"Change the World" **Charity Miles**

Today I wanted to just send a little note and update on a program I have discovered through this adventure of mine.  The more I have read about the creator and program of Charity Miles the more I love this concept!  (That isn’t just because they sent me a free t-shirt either) J

For those of you who want to “get involved” here is a little way to get out and bike/run/walk and make a difference.  As much as I would love to say Choose Team Fox, this gives you the options to pick something as dear to your heart as Team Fox Is to Mine.  I have mentioned this app before in the blog, but here is a video which helps explain this program much better than my “wordiness” of words.  (Plus we all pay more attention to pictures) J …it’s a proven marketing fact.

Check out the video here:

Charity Miles Video

Also their website is: http://www.charitymiles.org for more direct information

The sponsored Charities represented are:

·         Achilles International

·         Autism Speaks

·         Feeding America

·         The Global Fund

·         Habitat For Humanity

·         The Michael J Fox Foundation

·         The Nature Conservancy

·         Pencils of Promise

·         The World Food Programme
(More to Come) 

Now…my next mission is to get an IPhone (Android works as well), so I can jump in on this madness of lovin’ this program and start practicing what I preach, but in the meantime I’ll feel better if a few others jump in too.  I think the concept of incorporating fitness into fundraising is wonderful (Also truly appropriate for dad’s career as a coach, Health & Gym teacher) J…  He always use to do the project where you could “Run Around WV”…he knew how far each lap around the gym was and then turned the laps into distances so kids could keep track of their travels. Now with GPS options on phones, you don't even have to do any of the calculating...you just have to run/walk/bike!

I would love to hear from you if this program worked for you and keep me updated on the progress J   As the creator Gene Gurkoff mentions, together we can “Change the World”.

As for yesterdays run…yes I ran and didn’t bike for cross training….please don’t tell on me…..  I attempted to defeat mother nature and sneak a run in between storms…I should have known she’d only teach me a lesson by sneaking another storm in on me while I was about a mile away from home, apparently it appears a monsoon was her inspiration.  Needless to say it turned into a great 35 minute run, finishing with a torrential downpour J  Can’t say it was the first time nor will it probably be the last J

If you don't want to listen to me telling you to get out and do this....I'm sure dad is here :)


**Team Spangler**

Let the Icing begin

Apparently I got too excited about the long run Sunday and should have known better as to the soreness that would come next J  I suppose some things you never learn.  (Random) Like eating tortilla chips before a run… I’ve done that a million times, yet, NEVER learn my lesson!?  Maybe it’s just me J

I had a hill workout scheduled for last night that I altered a little bit.  We were supposed to do 8 hill repeats around 1 minute each…I did 6 and added some time onto the other part of the run…our long runs should be on Saturday but since I had to alter days around my legs are still just TIRED…so I didn’t want to do anything too silly.  I suppose nothing a little couch sitting while watching International House Hunters while icing my legs can’t cure J

I am wanting to check in more often as I promised I would with everyone…I want to change these blog entries  around sometimes too so it’s always different J

Yesterday I checked the PO Box (which for me I get excited like it’s Christmas or something)….there was a return address on the envelope around the Pittsburg area that I didn’t recognize so I tore into the envelope and it was a lady in the area who had heard of our story (I believe from my grandma Nelson but still checking that), however she had the sweetest note included that spoke of her husband having Parkinson’s and her daughters are runners and send a little donation to help out with our project here.  I can’t express how the random notes lift my spirits and I always call mom right away to have her relay the information onto dad.  It’s always amazing how connected so many of us are in ways we never knew, and the goal to work together to find a cure for this disease can be discovered $1 at a time.

Tonight we are suppose to do cross training (this storming is aggravating me)…someone please agree with me so I don’t feel crazy that I struggle at the thought and concept of cross training. I  KNOW it’s important, but even in college when we were supposed to do swim workouts instead or something, I somehow always felt I was cheating training because I wasn’t actually running.  I know there are studies done and so forth to prove things….but mentally I still struggle at feeling like it was “ENOUGH” of a workout to mean something. 

I’m trying to stay on the fundraising routine too of keeping up on things we can do and continue to move forward with opportunities to reach our main goal of $10,000.  I’ve discovered I’m going to approach this in 1% increments so I feel like I’m getting somewhere quicker each time….so I’ve broken down my mini goals into $100 which equals 1%.... My cousin Jim has been my email pen pal in planning and he will probably soon regret telling me to tell him what to do… I can tend to be bossy and nonstop J  We are looking to host 1 or 2 after hours/early evening events in Parkersburg so it’s a easier atmosphere to get together mingle/network/visit for a purpose…with the concept of appetizers, drinks etc….we are also working on some sponsors for those events and then obtaining some silent auction items to have at those events to help raise some additional money.  I’m thinkin’ just a little “Shakin it up for Parkinson’s” theme.  We are finalizing some dates so we can move forward and get that going.  Also a scrapbooking crop event is set for October 20^th in Charleston at our other Cousin’s Crop location and she is helping us put this on…so if you are interested in that it will be a all day crop for $30 and will include prizes, some food,  as well as the hope of some silent auction items.  I’ve been asked several times by people what can they do….feel free to reach out to me if there is something particular here you want to be in on, or any other ideas you want to incorporate and I can help you with.  I’m going to be sending out some donation requests and sponsorship letters as soon as we finalize some dates… so just let me know…. ALWAYS feel free to Email me at MissySpangler22@yahoo.com.. I tend to feel like I overwhelm people through all this (I tend to be a non stop go-getter) so I’d love to hear from you J

Just a reminder…we are still doing the dollars for dad project and could still use A LOT of States!... 

If you need the direct website link to the fundraising pages to pass along it is: http://www2.michaeljfox.org/site/TR/Sponsored/TeamFox?px=1007327&pg=personal&fr_id=1210

If you want to write a check please make it out to: Michael J Fox Foundation and you can mail it to our PO Box and I’ll get it sent in with our Team:

Team Spangler

Attention: Missy Spangler

PO Box 403

Ripley, WV 25271

I Heard a GREAT quote the other day and I just wanted to share….

”We run for those who can no longer run for themselves”

  108 Days till NYC….

Long Runs Begin

There is just something about the feeling of running past that 1 hour mark that makes you feel like you’re getting somewhere :) Yesterday's run was 80 minutes and I won't lie, when I first started moving my legs I thought they weighed 1000 pounds and I was worried mentally what this run would do to me. Maybe it was from being in the car most of the day before...but I didn't know if I was going to be able to get that run going. While on vacation I FINALLY got a "running watch" to start timing runs etc. I figured it would be appropriate given the new workout schedule we got.
I actually was hesitant to have a ‘running watch’ while getting back into this, as I was scared if I knew the distances and saw the watch changing numbers I’d be more discouraged at where I use to be in the world of timed running and where I was now given it’s been a few years since I’ve really done this whole training thing.  I think it was the change I needed also to give myself a new approach for training given the countdown to the marathon is sneaking closer and to find ways to stay excited and motivated get to you sometimes.

I was a bit worried once I hit the 25 minute mark yesterday as to still having over 10 minutes of time left prior to turn around and realizing the furtherest I'd ran till now I was already past that point.  So I just kept running and when I snuck up onto the 39 minute mark this was the turnaround spot…..

Feeling like you are at the top of the mountain can make any person appreciate just where they are..And I couldn’t help but smile (realizing just how much the scenery of running had changed in the course of 24 hours was funny).  Then I realized I had that far back to run to the house (the joys of up and back running...but don't worry my legs were feeling much lighter and better at this point) J  Clicking the watch off at 1:20.54 was a great feeling…just knowing I did it and the slight panic of feeling like I won’t be ready for the marathon escaped away for a little while.   

Just a little update regarding the training:

Thursday (July 12^th) - Ran 39 minutes….ran a few side roads along the beach road just to see the beach houses that were down different roads to change up my run a little bit. 

Friday- Ran an easy 35 minutes…I had to switch my workouts around due to fearing I wouldn’t get to run on Saturday as that should have been my long run day…but knowing we’d be traveling.

Saturday-  Took this day off since we were driving back from the beach…..and it was probably a good thing…after our All You Can Eat Seafood buffet on Friday to celebrate our last night there…(we had to make dad proud of course of all the seafood we could consume in one setting)….I’m not certain I could have even ran this day still recovering J

Sunday (yesterday)---Ran 80 minutes and LOVED it..No matter how humid it felt J  It was a nice change of route and I felt accomplished to have the longest run yet of the training schedule…  now just thinking how the next long run is scheduled to be 90 minutes J

I’ll be running an easy recovery run this evening I can promise you that while my legs are still working on recovering from the shock J   I’ve got some fundraising planning to get to work on and start getting closer to our goal….   We need to start added to our fundraising amount J  Who’s with me!? 

I’ll make an agreement…you can help fundraise or run the hour and a half with me next weekend…your choice :)

Team Spangler For Team Fox
Let's Do This