A number of charitable organizations offer programs where you can train and compete for a cause.
Do your non-cycling friends think you’re overly ambitious (or insane) when you tell them you’re going to ride 100 miles in a day?
My own training with Hike For Discovery is organized with a hike leader plus clinics on hiking techniques, nutrition, shoe selection, safety, first aid and more. There are weekly emails from our leader as well as our “Hero Patient and Mentor” to motivate us for our next training hike and assistance in fundraising efforts.
All of the training programs have the following in common:
• Customized training and expert coaching for a period of 14-18 weeks.
• Training clinics.
• A supportive group of teammates to train with for motivation and support.
• The opportunity to accomplish a fitness goal.
Virtual training programs are available for some of these organizations, such the Arthritis Foundation’s Joints in Motion, for people who don’t live near an active program. They provide online-experienced coaches that develop training for participants.
The Carrot
We all want the golden carrot. We reach for it but sometimes we need a little push. That’s where Mary Lacock comes in as a mentor for TNT. “I remind people of training days and contact people through emails and then every other week through a personal phone call,” she says. Lacock doesn’t stop there: the self-professed TNT cheerleader adds, “I take lots of photos at practices and post them on the website. I offer little prizes for people at practices to encourage more people to come, and I organize socials and get-togethers. I want people to view their training as a team activity.”
Meg Forbes, mentor for CCFA says, “I get excited when other people do something they never thought was possible. I love to motivate people to strive for their goals and help them understand that although it’s a huge undertaking, it’s totally within their realm.”
Of course many of us see that finish line as being the carrot but Meg explains the golden carrot ideology perfectly: “The reward is the training process itself.”
Author Gigi Ragland is training for the LLS Hike for Discovery. To learn more and to contribute to her cause, log on to www.active.com/donate/hfdrm/hfdGRaglan.
The VIRTUAL Joints In Motion Training program (VJIM) is available in certain parts of the U.S. that is designed to bring all of the benefits of Joints in Motion to people who do not live near an active JIM program. Join to train and raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation. Teams are now forming for: Humpy’s Marathon and Skinny Raven Half Marathon. Anchorage, AK—August 17. Registration deadline: May 16. Maui Marathon and Half Marathon. Maui, Hawaii—September 14. Registration deadline: June 20. Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon. Orlando, Florida—January 12, 2009 (half) and January 13, 2009 (full marathon). Registration deadline: September 19. Visit www.jointsinmotion.org for more info. Join the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Team Challenge for the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon on July 20. While the race is sold out, Team Challenge has spots available. Visitwww.ccteamchallenge.org for details. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training participants in the Rocky Mountain Chapter have a variety of events to choose from this season including: Steamboat Marathon. June 1, Steamboat Springs. Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. June 1, San Diego, Calif. America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride. June 1, Century ride. Lake Tahoe, Nev. 5430 Sprint Triathlon. June 15, Boulder. The Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon. June 18, Loveland. 5430 Long Course Triathlon. August 10, Boulder. Log on to www.teamintraining.org for more info. Hike for Discovery New this year, the LLS Rocky Mountain Chapter is offering the opportunity to hike one of two spectacular National Parks this summer: Rocky Mountain National Park and Yosemite National Park. Visit www.hikefordiscovery.org for further details and to register.Upcoming Events
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