/her to make a fancy dinner and host a dinner party. Charge folks to attend, with all proceeds to go to the Society. Make it a dressy event. Set a minimum donation amount, but encourage folks to give more.

HOST A VIRTUAL TEA PARTY

Buy bags of tea and send to friends with a card or business card attached. Include a note that says something along the lines of “Save the Date: Have tea with me! On Month XX at Xpm we will all have tea together. To join the virtual tea party, please donate…” and include your web address and home address as well.

HOST A SALES PARTY

Host a party at your house, ala a Tupperware party – where the goal is to introduce people to items for sale. You work with a consultant to set up the party, and receive a portion of their proceeds as a donation for the Society. There are many companies who do this. Pampered Chef gives 10-15% of their proceeds to the charity. People have raised hundreds with Pampered Chef. You can also ask the consultant to donate a portion of their profit. You may be able to do the same thing with a catalog party – and effectively host the party virtually – depending on the company and consultant.

Other companies that host similar parties include Mary Kay, Avon, Silpada (a jewelry company), Southern Living, etc.

HOST A HAPPY HOUR

Work with a local bar to arrange a happy hour to raise money for the Society. Speak to the bar manager and explain what the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is, and how Team in Training fits in. Explain what you are doing (running a marathon or half marathon is impressive). Many participants have had success hosting happy hours. Often times the bar will donate a portion of the proceeds to your fundraising, or allow you to charge an entry fee (offering participants a few drinks or an open bar). Discuss the details with the bar, but have ideas about what you want to do going in and estimate how many people you think you will bring into the bar.

HOST A KARAOKE CONTEST

Ask a “known” karaoke spot to allow you to use their facility for a fundraiser on an “off” night. Then invite your friends, and ask them to invite their friends, to a karaoke night where you pay to sing, or to NOT sing, and split the total amount collected between the winner and your fundraising account.

ORGANIZE A DINNER OUT WITH FRIENDS

Gather a big group of friends for dinner one night. Several restaurants offer fundraising options. These basically work with you getting people to their restaurant on a particular night, and in return you get a percentage of the business you bring in. Generally I believe its 15%. Folks don’t have to all eat together, generally its whomever comes into that restaurant that night with a flyer with your name on it — so you could be there to “host” and people could come in and out. Places that have done this in the past include Baja Fresh, Silver Diner, Fuddruckers and Cold Stone Creamery.

SELL CANDY

Buy candy at a wholesale distributor (such as Costco, BJs or Sam’s Club) and sell at work or around your neighborhood. This has worked well for folks by simply placing the candy on their desk (or the desk of a friend or family member). Some employers may not allow you to sell candy at work, so check with your boss before starting this one.

Some wholesalers (Sam’s or BJ’s) actually sell pre-packaged fundraising candy packages. They are boxes that are set up to sell candy bars as a fundraiser; it comes in a little kit. The candy bars have coupons under the labels – so when the people buy your candy, they make a donation to the Society, get a tasty treat, and also get a coupon (for example, from Subway). You could make your own TNT wrapper to wrap around the candy if you don’t want to buy a kit (or can’t find one to buy). Include trail mix as an option for the healthier types. You can generally purchase the candy for 50 cents a piece and sell for $2 – people are willing to spend a little more knowing the money is going to charity.

SELL WATER

Buy water at a wholesale store (Costco, etc.) and sell it in strategic location on hot days (i.e. at a strip mall during the summer, or at stoplights in areas prone to traffic). You can sell a lot of water, very quickly, if you have the right location and weather conditions. It goes really quick in the heat.

SELL ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS

Most people are familiar with Entertainment books – they are basically big books full of coupons. The company will let you sell them as a fundraiser, and you get $5 per book you sell. They have support tools (online, email, etc.) to assist you with your fundraising. There are no upfront costs with this fundraiser. You sell the books at the retail price and give the company that amount less $5, which you then donate to the Society. Visit the Entertainment Book website for more information.

SELL MAGAZINES

This is an easy one – you set up a website with an outside fundraising company and ask people to order or renew their magazine subscriptions through your website. You receive 40% of each magazine subscription you sell. For more information, visit their website: http://www.fasttrackfundraising.com/.

SELL CREST CLEANER CARDS

Crest Cleaners is a local dry cleaning chain. As a public service, the company gives away cards that have coupons for dry cleaning. Crest Cleaner gives these to various fundraising efforts, including Team in Training, and allows people to sell the cards for $20 each. Crest Cleaner will let you stand outside of their shop (or inside if weather is not great outside) and sell directly to customers on their way into the shop. This is a very popular fundraiser with many groups, so if you plan to sell cards outside of a specific Crest Cleaners it will be important that you coordinate with that store. Each store has a calendar and people must sign up for a specific date/time. If you have any questions, ask Stela.

SELL DONUTS AT OFFICE (OR OTHER LOCATIONS)

Often you see people located at Metro stations selling Krispy Crème’s to the busy folks who are in too much of a hurry to pop into the Krispy Crème themselves, but will gladly buy one that comes across their path. This is the same idea, take Krispy Crème’s into the office and sell them to coworkers. You may want to give your office a heads up that you will be selling them (the day before) as opposed to sharing them (don’t want to upset anyone!).

You could also be the one selling them at the metro stop. Another good spot would be outside the gates of a sporting event, as inebriated fans are making their way out, they will pretty much eat anything and most people like Krispy Crème’s. You could probably sell a lot anywhere there are a lot of college students – so pick a strategic location.

SELL TEDDY BEARS FROM PLUSHLAND.COM

You can buy ALL kinds of bears on this site, including some with TNT jerseys. You can buy them for $2.50 per bear, and ask for a donation of $5 per bear. Some folks have had success selling these outside of Giant supermarket. You could have success anywhere kids are likely to be congregated. In past years, folks have sold bears dressed in camouflage outside of the Marine Corps marathon – people bought them for folks finishing the race, to commemorate their event. Be creative. Consider upcoming events you may be attending – would any of them be a good site to sell the bears? This one could work well for people who have children in high school. For example, get teddy bear’s done up in their high school colors and sell at athletic events (like homecoming).

SELL YOURSELF

Offer to do work in exchange for donations to the Society. Since it is for charity, people will often over-pay. The options are limitless, so play to your strengths:

Have a green thumb? Offer to mow lawns or do yardwork for your neighbors.
Have a particular skill? Offer to sell lessons. The skill could be anything, so long as you know someone who wants to learn it!
Are you a great photographer? Offer to take cheaper pictures for friends who are newly engaged or have recently had a baby (or other milestones).
Do you like kids? Sell your babysitting services.
Do you like animals? Sell pet-sitting services.
Are you a good cook or bartender? Offer to cater, cook or bartend for friends who are hosting a party.
Have a knack for manual labor? Sell your skills as a handy man.

SELL YOUR SPOUSE (TEMPORARILY!)

Auction your spouse to be handy man (or woman) for a day. Selling drawing tickets; the winner receives a full day of handy man services provided by your husband or wife. This only works if your husband or wife is actually handy. If your spouse is a fantastic baker or cook, sell those services for the day. Get your family involved any way you can!

SET UP A CASUAL FRIDAY

How it works – You need to discuss this one with your boss first (federal employees won’t be able to do this one). Basically you get permission to “sell” your coworkers the right to dress down on a specific Friday. For example, if you work in an office where folks usually have to wear suits every day, charge people $10 for the right to wear jeans on Friday (or whatever amount would be appropriate for your office setting). You will want to make an event out of it, perhaps offer to bring in bagels or a mid-afternoon snack for those that participate. Often people won’t necessarily care about the option to dress down, but they might want an opportunity to take a break to eat snacks with coworkers. Only people who participate can partake in the dressing down and snacking. You can be creative here as well – do a theme day or a spirit day – whatever you think would fit your office. Provided your boss is supportive, this is an easy fundraiser.

HOLD A YARD SALE

Take the opportunity to clear out your closets and your garage. Sell the things you don’t want/need/use anymore, donate the proceeds to the Society. Hang signs so that it is clear that all proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – often people will overpay if they know it is for charity.

Don’t stop with your junk. Offer to help your friends and family go through their junk and obtain contributions for your yard sale. Or organize your neighbors and do an entire block yard sale – the bigger the sale, the more traffic you will draw. If you get the whole neighborhood involved, you can generally get a permit to block off the road. You can then charge your neighbors to set tables, and ask them to donate a portion of their profit to the Society.

HOLD A BAKE SALE – OR A BAKELESS BAKE SALE

Enlist your friends to make tasty treats for you to sell at a bake sale. You can host the sale at work (if you allowed), at a local farmers marker, or outside a store. Take a donation bucket and information about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Team in Training with you.

For a bakeless bake sale – send an email to your friends saying something like, “I was hoping to enlist your help in baking delicious treats to sell at a bake sale for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. But, I know how precious you time is and thought I’d save you the trouble. Instead, won’t you join me for a bakeless bake sale? Instead of donating your ingredients and time, please consider making a donation to the Society in the amount you would have spent to bake something delicious for a bake sale.”

HOLD A CAR WASH

Grab a couple of friends and wash cars. This works anywhere you can find space and access to a water supply. You could recruit fellow team members to help – just remember not to include too many (to maximize the per person profit for the event).

As a spin off – you could host a “topless” car wash. This is a gimmick to get people to pull into your car wash. Basically, you have to set your carwash up just off a main road, where folks can’t directly see it. Then when they pull up, explain that you are washing the bottom of the cars for free, but you’ll need a donation if they want the top washed as well (…get it….top-less car wash).

CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

Ask friends to clean out their closet and donate their unwanted clothing to you. Then take the close to a consignment shop to sell.

CHARGE PEOPLE TO HAUL AWAY OLD JUNK

If you have a truck, you can offer to haul things away for people (taking to the dump).

An easy runner-focused spin off is to offer to take people’s old shoes for them, donating them to a charity. Charge them for taking the shoes, and then donate them to a group that sends them to other countries (i.e. Africa). Recently such donations have become popular, but people don’t often have the time or know where exactly to take them.

GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS BETTER WITH A LETTER CAMPAIGN

Develop a COLORFUL flyer to distribute to your neighbors, explaining why they are seeing you run out in the neighborhood so often. Include a picture of yourself in your running clothes, to help them identify you. Put your name, address and phone number on the flyer, and offer to come pick any donations up.

An easy way to start the flyer would be “You’ve probably seen me running in the neighborhood, and here’s why…” Explain what TNT is and how we raise lifesaving funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Include the Society’s Tax ID number and make sure they know all donations are tax-deductible.

KEY ELEMENT: Do not put the flyer in their mailbox, it is illegal. Instead put it in their door, or in the holder for the newspaper (if they have one).

CUSSING CAN

If you live or work with potty-mouths, decorate a can and designate it the cussing can. Charge per word and you can make some money. This works best for those who don’t have much of a potty mouth (or you’ll donate a lot of your own money!). You won’t make a ton of money this way, but it won’t cost you anything and every little bit really helps.

A spin off would be to keep a can out that simply states “turn your change into a cure for cancer” or something similar. When people ask about it, you can explain that you are fundraising for the Society.

JAR IN A BAR

Decorate a jar/jug/pail/whatever and ask your favorite bar or restaurant if you can leave it on the counter. A lot of bars will let you put a jug in and leave for a while, and then come back periodically to pick up the money. This is a popular fundraiser for a variety of charities – so the key is to get out there early. Don’t wait too long, or someone else might get to your favorite bar/restaurant first.

WORKER APPRECIATION GRAMS

Again, make up small inexpensive candy bags with little notes that say “Great Job” or “Thanks for all you do” with a “From” and “To” line for folks to fill in. Then sell them at work for folks to give to their co-workers and/or employees. Charge $1 or $2 (due the math – make sure you’ll earn a profit!). You can buy cheap candy in bulk at Costco and make a good profit. This may sound corny, but TC Tricia’s office does this several times a year to raise funds to pay for their picnic and holiday party and they make a killing!

TREADMILL RUNNING FOR A CAUSE

Talk with the manager at your local Costco, BJs, Sam’s Club, etc. and ask about setting up a treadmill (you may have to provide your own treadmill) outside that you can run/walk on while asking for donations. People will be curious about what you’re doing. It’s a great opportunity for you to share our mission and raise funds. Participants have been successful raising funds this way, though it may be difficult if you don’t have a treadmill. This may work with a fitness store or gym, which has treadmills on hand (if they are agreeable to moving one outside). If you try this one, you may want to partner up with some folks to share in the running!

FITNESS MARATHON

If you have friends who instruct group exercise classes or manage a local gym, ask them to work with you to do a fundraiser. Ask for a donation in exchange for special classes at the gym. Team Captain Kimberlee did this in the past as a “fitness marathon” where for $25 participants for 4 classes (yoga, abs of steel, kickboxing, and spinning). This has also been done in the past with yoga facilities. If you have a friend who is an instructor, work with them to set up an extra class and charge a donation to the Society.

COAT CHECK

In the winter, during the holiday shopping crunch, many malls will set up tables and racks for a coat check station. This is very similar to the gift wrapping scenario – you work the booth and accept donations on behalf of the Society. You are generally able to charge a dollar or two, in addition to accepting donations. You will need multiple people working with you, as coat check stations get very busy.

BE A GROCERY STORE BAGGER

Work with the grocery store management to arrange a day to come in and bag the groceries. Wear your TNT gear and ask for donations to the Society. This would be a good fundraiser to do with several of your teammates – get one person at every checkout. You need to arrange it in advance with the store. A good time to do it would be on a holiday, when baggers generally don’t want to work, stores don’t want to pay time and a half, and people (customers) are feeling more generous. Thanksgiving would be a good day.

BE A GAS STATION ATTENDANT

Offer to wash windows and pump gas for donations.

DEFER PRESENTS

Ask people to donate to your fundraising effort instead of giving you Christmas/Hanakkah presents (and/or birthday presents, if your birthday occurs in the same period as when you are fundraising).

DINNER FOR A WEEK

Visit local restaurants and get seven of them to donate dinner for two. Then hold a drawing for “dinner for a week.” Sell tickets for the drawing, with the winner receiving all of the restaurant gift certificates.

SET UP A DONATION TABLE IN A PUBLIC PLACE

Set up a donation table in front of a grocery store. Stores generally permit this, and often have a calendar they keep – so you will need to reserve a time and date with the store. You basically sit outside of the store with a donation jar. In the past, people with children, dogs, and snacks have been successful with this strategy (presumably because those folks are more approachable). You can also sell brownies or other snacks in exchange for a donation. People will want receipts to claim their tax deductions, so be sure and bring receipts with you. As a participant you are able to directly write a receipt for any donations $50 or less. For more than that, you will need to take their information down and give it to Stela so the Society can follow up with a letter confirming receipt of the donation.

PAMPER YOUR PET DAY

Work with a local pet store or dog washing place to set up a “pamper your pet day.” You draw business to them, and in return as them to donate their profits to you/the Society.

COW PIE DRAWING

This might work best in rural areas, where folks have access to cows, but could also be modified for an urban setting using dogs.

Basically, you sell squares in a field. Then a cow or other animal is introduced into the field. Wherever they “go” – the person that owns that square wins. This fundraiser could be done alone or in combination with another idea (i.e. party at your house). Off the wall stuff (stuff that makes people laugh) does work.

SHAVE YOUR PRINCIPAL/FAVORITE TEACHER/SUPERVISOR/BOSS

The first step here is to find someone that people would like to see shaved – like a principal, boss, or other authority figure – and get their permission/participation. If they are agreeable, you set an amount and ask people to donate. Once you get to that amount you have a ceremony to shave that person. You could hold a drawing among the highest donors and sell them the opportunity to do the actual shaving.

RECORD THE TRAINING SEASON AND PRESELL CDs

Take pictures at training every week, and at the end of the season put all on CD. Presell the CDs to your fellow teammates, and provide them with a copy of the CD at the end of the season.

ORGANIZE A CONCERT

If you have musical friends, work with them to set up a concert to benefit charity. It may help your friends get a gig, as the host bar/restaurant is guaranteed more customers and a tax-benefit. Ask your friend about doing a concert, and help them get the word out to make their concert a success. They win because more people are exposed to their music. Depending on the location, you can work with them to either establish a charge at the door, or negotiate with the establishment to donate a portion of the evenings profits to the Society.

LOOK FOR THE KINDNESS IN STRANGERS

Put out a press release in local (small) papers saying what you are doing, including your website address. If your high school or college alumni receive a newsletter, send the same release to them and ask that it be included. You’ll never know who you will reach and you’ll be surprised by the kindness of strangers. You are most likely to make it into the paper if you are promoting a specific fundraising event – the more unusual the better.

February 13, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Treadmill Tips

Some weather we have been having this month…

For those of you stuck indoors, here are some treadmill training workouts to break up the boredom:

Treadmill Training

Five great run-on-the-mill workouts to make the best use of a treadmill’s programmable features.

By Sarah Lorge Butler; Image by Chris Crisman; Published

January 15, 2010, Runne’s World

The treadmill can be more than a stopgap on days when the weather doesn’t cooperate or the baby is napping upstairs. Done right, treadmill training will help you maintain and improve your fitness throughout the winter so you’re ready to race—or just outpace your running buddies—come spring.

Even the hardy runners of Team USA Minnesota, a group of elites accustomed to subzero chills, make time for treadmill running. In fact, Dennis Barker, the team’s coach, once lined up some of his marathoners for a three hour run indoors. “If you have a winter or spring marathon like Houston or Disney World, the treadmill gives you some heat training without having to go down to Florida,” Barker says. “Besides, you can’t leave your fluid bottles outside for long runs in Minnesota. They’ll freeze.”

That certainly won’t happen indoors, where you also can monitor the thermostat, tackle made-to-order hills, and enjoy cushioning that protects your joints. Most important, you force yourself to stick to a pace. “You’ve got to keep up, or you’re flying off the back of the machine,” says Rick Morris, author of Treadmill Training for Runners.

It may take a little experimenting to build a routine you enjoy. That’s fine—just don’t get locked in. “Be playful with your workouts,” says Gregory Florez, a treadmill expert and CEO of Fit Advisor. com. “One day do a steady run, the next do intervals. Never get locked into the same routine, otherwise your body is going to adapt pretty quickly and you won’t get as much out of it.” With that kind of improvisation in mind, here are five workouts that make the best use of a treadmill’s programmable features.

RACE SIMULATIONS
Do it to train for the course
Some treadmills offer simulations of famous races, like the Boston Marathon and Bolder Boulder, to let you mirror the topography indoors and practice the hills in a condensed run.

The Workout: If your treadmill doesn’t have your race as a preset course, you can use a race’s elevation map to time your ups and downs on the treadmill to mimic the course. For instance, say you know there’s a killer hill two-thirds of the way into a 10-K you’ve entered. Hit that “up” incline button at the same point in your treadmill run, and get used to the feeling.

Inside Scoop: Don’t let yourself be surprised on race day. When you get to that hill, you can think that you’ve done it before—and it felt much worse when you were in your basement.

RANDOM INTERVALS
Do it to mix it up
Unpredictable incline and speed changes provide a more complete workout than a steady pace on a flat surface, because they force you to work different muscles.

The Workout: Just a little variation in your run helps the time go by much faster. Try a 10-minute warmup, 20 minutes of random intervals, and a 10-minute cooldown.

Inside Scoop: If you don’t have much time for a run, you’ll get an extra burst of intensity in a short duration. Plus, a mystery workout is a healthy change for obsessive runners who like to plot out and then log every split.

SPEED INTERVALS
Do it to get faster
When doing intervals at the track, almost everyone slows down the last few repeats, because they’re fatigued. Morris says, “On the treadmill, you can only slow down when the belt does.”

The Workout: Try 3 x 3 minutes at about 10 seconds faster per mile than 5-K pace. (It takes the treadmill a few seconds to reach your interval speed, so start timing the three minutes after you’ve reached that pace.) Give yourself two minutes of easy jogging in between. Add another set every two weeks.

Inside Scoop: This workout is a killer. But the results will show at your next race.

SITCOM TEMPO RUN
Do it to lock in your pace
Tempo runs are hard to get right. Inexperienced runners tend to go too fast or too slow. Once you’ve entered your target pace, the treadmill makes sure you stay at the right speed.

The Workout: Start with a 10-minute warmup, and move up to your tempo pace when a Seinfeld rerun begins. Jog during the commercials, and resume the faster pace when the show comes back on. Cool down for five minutes.

Inside Scoop: The tube can be a welcome distraction from the tedium of a long, fast effort. As you improve,
try maintaining your tempo pace through the commercials.

HILL REPEATS
Do it to design your own terrain
You can control the grade of the hill, and you don’t have the stress on your quads of running down it. Instead, you can flatten the belt for a few minutes of recovery, then go right back at it.

The Workout: Try one-minute runs up a 4% incline with two minutes of slow, flat jogging in between. Build up to 10 repeats at a 6% incline.

Inside Scoop: This workout gives your cardiovascular system a challenge but is easier on your legs because your overall speed isn’t fast. “I’ve found over the years that I can stay injury-free while running slower up a steep hill,” says Olympic marathoner Magdalena Lewy Boulet. “It’s the same intensity as on a track, but on a track your legs have to move much faster.”

February 1, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach

Hello Everyone,

We have certainly had a wide range of weather this past week. Being prepared for the unexpected is an integral part of training for a marathon. Being flexible and having a positive attitude when things don’t go as planned are as important as your actual training. I’ve witnessed extremely fit runners unravel when the weather abruptly changed.

We are running 15 miles on Saturday (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/169706478). The Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts will be providing support at our water stops and Alana Bresnahan, who is heavily involved with Girl Scouts and is running Boston for GSEM, will provide a dedication before our run.

I consider this to be the most challenging phase of training because the marathon seems so far away and it’s easy to lose your focus on be lulled into complacency. Trust me, the marathon will be here sooner than you realize. Now is the time to assess what changes may need to occur with your training. Please let Coach Greg or me know how we can help make any necessary adjustments.

The next several months are the most exciting and most enjoyable time of this journey. I’m looking forward to sharing it with you.

Your Coach,

Rick

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

January 31, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Practing Your Marathon

Caveat: As Coach Rick writes, I am not a running coach! Please take this, and all, advice with a grain of salt. Just listen to Rick and he’ll get you across that line.

Now is the time in your training to start thinking about the potential marathon issues and practicing how you are going to respond.

Below is adapted from a Running Times article “Common Limiting Factors in the Marathon” – their list and quotes with my notes.

ISSUE #1: DEHYDRATION, FLUID BALANCE AND THE ROLE OF THIRST

“Learn to tune in to your thirst sensations, and to drink comfortably at race pace, and then don’t psych yourself out.”

Make sure you stay properly hydrated on training and your marathon – figure out what works best for you. I like to carry water and Gatorade and drink about 4 ounces every 2 miles… what works for you?

ISSUE #2: THE MUSCLE CRAMP

“The take-home message here is first to ensure you put in the training. But equally as important is matching your performance expectations with your current ability.”

Hydration helps… but mostly we get cramps when we push ourselves outside of what our training has prepared us for. What is your goal marathon pace? Are you practicing that pace? If you are not practicing your pace, then choose a goal pace you are practicing for!

ISSUE #3: THE LOSS OF GOOD FORM

“More important than the exercises themselves is putting them together in a meaningful way, and for that I suggest you fork out and get some expert advice.”

The best thing about this? We have Coach Rick! Coach consistently offers excellent advice on form: short strides, light feet, soft running. Keep listening!

ISSUE #4: THE BONK

“Once the gun goes off you then need to ingest anywhere between 30–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour to prevent your liver glycogen levels from getting too low.”

Proper nutrition before and during the race will keep you energized and fighting through all 26.2 miles! Practice with your gels/fig newtons/gummie bears etc, now!

The Big Picture

“Good, solid preparation and training is always the best remedy, but recall that’s only the first half of the problem. You must execute an appropriate pacing strategy to run your best on the day.”

And really, an appropriate strategy over all! You should practice what you are going to wear, eat and how fast you are going to run so when you start your 26.2, you know what to expect!

Practice makes perfect!

Happy running!

January 30, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Disaster Fundraising and You

It’s always difficult to ask for money. When we know that our friends and family have already given to disaster fundraising, it can make it even harder.

Here’s the trick: people give to hurricane relief or to help those in Newtown, CT, because these immediate disasters motivate them to open their wallets and give.

That doesn’t mean they won’t give to you, too!

Giving in the face of a disaster is a one-time, immediate response. It’s that knee-jerk reaction of wanting to help.

People give to a disaster… but they give something “extra.” Even donors recognize that just because they gave in an emergency, that doesn’t mean they are off the hook for the rest of the year!

They will still want to contribute – – and especially contribute to you!

As we enter these last few months of fundraising, keep this idea in mind: People want to give, but you have to ask them.

And of course: People are well-meaning, but forgetful…so you have to ask them again, and again.

Another idea to keep in mind: When they click on to your razoo page, read your story and make their donation, they will like a million bucks that they were able to help.

And you gave them that opportunity.

Happy fundraising team!

January 25, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Letter from Coach – Winter Weather Gear

Hello Everyone,

The current arctic temperatures certainly add a level of challenge to our current training. Extreme wind chill can be very dangerous, particularly near the end of your run when your resources are depleted.

Be sure that you dress properly for these extreme conditions. Having a base layer of wicking material is extremely important. A second layer of running tights and a top that provides coverage for your neck and a zipper to regulate your core body temperature is recommended. On extremely windy days, wear a wind resistant outer layer to stave off the wind chill. Placing duct tape on the uppers of your shoes will protect your feet and keep them warm. The majority of your heat will escape through your hands and head, wearing a fleece hat and gloves will retain body heat and keep you warm throughout your run.

Dressing for temperatures that are 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature will prevent you for wearing too much clothing and overheating during your run.

Many runners overlook proper hydration and sun protection during winter months.

Dressing properly and having a positive attitude about braving these extreme conditions will ensure you have a great run.

Coach Rick

Rick Muhr

Boston Marathon Running Coach

www.themarathonsolution.com

January 24, 2013
by Chasing Unicorns
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Training Tip – Everyone is NOT a Running Coach

For this week’s training segment, I’d thought I’d better pass along Coach Rock’s advice from his blog – link below.

Namely, when you tell people you are running a marathon, everyone starts offering advice. Including me! Once a week, I go ahead and compile some idea from various sources and post them here for your perusal.

Now, I’m going to keep on doing this, but Rick has a great point. You have a coach – you should be using him and listening to that one voice to help you through training. Anything else you come across, whether it is from me or the pages of a running magazine, remember to treat lightly.

There is such a thing as too much good advice!

Are you following Rick’s blog? If not, you should be!

Straight from Coach Rick at Marathon Solutions: (bostonmarathoncoach.wordpress.com)

Everyone Is A Running Coach!

Are you surprised by how many people offer you advice once they learn that you’re running the Boston Marathon? People that haven’t even run the marathon seem to have words of wisdom for you. They can range from diet, shoes, avoiding injuries, managing the course and the list continues.

It can be so confusing and overwhelming because, aside from the volume of opinions, it’s difficult to determine what information you should follow. My suggestion is to simply follow the advice that I offer you. While these people are well-intentioned, I recommend that you rely on the information that I share at training, in our weekly communication and on my daily blog.

I’ve always marveled at the pattern of communication I have with runners. There’s always a core group that regularly communicate with me but there’s also an equal number that either don’t attend training or ever communicate with me.

If you were taking a college course and knew the professor was providing regular answers to the final exam on their blog, would you take the time to obtain that information? The primary purpose of my blog is to educate you about running in general and the Boston Marathon in particular. Inevitably I eventually hear from the runners in the final weeks that I’ve had little or no communication with and it’s never as comforting for them as I would like. Their questions tend to mirror the questions that I’m commonly asked in the first month of training, not the final weeks. This can cause a state of panic at a time where they should feel more comfortable and confident.

As the marathon approaches the volume of opinions tend to exponentially increase. You will be well-served if you focus on the training techniques that I have offered you throughout training. If you’re uncertain about any aspect of your training please notify me and I’ll provide further clarification. I’m always comforted when I hear stories like this from a former runner:

“Rick, I couldn’t wait to share this story with you! One of my colleagues, who has run more than 10 Boston marathons, learned that I was running Boston and began offering a battery of recommendations and asking an equal number of questions. He seemed particularly shocked that I had answers for every question and was also familiar with every recommendation he offered since Boston is going to be my first marathon. I just want to thank you for all the support, encouragement and inspiration that you’ve provided all of us the past several months. I’m convinced that I am in good hands and right on track with my Boston preparation.”

As a coach, there’s no better endorsement than that. Keep all the advice that you’re being offered in perspective and let me know if there’s anything that I can do to support you!