Saturday, July 22, 2006

Running the Marathon and Need Your Support

The time has come for me to become a true New Yorker - I have decided to run in this year's NYC marathon. As much fun as it is to watch the marathon whirl by from the sidelines, I think that it would be even "funner" to run the 26.2 mile journey through the greatest and grandest city in the world!

Not only will I be running the marathon as a personal challenge, which I will be writing about on this blog throughout my training, but I will be running it for a worthy cause - to fight childhood obesity. I have always been concerned about this growing epidemic (after all, children are our future and it is our responsibility to ensure that we teach them how to live happy and healthy lives) and have become increasingly passionate about it since becoming a mother myself last year.

That said, I will be running to raise funds for the Team for Kids, which is the youth-services arm of New York Road Runners that provides fitness programs for 15,000 children in New York and across the country who have little or no access to physical education.

While my personal success in the marathon depends on my training and determination, my commitment to raise $2500 for the New York Road Runners Foundation depends on others, which is why I'm asking you to support my efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible contribution will help pay for the supplies, uniforms, events, and transportation that make the programs happen and truly give youth a running start. I encourage you to consider a minimum gift of $1 per mile (or $26.20), though no donation is too small (or too large!) and all are appreciated.

Please take a moment to go to www.teamforkids.org and click on "Contribute," where you will need my entry number: 3395. The NYRR Foundation will inform me of all contributions, so I can send you a well-deserved thank you after the marathon.

At the end of 26.2 miles, I will be exhausted, but also grateful for and exhilarated by the support that I've received through your generosity.

All the best and thanks for your support! By the way, keep coming back to my blog to keep track of my training progress.

Cheers,
Nada