200 Mile Run for 200 Wheelchairs Fundraiser

Many of you may already know this, but I’m upping the stakes and running for a reason on May 6, 2010 and I want to let you in on it - a 200 mile trail run through the Green Mountains of Vermont at a race called McNaughton Park in Vermont: http://www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton. I’ve been preparing for this adventure for years – now, it’s even more important to me to get the word out.



So here’s how I became an Ambassador for Free Wheelchair Mission – I’d been thinking about my race and how I could make it into something that would help others. My church (http://www.blackhawkchurch.org) did an offering this Christmas for a charity that sends wheelchairs to people with disabilities living in developing countries. At the time, I didn’t think much about wheelchairs, or how hard it would be to survive without one. It all made sense to me, I put the two together, and now I’m part of the FWM team.

I’ll have a great crew helping me out this May, but the 200 miles we are attempting to run pales in comparison to what many people have to do each and every day of their lives. We’re going to suffer for what, maybe 48 hours? Put that up against a lifetime of pain - there is really no comparison.


Now, this is a race and we are in it to win it, but I am bolder than ever knowing that I’ll be running while raising money for Free Wheelchair Mission. My goal is to WIN, and to raise enough funds for a wheelchair for every mile we are running! That’s 200 miles to run and 200 wheelchairs to raise. I definitely think we can do it. Please help me make a difference, not just in Vermont, but in lives around the world.

Thank you for your consideration. You can donate securely online at: http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher

100.27 Training Miles for Week (3/28 - 4/3)

We are exactly one month away from the McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 mile race (http://www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton). As of today, there are officially 16 runners signed up for the 30 mile event, 34 runners signed up for the 100 mile event, 5 runners signed up for the 150 mile event, and 12 runners signed up for the 200 mile event.

This was a recovery week for me with a peak daily mileage of 18.32 miles. Have averaged 98.04 miles/week for the last 9 weeks and 12.25 miles/day through 2010 thus far. Ran 481.92 miles in March.

This week's photo is from the 2002 FoxCities Marathon. I was one of "those people" that would carry their kids across the finish line. That is my oldest son Chase who is now 8 years old!

113.61 Training Miles for Week (3/21 - 3/27)

With less than 6 weeks remaining before the 200 mile race, ran 113.61 miles this past week with a peak training day of 26.54 miles. This occured during an official marathon in Waukesha, WI called the Trailbreakers Marathon. Finished the race in 3:26:04. This was my 27th official marathon (26.2 miles) finish since I started running in 1997 - with an average finish time of 3:31:38 - not too bad for a slow ultrarunner.

The photos below are from this weekend's race. In the bottom photo, I am running with my friends Mike Younglove (on my left) (who came out of a 20+ year marathon retirement to run a 3:35!) and Robb Linnemanstons (on my right) (who has run a gazillion marathons and ultramarthons and was actually with me when I ran my first trail 50 mile race back in 2003).






















Over the last 7 weeks, I have average 97.72 miles/week in preparation for the big event. I hope to peak in mileage in 2 weeks with a goal of hitting 175 miles the week of 4/4 - 4/10. During that week, I will be competing in the MadCity 100K race in Madison, WI.

124.05 Training Miles for Week (3/14 - 3/20)

We are now seven weeks away from the McNaughton Park in Vermont 200 mile race. This past week ran 124.05 miles with a peak day of 22.50 miles.

This week's photo is from the 2009 North Face Endurance 50 Mile Run in LaGrange, WI. This was a case where you have a goal in mind and find out that on that given day you are just not going to succeed. The goal then changes from a "time" goal to a "finish" goal. Sometimes just finishing a race is enough. Hopefully, in a few short weeks we will succeed with our time goal of well below 48 hours.

109.91 Training Miles for Week (2/28 - 3/6)

As promised, I will post my weekly training mileage for the next 9 weeks as we approach the 200 mile run in Vermont. I will also include some random photos for past events.

This week ran 109.91 miles with a peak day of 20.03 miles.

This week's photo is from the 2009 Milwaukee Marathon in which I paced my friend Randy Steiner to a Boston Qualifying run of 3:31:01. Randy needed 3:30:59 to qualify but Boston personel said we can't deny you over one second. I thought that was pretty nice of them and says a lot about the people running the Boston Marathon. Randy along with many other runner will be toeing the line next month in Boston.

Donations for the 200 Miles for 200 Wheelchairs Goal

Friends -

I have set up a personal page on the Free Wheelchair Mission website to help share the gift of mobility with others (http://fwm.kintera.org/dexterthepunisher ).

We are going to run 200 miles nonstop through Vermont's Green Mountains starting May 6, 2010 to try and raise enough funds to purchase 200 wheelchairs. Information on the race can be found online.

The following is an excerpt from the Free Wheelchair Mission's website:

In wealthy countries, a disabled person can get a wheelchair, however, there are over 100,000,000 disabled adults and children for whom the dream of a wheelchair is worlds beyond their expectations. They live without this basic form of mobility by crawling through life or waiting for a loved one to carry them to fulfill the simplest of needs--the disabled and the family members are thereby restricted from a full life. The average cost to manufacture, ship, and distribute one of its chairs for $59.20, an extraordinarily modest investment that changes the lives of the disabled and their families.

The Free Wheelchair Mission is a nonprofit public corporation with exempt status under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our tax ID number is 31‐1781635. All contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law.

I have started off the fundraiser by purchasing 1 wheelchair - please help me raise enough funds for 199 more. Thank you for your consideration and kindness.

Love,
Ryan

McNaughton in VT 200 Mile Run for the Free Wheelchair Mission

It has been too long since I posted a blog and for that I apologize. I wanted to let you know about what I have been training for - a 200 mile trail run in the Green Mountains of Vermont in May (www.peakraces.com/mcnaughton/).

I have been preparing for this adventure for years - having run the McNaughton Park 150mile race the last three years placing 3rd, 2nd, and 1st, respectively (www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/index2.htm).

My training in 2009 was my highest mileage yet. I averaged over 60 mile/week for the entire year. In fact, I have average nearly 7.5 miles/day for the last 4 years (8.5 miles/day for the last two years). I have been thinking about how I can mix this race into something that would be beneficial for others. My church did an offering this Christmas for a charity that I knew not much about. In fact, I never really thought about wheelchairs and how hard it would be for people that were disabled to be mobile without one. I have a great crew coming out to Vermont to help me and what we are attempting is mind-blowing to some (200 miles on foot - not rest), but it pales in comparison to what many people have to do each and every day of there lives. Although we are in it to win it, we are going to suffer maybe 48 hours - there is no comparison.

My plan is to try and raise money for the Free Wheelchair Mission.
www.freewheelchairmission.org


The mission is: to transform lives through the gift of mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries as motivated by Jesus Christ. Our vision is to provide 20 million wheelchairs.

I would personally love to raise enough funds to help with 200 wheelchairs - one for every mile we are going to run. One wheelchair costs $59.20.

The race starts at 6 PM, Thursday May 6, 2010. From this point forward, I plan on blogging at least once a week to provide an update on my weekly mileage as we prepare for the 200 mile race that is just 2 short months away.