New LA Marathon Race Course

Join Team World Vision in running in the NEW LA Marathon! March 21st 2010.

Video by the LA Marathon.

Join Ryan Hall on Team World Vision!

Your footprint = $1 for Africa

http://www.chicagomarathon.com/footprint

Create a digital footprint, choose Team World Vision as your charity, and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will donate $1 (and up to $50,000!) to our cause.

The charity with the most footprints will also receive an additional $10,000. We think we can do it!

So get your friends in on it. You don't have to be running the Chicago Marathon or be a runner at all!

GET STARTED: www.chicagomarathon.com/footprint

Hey LA...Get excited!

Team World Vision has great news! This is LA's year. We're going BIG! There is a new race in town, and guess who is the benefiting charity. That's right. World Vision.

On January 10, 2010, at the 13.1 Los Angeles benefiting World Vision over 500 runners will sport the Team World Vision orange to let people know why they run...because they care.

If you're in the LA area, you won't want to miss it. Andrea, Team World Vision's rockstar on the West Coast, is hosting info sessions over the next two weeks to tell you what you need to know.

Find one near you, RSVP HERE, and then invite a friend!

Julie runs because...

I felt God’s whisper in my ear to do it. I’ve been living an emotionally, physically and spiritually vacant life and God knew I needed to find myself again.

I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 7 years who also happens to struggle with depression. I love my kids, but I feel lost. I have been working so hard at seeking answers to my emotional “lost-ness” that I am burned out. I’ve joined bible studies, sought spiritual advice, prayed on my knees, joined more bible studies, and prayed on my knees some more. Somewhere along the line of being married and having two amazing kids, I became a self-loathing miserable person who can’t remember the last time she experienced true full-blown laugh out loud joy. Yes, I’ve done the fake joy. Anyone can do that. But you know what I mean; the joy that feels just as good on the inside as it appears on the outside. I miss that. I have felt kind of sort of “dead” for a while.

World Vision came into my life and managed to shake things up. Or God did. The day World Vision made their presentation to Willow McHenry about the marathon I felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks. There was absolutely no question in my mind that I was supposed to do this. I told my husband “I’m signing up”. He said “are you sure you don’t want to go home and think about it?” I said “NO! I won’t do it then”! Well, I did sign up and I just ran 12 miles on June 27th. I will be running 14 more this coming July 11th.

I have never been a runner. I still don’t consider myself one. I just know I’m supposed to do this marathon. It was more than the goose bumps I felt when the World Vision video came on. It was a true opening of all the doors and windows to my heart, mind and soul and God whispering to me “do it”. So I did.

The day I ran 7 miles for the first time I came home and my 7-year old daughter had made a card in the shape of a heart that says “I’m proud of you, Mommy”. I asked her why she’s proud of me and she said “because you ran 7 miles”. That card is with me every step I take. Every time I come home from a run she asks me how many miles I ran. You ask me why I run? I run to show my kids I’m more than just a “mom”. With every mile I conquer I show myself I can do it and, therefore, so can they.

It’s not easy. I am not a morning person. Recently finding out that our 7AM runs will soon begin at 6AM does not thrill me in the least. I am a night owl. I don’t like to go to bed early so I can get up at 5AM to go run. There are days I want to quit, but I know I’m in the midst of a spiritual transformation and quitting would let myself down on so many levels. I want to make God proud. I want to make my family proud. I want to make me proud. I know I am doing this to raise money, but this experience is far bigger than that. It’s meeting people who won’t keep running without you, should you need to stop. It’s getting emails from your team members cheering you on and praying for you when you need it. It’s being part of a mutually supportive endeavor that some of us have done before and some of us have no idea what we’re getting ourselves into, but we’re all there at 7AM every Saturday morning and greeted with encouraging smiles.

I want to show myself and my kids that anything, at any age, is possible. It’s never too late to go for it. My kids have always inspired me. Now, it’s my turn to inspire them.

Julie Mleczko

I run because...

I started running because I needed a challenge. You know that ancy feeling when things have been the same for a while? I had that. I was pretty much as far from a runner as you could get, so I decided to join Team World Vision and give it a go. It was hard. But I ran a half marathon, raised almost $1500 for Africa, and signed up for the marathon.

I kept running because I liked the benefits, and not just the physical ones. Things like discipline, confidence, deeper relationships with running buddies, prayer time on the path: they all started to come a bit more easily.

Now I run because I can't not. It's become part of who I am. And it's basically synonymous with helping children in Africa. So how could I stop now?

What about you? Why do you run?

My thoughts while working out one day...

What does it mean to push yourself physically?  Why do people choose to push themselves? Its hard!  It makes you sweat, stink, and it often times hurts! Why do we choose to push ourselves to the point of pain and even making ourselves sick? Why? 

There is something about setting goals and achieving them that is inspiring and healthy, but why be disciplined? Why go beyond your own wants and desires, personally, physically, and spiritually? 

Why not challenge yourself for something else besides your own personal goals?  Why not go beyond ourselves to fight injustice?  Why not seek out justice for the poor, orphaned, and widowed?  

Setting goals, to work ourselves/our bodies to have discipline, its more than for you or me, its for them! Its to inspire, to love, to serve!  We care and so we risk challenging our bodies and minds for them!

Wicked Fast Runnahs

It's kind of impossible to be around Boston Marathoners for 4 days and not be inspired. I could feel the energy this weekend. And I'm pretty sure it wasn't the surplus of Gu and Powerbars. It's just something at the core of marathoners. They're disciplined, motivated, passionate, healthy. All such worthy goals to pursue and all such great reasons to train.

And then to be standing out there at the finish line today...
To share in the pride of Brian Sell's parents' neighbors who came out for the race...
To exclaim to a stranger that your friend just crossed the 10k mark...
To see a Team World Vision jersey on the jumbotron...
To cheer on Ryan Hall to the end...

Discipline, motivation, and passion are certainly involved. But I think it's the community of running, and cheering, that I like best of all.

Thanks for inspiring me.

Runners of the LA Marathon

May 25th 2009 marks our first year at the LA Marathon.

I want to give a shout out to the Team World Vision runners that are in the peak of their training. I have had the privilege of getting to know some of you, our team is very diverse, we have everyone from teen to later adult from doctors to students.

You are all running for children and communities that will be empowered because of what you are doing to raise money and awareness. I am very privileged to be apart of the team with you all.

We'll be at mile 12 cheering you all on race day!!!

Thanks for all your hard work and dedication to fighting injustice!

Andrea

Group trainings, Ryan Hall and..the Easter Bunny?

Hey team!

I want to give a shout out to our East Coast teams who held their first team trainings this past Saturday! Our very own World Vision HQ training for the Seattle Rock n Roll half (woot-woot!), Shelter Rock Church in Long Island training for Chicago and New York Marathons (you guys ROCK!) and a few of us getting an early start here in the Big Apple! (yea Central Park!)

Want to train but aren't aware of a group in your area? Check out our group training listings on www.teamworldvision.org don't see one in your area? Hollar at us to get one started! teamworldvision@worldvision.org

My husband and I had an amazing time cycling in the Park yesterday. My first time with my new clipless pedals - and I didn't fall. Love it. Have I told you what we are training for? the NYC Tri and the Nation's Tri in DC. Nation's Tri registration is still open. (but is 95% full!) Join us! It's SUCH a blast.

Also, just for fun:
Check out this video of Ryan Hall on the Boston Marathon, Team World Vision..with a random visit by the Easter Bunny?

10 Things I Learned...

Seattle area Team World Vision member, Pepper Hust, sent us his reflections on training for the Chicago Marathon. Take a look:

10. You have to start somewhere, and getting started is the hardest part. Making changes is tough. I was not a runner by any stretch of the imagination, and I really was not looking forward to this quest. But I wanted to challenge myself and make some lifestyle changes, so I started. I got up every morning and did what my schedule told me. 5 months later, I completed a marathon.

9. You can't start at the end. You don't just get up one morning and run 26.2 miles. Constant focus on the end goal will either defeat you or make you impatient. You do what you have to do for that day.

8. Break things down into manageable goals. In my training, I broke my runs down into how many water and nutrition breaks I would take. During the marathon, I ran from water station to water station. I always had a goal I knew I could reach. As I achieved each goal, I got closer to the finish line, and before I knew it, I was there. I would never let myself think about how far I still had yet to go.

7. Toenails are for sissies. While running in the marathon, I kept seeing signs on shirts and on the side of the course displaying this truth. It wasn't until got to the end of the race that I realized I had a blood blister under my toenail, and I too am going to lose a nail. The point is, losing a nail is a sacrifice runners expect to make. What sacrifices are you willing to make?

6. There is no room for negativity. During the course of my training, I kept running into a "two mile" wall. When I went on my longer runs, I seemed to crash two miles before the end. After much analysis, it turned out that at the two mile mark, I would "see" the finish line, recognize how tired I was, and I would shut down. One negative thought would cause my leg to cramp up. We have that much control over ourselves.

5. What you put into yourself is what you get out. Note: When you eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food the night before a 16 mile run, don't expect much. The next morning, ten miles into a hilly course, I was done. Out of gas. I walked four miles home in the heat, and eventually had to be picked up. This lesson also applies to other facets of life as well. What you are putting into your body, mind and spirit is what you get out.

4. You HAVE to rest. One of the beauties of running on a schedule is the day where all it says is "REST". You look forward to that day, because after a 40-mile week, you need a break. So I took rest days seriously. You should too.

3. You can't let one setback defeat you. On one particular week, I had just completed a 16-mile run, done a full week of training pain-free, and was setting out for a nice 12-mile run. 5 miles into it, my leg locked up and I found myself sitting on the side of path, bewildered. I tried to work through it, but the cramp wouldn't let up. I had to walk the 5 miles home, and was utterly defeated. I began to lose hope that a marathon was attainable. But come Tuesday, I got up, ran my miles for the day, and just kept following the schedule as if I had never had the setback. Although my longest run for the period was 16 miles, I refused to let that convince me that I could not do 26.2.

2. If you are struggling to find time with God, go for a run. When I first started, I hated being alone with my thoughts. I would crank up my MP3 player, anything to distract myself. By the end, I would leave my MP3 player at home, and as I settled into my run I would say, "So, God, what do you want to talk about today? We have a couple of hours."

1. Don't scrunch your toes. Throughout most of my training period, I would hit the three-mile mark and experience tightness in my left leg. It was like clockwork, Some days I would run through it, most, I ran with it. On the last morning of training before the race, I was doing my running inventory, "How's my breathing? How are my legs? Am I relaxed?" When I got down to my feet, I realized my right foot was really relaxed and my left foot was tight. Upon further examination, it dawned on me that for five months, I had been running with my toes curled, which also explained why I had blisters on the tips of my toes! All this time, I had been running with a limp. Some of you reading this right now may be running through life with a limp, and it's hampering you from enjoying the full experience. But we've all grown so accustomed to the pain, we think it is normal. Trust me, it's not. If there is something that is causing you to limp, start working on correcting it. It may take awhile. It took me five months, but in the end, I completed a marathon with no leg pain, and I'm gearing up to do another race.

Snow in March? I want to ride outside!

It is March 2nd and pre-training for the NYC Tri begins. Why pre-training? Because if I do not have a schedule written out - I don't work out! Actual training begins end of month, I have to get back in gear. Let's just say it wasn't an active winter.

Every week I look at our 10 day forcast, I am not one of those people who can cycle outdoors in 20 degree weather!

So today, I took a spin class. The instructor whispered "do it, do it nasty to the bike" and "find that inner flame, the inner being, different inside each of you and fan that flame"...no thanks.

Central Park is calling my name! Maybe I will try a ride outside this week.

The NYC Tri is closed, sold out in 18 minutes. But you can still sign up to join us in the Nation's Tri in DC in September! Maybe I will see you there :)

Miami Marathon with the Team

I am pretty sure I have the best job there is. Not only am I charged to equip people to unite with like-minded runners to run a Marathon (or half) while raising money and advocating for children in need BUT I get to go to Miami every January to celebrate some of our awesome runners!

On a more serious note, I have been with World Vision for several years and am thrilled to now be on staff with Team World Vision (a program within World Vision). My journey here began in 2005 when I participated in my first 90 mile bike race for a charity through my job at Kenneth Cole Productions. After this awesome challenge I was hooked! I got fit and I did so for a reason. From then on I searched for other races and other charities, charities which met my personal passions.

Several years later I found World Vision, I got a job in youth engagement (go 30 Hour Famine!) and was thrilled to learn about Team World Vision.

My husband and I have completed a Century Ride for Team World Vision and are looking forward to my second and his first Triathlon this July in New York City. He also ran Chicago with Team World Vision...we will run a marathon together sometime...

Back to Miami. My job is to partner with churches, corporations and individuals throughout the east coast who are interested in running for Team World Vision. My first job was to make the 2009 ING Miami Marathon happen. With thanks to our local World Vision staff, some incredible volunteers (Hollar Veer!)Moody Radio and support from the Mayor's office and the ING Miami Marathon staff we had an AWESOME first year!

(some of the team this year with Mayor Manny Diaz)

Here are some fun pictures of our team mates. Team Schroeder - a mother and daughter both ran the ING Miami half Marathon for Team World Vision!

Also Gene ran his first half Marathon in Miami and I am pretty sure he is considering running a full with his wonderful wife Nancy this October in Chicago! Gene?

And then, there is Miami...palm trees at the start line, a beautiful beach. The temperature was incredible, 75 in January. Did I say I am excited to be in Miami every January?

Because I am. To all of our team members and volunteers across the country who ran Miami - or helped serve our runners thanks so much for making my first event a great one!

Ready to head to Miami next January!? Register now and I will see you there!

(you can sign up now! use code TWV2010 to join our team while registering)

Go team!

Kirsten

welcome to the blog!

hey all! kyle here. welcome to the blog.

If you didn't know Team World Vision is growing crazy fast.  In 2006, TWV launched with about 100 people at the Chicago Marathon. Fast forward to 2008 and TWV has grown to be one of the largest charities at the Chicago Marathon. Runners raised over $1,000,000 for projects in Africa, and people who never thought they could run a mile finished 26.2.

What's new in 2009? Here's the stuff I'm excited about.

• New Cities, New Races.  We're going to have teams at events in Chicago, New York, Miami, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Austin, Nashville, Seattle, Ventura CA, Grand Rapids MI, and St. Joe MI.

• Shirts via the Online Store. We quickly realized that individually packing and sending out shirts to more than 1,000 people was a time consuming and tedious system. So we set up an online store. Now, it costs nothing to sign up for the team (so you don't have to pay for a new jersey every time you want to join us for another race or make a new fundraising page.) We think this will work better. Check it out at: www.teamworldvisionstore.epromo.com

• More Church Teams. We love partnering with churches! Hear what some pastors have to say about us here (http://www.vimeo.com/2475144) If you want your church to get involved we'd love to equip you! E-mail Lauren  and she'll connect you with more information.

• A new addition to our staff! As the new East-Coast Coordinator, Kirsten will be helping grown TWV in the eastern region. She's an experienced triathlete who has been with World Vision in New York for two years.  We're looking forward to everything she'll bring to the team. 

• Ryan runs Boston! Ryan and Sara Hall are great friends to us and Team World Vision. Ryan's running Boston on April 20, 2009. We're cheering for you!

And here's what we're hoping for...

• Connecting our runners to each other. What's the best way for our runners to connect? For you guys who want to train together, share tips, stories and pictures, we're searching for a way to set up message boards or a social networking site to help facilitate this. Have ideas? E-mail me!

• More running clubs. Runners who train together for an event have a better experience. We're looking for more people like Chris Miller who can lead training groups and represent TWV to their local areas. Let us know if that sounds like something you'd like to be part of!

• Better communication with the team. When you're part of TWV, you're part of something incredible. We want to keep you in the loop better about new events and ways to get involved. We're working out some changes to our communication plan, and working to make the website more user friendly :)

keeping checking back! Michael, Lauren, Kirsten, and a few others will be keeping you updated with new TWV stuff. We welcome your ideas... please let us know how we can make TWV even better!