About my goal:
Four years ago, as a member of New York Road Runners, I received an email about their annual Holiday Shoe Drive requesting donations of running shoes for children in need at our city schools that participate in their school’s Mighty Milers or Young Runners programs. These students spend their recess or lunch time logging miles throughout the school year. I immediately signed up to donate four pairs of running shoes and the next day received an email giving me the name, age and shoe size for those 4 children. Since then I've enjoyed participating in this shoe drive each year, as there is something uniquely tangible about helping a child in need not only with a gift, but with the motivation to stay active and healthy.

In June, I’ll be attempting the Western States Endurance Run, a 100 mile long ultramarathon. How I'm going to do this - I'm not totally sure. Running and competing is a challenge that I enjoy and has certainly changed my life for the better. For those of you who know me well, you know that I run (a lot), and have completed long runs in the past, but this will be the first time in a long time, that I will toe the start line scared.  I’d like to share this experience with the Mighty Milers and Young Runners and have set of goal of donating a pair of running shoes for every mile I complete. That’s right, 100 pairs of running shoes.

I hope you’ll feel compelled to help me achieve this goal. Any and all donations are greatly appreciated ($80 is the amount that will cover a pair of running shoes).

More about NYRR's Mighy Milers & Young Runners:
More than 75% of the children served by NYRR’s youth programs qualify for free or reduced price lunch, a common indicator of economic need. This means a typical family of 4 is earning $41k/year – or, in many cases, much less. Your gift will help kids like those at PS 15M, many of whom live in shelters, and kids at P.S. 993 in Queens, most of whom are disabled. You will also help kids like Eliomar, who recently wrote “I started running in fourth grade and was nervous and excited all at the same time to be part of a team. Now I am 11 and running has made a big difference in my life. I am a better athlete and a better student and I don’t give up when things get tough. Running gives me a good feeling inside. I also eat more fruits and vegetables and feel more energetic. I love running so much I actually dream about running.” 

More about the race:
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100-mile long ultramarathon that takes place on trails in California's Sierra Nevada annually, on the last weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Squaw Valley ski resort and finishes at the Placer High School track in Auburn, California. Runners climb a cumulative total of 18,000 feet and descend a total of 23,000 feet on mountain trails before reaching the finish. Because of the length of the race, the race begins at 5:00 A.M. and continues through the day and into the night. Today more than 2,000 people qualify, but only 400 lucky individuals are chosen in a lottery process to run each year. A special silver belt buckle is awarded to finishers under 24 hours and a bronze buckle to those who finish within the 30 hour final cutoff. 65% of the starters reach the finish, in extremely hot years it can be as low as 50%.

More on Western States:
http://ws100.com/

More on asdfMore on NYRR (Mighty Milers & Young Runners):
http://nyrrf.org/programs/mighty_milers/index.asp

http://nyrrf.org/programs/young_runners/index.asp 
 

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