The Race may be Over but I'm still Fundraising Until Dec. 15

Just a quick alert to let you know that although I finished the long and grueling ING NYC Marathon just nine days ago, my fundraising page doesn't come down until mid December. I have surpassed my original goal of $3,500 and hope you will help me beat my new $4,500 goal.

Just a few dollars can make a big difference. In fact, $25 buys five blankets to be used at a Red Cross shelter. If you can give, please click here to donate to Red Cross disaster relief.

2010 ING NYC Marathon page http://bit.ly/9mudwh

2010 ING NYC Marathon - 4:33 finish time!!

All in all a success. I finished the race and raised $3,600 for Red Cross.

The cool part is that I beat my 2009 finish time by 20 minutes! Thanks for all the support along the way.

ING NYC Marathon starts in 4 days and 18 hours!!

It’s the final week. ING NYC Marathon starts in 4 days, 18 hours! I’m super excited, but I do have a few complaints just for fun:

• I’m tired of rubbing Body Glide all over, and especially those two obvious Body Glide stains on my shirts (you know where they are).
• I am tired of saying, “Sorry can’t meet you at the bar, got to run.”
• I’m tired of wondering if every new and strange leg pain I feel is real or something just in my head.
• I’m tired of wondering if my new sneakers are broken in yet.
• I’m tired of wondering if I drank enough water today.
• I’m tired of power bars and drink mixes.
• I’m tired of my pinky toe, I keep smashing it by accident, it hurts and not sure what it does anyway.
• Where’d that blister come from?
• I’m super annoyed and tired of runner's trots (diarrhea). Seriously.
• Excessive sweating, really. I’m that guy on the treadmill next to you making you sick. I’m tired of it.
• And…speaking of the gym, I’m tired of their 30 minute rule.
• I have a cold, is it going to screw up my run?
• I’m tired of washing my running gear in the shower every night!
• Does anyone else ever accidentally kick themselves in the ankle when they are running? What the heck is that?
• I’m tired of waiting to drink my latest batch of home brewed beer! (It’s an IPA by the way.)

Last one: I'm not tired of this though. If you can give $5 or $100, please click here. I am running to raise money for Red Cross disaster relief. Thanks!

ING NYC Marathon page http://bit.ly/9mudwh

Compression Gear, Personal Goals and I Didn’t Mean It

I just finished running the Staten Island half marathon. Resting. So now is a good time for a blog post. First, I reached a personal goal today that I had no idea was possible; I finished in 1:56. I really wanted to finish in less than two hours but thought a 9:30 mile was more realistic, which would have been a personal record anyway by about 15 minutes.

 

I recently told the social media director at NYRR, when he asked how the training was going, that I was sick of running, hated running and would never train for the ING NYC Marathon again. Well, there really is something to be said about pushing yourself as far as you can. At that moment I was truly fed up with it all. But when you reach a milestone, beat a personal record or a goal, it puts things into perspective. I take it back now, not sick of running, I really don't hate running, I'm glad to be running and reaching goals, so I take it back.

 

Now, about the compression gear. It works. No chafing or shaved off nipples or anything. A bit of body glide on some sensitive areas just in case and everything tightly wrapped up in compression shorts and shirt. Works perfect. I have to thank all the runners who gave me feedback on that.

 

Speaking of reaching goals. I am after all, running the upcoming NYC Marathon to raise money for Red Cross disaster relief. If you can give $5 or 100, please click here. Thanks!

 

ING NYC Marathon page http://bit.ly/9mudwh

Running and Chafing: Ouch!!!!

It all started last year when I missed being listed in the New York Times' NYC marathon page by only a few minutes because of a bathroom break. I knew I needed help and decided to seek out some of the best runners for advice. I had lots of questions, much more than just potty breaks, in particular, what to do about some serious chafing.

I thought I had good running shirts/shorts and have been using body glide but jeez – sometimes there's just no relief, especially on runs longer than 3 miles. The nipples and other tender regions were, well, quite sore. There's no need to really get into much more. The comments speak for themselves; a great bunch of people with great advice.

An experienced runner with 25 marathons under his belt, Dan, from Los Angeles, agrees that chafing is one of the most dreaded aspects of distance running. "The nip issue is simple he says. "If you have a non-hairy chest, simply affix a bandaid or two to each nip before each long run and marathon." Although the bandaids work for him, he also mentions checking into Nipguards at http://www.nipguards.com. "They've sold a million of these since 1999 and apparently work. And are feasible for those with hairier chests for which bandaids aren't as feasible," he added.

Matt from Minnesota says he "started using some industrial bandages over the nips. The cheaper band aids seem to fall off as soon as the sweating starts."

Paul from Columbus has run 110 marathons and ultras and the only thing that works for him he says Aquaphor. "Aquaphor beats chaffing. I use it liberally. It stays on for the entire event and then washes off nicely. No staining of clothing either."

Chris, also from Columbus, has run 100 marathons and ultras (weird, I wonder if they know each other) and he also swears that Aquaphor is the key. "It just gets more slippery as you sweat... just glob it on! It's available at most pharmacies."

Another marathoner Richard, from Greenville, recommends compression gear. "Tight is the ticket," he says. "I use compression shirts and lined shorts along with a glide bar. I might look funny but it eliminates chaffing for me." I'm with him here on the funny part. Not 25 anymore you know?

Speaking of being bashful, Chris, a marathoner from Chicago says: "Go tight! If you don't want to show off the bod with a compression shirt then put a tank top or sleeveless shirt over it." Chris also recommends to "double it up" by wearing the compression shirt, nip guards, body glide and lined shorts. He also had a great basic tip that I should mention: simply staying away from cotton in any form and sticking with lightweight moisture wicking apparel.

Bill, from Michigan, swears by compression gear and tape for the nips, but with two very special bonus tips. "I wear compression shorts, but I turn them wrong-side-out. That way, no seams are against your skin. Some athletic tape over the nipples ought to solve that problem. Just remember to pull it off if it gets hot and you take off your shirt. I forgot one day, and couldn't figure out why someone in my neighborhood was giving me funny looks."

All in all 14 very experienced runners weighed in on the chafing issue with some great tips for a newbie like me. I have been using all them actually. See you on November 7th for the 2010 ING NYC Marathon!

Stay tuned for my next post: where to put those extra gels packs on long runs!

And be sure to click on my Team Red Cross fundraising page. It's the only reason I am running this thing. Click here to make a donation now - thanks!

http://american.redcross.org/site/TR/NYCMarathon/COGPNYGreaterNewYork-32500?px=5807805&pg=personal&fr_id=1259

Marathon Runners and Potty Breaks: Yep, a big deal as it turns out

As a newbie runner, I recently asked a group of experienced marathoners if they had any tips on potty breaks. Last year's ING NYC Marathon porta-john lines were long and I really didn't want to stop at all and loose momentum. I held it for as long as I could but by mile 18 I had to relieve myself. I found a porta-john with no line but by then, I had been stalling it for so long it took forever and I lost a lot of time.

Dan from Los Angeles, an experienced runner with 25 marathons under his belt, agrees that it's a big issue, "a last minute potty break is my single worst enemy."

He says bathroom breaks are all about timing, which is hard to get right, "some of my best marathons have been ruined by porta-john breaks." He recommends getting up early and drinking as much as you can. "Then you must time your last bathroom break as close to the marathon start as possible, thus reducing the chance of having to stop early on in the race." He says the timing in this way increases your chances that you won't have to make a pit stop as you'll be sweating at the same rate as taking fluids in."

Bill, a marathoner from the Michigan area, says to avoid bathroom breaks stay away from gel packs that contain caffeine. He also says to use your long runs as training to aid in avoiding bathroom breaks. I didn't know about the caffeine and I'll definitely be doing this when I do my long training runs!

"The bathroom break was always a problem for me too," says Matt from Minnesota. "I started to time my fluid intake before the start. I drink plenty of fluids up to an hour before, but none until after the gun fires. I found that I also felt better at the start with no sloshing belly. If I hydrate properly the day leading up to the race, the few ounces I lose in that last hour never affects my performance."

Matt also suggests for any last minute emergencies you can bring a "relief bottle" of some type to the start of the race. A great idea for those that are worried they might miss the start from a last minute potty break (porta-john lines can be long).

And probably the best tip comes from Paul in Ohio (he's an advanced runner and also a regular marathon pacesetter). Paul says don't be shy about taking a break if needed. "Can't find a porta-john, find a tree."

Good luck runners!! Next post is all about chafing. You won't believe what the experts say here. Amazing tips that have already saved me some skin.

$5 Team Red Cross #ingnycm Twitter Challenge is at $947

Thanks to some great friends and randoms I am up to 27% of my Red Cross fundraising goal. Need to raise $3500. Less then 10 weeks to go to the big day (11-7-10) so any little bit helps. Remember, I am training and running all 26.2 so you don't have to!

Click here to make a donation now - thanks!

Tiny URL at http://tinyurl.com/2wsxk5l

Back in Action for 2010! Join in and Support my ING NYC Marathon Run to Raise Money for the American Red Cross

It’s on! Last year I joined a small group of runners who raised more than $100,000 for the Red Cross by running the 2009 ING NYC Marathon (that’s me on the far right above). As the busiest chapter in the country, the Red Cross in NY needs our help, every little bit you contribute makes a difference. The group is back together again for this year so please support me in my run by making a contribution on my 2010 Donation Page.

Donate Here on my 2010 Donation Page:
http://american.redcross.org/site/TR/NYCMarathon/COGPNYGreaterNewYork-32500?px=5807805&pg=personal&fr_id=1259

On Twitter: I raised $3,400 last year partly through my $5 Red Cross Twitter Challenge (last year this type of thing was still new - not so much anymore). You can help by donating and also by helping spread the word by retweeting and mentioning @nealgorman $5 Red Cross Twitter Challenge. Check back here for results and see me @nealgorman (http://twitter.com/nealgorman) and share some tweets!

Here are a few neat little news articles from last year too!

PRWeek: October 19, 2009
http://www.prweekus.com/fundraising-for-the-red-cross-with-twitter/article/155736/

Oregon Red Cross Blog: May 6, 2010 (an update)
http://redcrosspdx.blogspot.com/2010/05/go-neal.html

Oregon Red Cross Blog: October 30, 2009
http://redcrosspdx.blogspot.com/2009/10/run-neal-run.html

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: October 15, 2009
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=8&id=31324

Most importantly, Donate Here on my 2010 Donation Page: http://american.redcross.org/site/TR/NYCMarathon/COGPNYGreaterNewYork-32500?px=5807805&pg=personal&fr_id=1259

or use the Tiny URL at http://tinyurl.com/2wsxk5l

Want to support another runner? Visit the links at www.nyredcross.org for more information.

A Quote in Today's New York Times - Woo Hoo

I was quoted in today's New York Times, nice! They also plugged our new Lutheran HealthCare YouTube video, sweet! The video was quite a project but well worth it.

 

Video here: http://tinyurl.com/27nhfln

 

Times Article here: http://tinyurl.com/2cefpzm

NYC Alumni Volunteers needed at 2010 National Conference on Volunteering and Service

If you are attending the 2010, National Conference on Volunteering and Service in NYC AmeriCorps Alums could use your help. If you are interested in the opportunity noted below, please contact Greg Heinrich at gheinrich@americorpsalums.org.

AmeriCorps Alums and AmeriCorps VISTA will be covering the National Conference on Volunteering and Service (Monday, June 28 - Wednesday, June 30) from an AmeriCorps perspective. Four volunteer reporters per day will be capturing interviews of conference attendees with Flip Video cameras and uploading content to the CNCS and AmeriCorps Alums YouTube channels.

Volunteers Needed: 2 per shift x 2 shifts x 2.5 days = 10 total

Morning Shift: 9:30-12pm
Afternoon Shift: 1:00-4pm (no afternoon shift on Wednesday, June 30)

The reporters will be split into two shifts (morning & afternoon) with two reporters per shift. In each shift, there will be one reporter interviewing attendees specifically about the 45th anniversary of VISTA and the other will ask questions related to AmeriCorps Alums.

Please contact Greg Heinrich at gheinrich@americorpsalums.org.

Join WE SERVE - the first and only campaign to recognize and reward all national service alumni!

Join WE SERVE - the first and only campaign to recognize and reward all national service alumni!
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, there are over 600,000 national service alumni... and we've only been able to reach about 1/5.

Just fill out the form here: http://www.didyouservewith.us/, even if you are already registered with americorpsalums.org, to join the WE SERVE campaign! (Subject to verification of your service.)

Once verified, you will be emailed a coupon code for 15% off the AmeriCorps Alums store and entered to win one of ten gift cards to Target worth $100 a piece. To be entered into the Grand Prize drawing we need you to tell people! Simply copy/paste the sample email, status or tweets here: http://www.americorpsalums.org/?weserveshare and send to your alum friends! At the conclusion of the contest, the top 25 alum referrals will be put in a drawing for the CELEBRITY GRAND PRIZE!

WE SERVE kicks off now and will end at 5pm EST, June 30th following the close of the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New York City. You only need to fill out the form once, as duplicate entries will be discarded. Contest rules are here: <http://www.americorpsalums.org/?weserverules

Also, Join us at the Conference in New York City!
On Sunday, June 27th AmeriCorps Alums will host a party at Connolly's Pub at 121 West 45th St. The festivities go from 4-10pm and we'll have some local entertainment, food, drink and giveaways. Get your ticket(s) here: http://www.americorpsalums.org/?prepartynyc

And if you are sticking around the city for the 2010 National Conference Volunteering and Service ( http://www.volunteeringandservice.org/ ) be sure to keep an eye out for alums! You can follow us on twitter @americorpsalums (also watch #ncvs for ALL conference news) to be the first to know about special offers, freebies and events.

Looking to help out? Email wsoenksen@americorpsalums.org... we need registration volunteers, bloggers, picture takers and a couple of locals interested in scouting spots for alums to gather on Monday and Tuesday evening.

Thanks!

AMERICORPS ALUMS LEAD CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL SERVICE

May 8-15, Events and service projects nationwide highlight success of AmeriCorps programs

AmeriCorps alumni across the country are leading the nationwide celebration of AmeriCorps Week, May 8-15, spotlighting the vital work done by AmeriCorps members in communities since the national service program began 16 years ago. Alumni of AmeriCorps are planning events, projects and gatherings to highlight and celebrate the effect that national service has had on their life and the communities in which they live and work.

AmeriCorps Week, celebrated each 2nd week in May, recognizes and celebrates those who have served in, staffed or managed an AmeriCorps program and the organizations and communities who support National Service.

“We are proud to have been a part of AmeriCorps and grateful for all the AmeriCorps alumni who continue to get things done for America,” said Amity Tripp Executive Director of AmeriCorps Alums. “Current AmeriCorps members and alums have made a significant impact on many lives and countless local needs, and AmeriCorps Week is a perfect opportunity to celebrate and recognize their great work.”

There are more than 30,000 active AmeriCorps alumni engaging through more than 100 chapters throughout the nation. Chapters stay active locally by helping students learn to read, mentoring at-risk youth, providing health services, building homes for low-income families, and helping nonprofits recruit volunteers and achieve their mission.

Since 1994, there are more than a half a million AmeriCorps alumni who have given more than 770 million hours of service to their country while in the program.

To mark AmeriCorps Week, over 200 events in all 50 states are scheduled, including an AmeriCorps Rally at City Hall in Philadelphia, an all AmeriCorps Community Clean-Up in Washington, DC, an AmeriCorps Flash Mob in Austin, TX, Community Outreach events in Portland, Maine, and a Humboldt Park Gardening Project in Chicago. Plus there are over 15 AmeriCorps Nights planned at baseball stadiums including the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals. These events will allow community residents to easily learn and ask questions about AmeriCorps and national service. To search for events in your area go to: www.americorpsweekevents.org.

AmeriCorps alums typically remain actively engaged in their communities once their service is complete. They not only can be counted on as volunteers, but they also run nonprofits, marshal resources within their communities to address difficult issues and frequently pursue public service careers.

2010 American Red Cross Fundraising Breakfast

Benefiting the American Red Cross in Greater New York

Are You In?

Registration - 8:00 am,

Breakfast - 8:30 to 9:30 am

Mandarin Oriental New York

80 Columbus Circle,

60th Street

For more info e-mail me at nrg1998 at hotmail.com