We're Back!

We have been chosen to participate as an Official Charity with the ASICS LA Marathon for the third year. Our team is gaining traction, and more and more people are coming to me excited to join the team or do their first marathon.

 Now is the time to start training for the LA Marathon. START NOW! 

If you would rather join us for a short, fast race, we also will be participating in the LA BIG 5K.

Take a look at the links on the right for some of my favorite resources, and feel free to let me know your resources. This community is about sharing, sharing experiences, sharing victories, and sharing in food. Race 4 Veronika's Place provides food to the most vulnerable.

Please contact me if you would like to join Team Race for Veronika’s Place.

You will need an invitation code to register for our team.

We need your help. First and foremost, please pray for our team and our friends in need.

As always, thank you for reading our team blog.
Thank you for your support.
May God bless you abundantly!
Anna

Racing and Saving Lives

Veronika’s Place

It was a balmy day. The sky was grey, very typical of a Nairobi winter day. No wind, a little cool, and the slight stench from the nearby dump.

I along with my travel companions depart from our bus, and we are greeted by mostly women, there are men and children in the crowd. My hand is taken, and I spin like a ballerina. In fact we are all dancing by now. Our hosts are singing in Swahili and in English. We walk to the center of the grounds where we are seated as the guest of honor.

A presentation begins. A child seven years old stands, I’ve seen him before. He says that he is alive because of us, the visitors. He looks strong and healthy, just as a young seven year old boy should look.

Then three ladies act in a skit, showing the emotions one goes through: Beginning with going to the Testing Center; Receiving a positive HIV diagnosis; Getting shamed and hit after sharing the news to her husband; and finally, The compassion from a social worker, and the acceptance from these strong women that have experience a similar  sequence of events.

After the words of gratitude, we are given an opportunity to hand out some food, talk one on one with the people, and learn about each other. I shared about my own struggle in my world, and we find common ground. We are one, hungry, sometimes alone in our hopelessness, but comforted within communion with each other.

Our Need

Poverty shows itself in various ways. I often remember my mom telling me we are rich in spirit when I asked as a child if we were poor. Poor by my standards meant that I didn’t get to enroll in gymnastics or that I didn’t get new clothes all the time. I always had something to eat and I did get a proper public education.

I see remarkable similarities in the human spirit with myself and the people I have met in Africa. However, there is a stark difference. I have never seen poverty as it is in the slums of Nairobi. The unfortunate reality is that this poverty has deathly consequences. While I was ashamed in having ratty shoes, I see a child, a little boy wearing girl’s sandals; and tormented by my own frustration with my work, there is a mother without a means to feed her children, sell her only possession only to be given HIV/AIDS in return.

We are the richest nation and if we cannot solve our own problems with poverty, how in the world can we help a child 9,000 miles away, on the other side of the globe.

I really believe we can do so much more and banning together is our only hope. This is a lesson I have learned through Veronika’s Place.

Veronika’s Place not only provides food on a monthly basis, but people go for support, council, education, and most importantly, for hope. Hope allows one to continue the journey that is laid out before them and fight the necessary fight to survive.

Race 4 Veronika’s Place is born

We have struggled to collect funds to continue the food distribution for Veronika’s Place. With droughts in East Africa, food prices soar. With the economy tanking, people give far less.

Last year we were given a gift. We became an official charity of the ASICS LA Marathon and praise God; we were able to fundraise the annual budget for food to be given to Veronika’s Place.

It is not an easy task. First we must look for runners or walkers that will put their own body to the physical task of training several months for a race. In addition, we then ask them to find sponsors, and ask for money, truly an emotional and humbling task. This is usually uncomfortable for everyone, including me.

Sometimes we find a person that will do one or the other, but rarely do we find someone willing to do both. However, that is where the magic happens. Last year we had 25 people join Race 4 Veronika’s Place and collected nearly $35,000.  This gave us peace of mind that there would be food to the recipients of Veronika’s Place for one more year!

I have a dream

I wish there was a way to eradicate disease. I wish there was a way to eradicate hunger. I become hopeful that soon there will be no need to Race 4 Veronika’s Place. But I fear that I will not see this desired outcome in this life. And while I am still here, perhaps my calling is to bring an awareness to those around me of the conditions that no one should have to experience.

Race 4 Veronika’s Place not only promotes life in Africa, but here in my neighborhood. I am helping myself by maintain a training routine. My husband holds me accountable and gets me out so we can walk together. When I feel tired, I know there is someone more tired. When I am hungry, I know there is someone hungrier. When I have a difficult day, I know that there is some that is having a more difficult day. My perception has widened and I find myself being more than my struggle.

We all struggle with disease and poverty, figuratively or literally. But perhaps you are one of the few that is not affected by disease or poverty, walk in the streets in LA and you are thrown into life with illness, brokenness, and hunger.

What is your reaction? How are you meant to respond? That is a very personal decision and there are many opportunities near and far. I would like to offer a challenge, more than running a marathon, more than asking a friend to give monetarily. I challenge you to leave this world better off because you are here. To touch at least one person that may have a need only you can support.

To live in the richest nation, in varying personal resources, we all have the ability to offer support to one person, and I am not just talking about money. I know that my own perspective is rich simply because I have looked outside myself. I have had the benefit to look outside my country. I have been given the opportunity to look outside my comfort zone. I to struggle, but I make my life work because I have the support from people that care and continue to remind me that they care, whether it be a text, a note, a flower, a meal together or a smile.

This human connection helps me to move forward in my daily struggle. I do what I do because I have people that lift me up and help me do the impossible. I do what I do because a child 9,000 miles knows that he too has someone to lift him up to do the impossible. You have more power that you know and even the smallest act can turn a life on.

Thank you for reading. Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day.

If you can sponsor our runners and walkers of Race 4 Veronika’s Place, please visit our webpage:

https://www.firstgiving.com/R4VP/2014LAmarathon/fundraisers

With Nature

I started my training for the marathon with a bang and after getting hit with a bug have lost my focus. Aside from being one of the leaders of the marathon training group Race 4 Veronika's Place, I have been sitting on the side, waiting for my energy to return. Today I went on a nature hike with my friend Bonnie. It was a beautiful day and a great way to not only be with nature, but to also challenge myself to get out and walk. We went to Malibu Creek State Park. The drive up PCH was beautiful, surfers were out in full force. 

Me and my friend, Bonnie near the entrance of Malibu Creek State Park.

If you're from LA you will often hear that we have no seasons. Not true, autumn is beautiful in nature. You will see trees start to lose it's leaves, and the colors have subtly changed. It looks like a watercolor painting, the sky was blue with puffy clouds, there were some blooms, but you have to pay attention. It's a nice reminder to quiet down and listen, and watch. Nature is changing all around you, but so often we are not present to see. When you are training for any race, it is really important to pay attention, but I would also say it is equally important to just do it and push yourself. Find something that will motivate you, maybe it will be the beach or a trail. Or maybe it is just getting out to your neighborhood. Where ever you are, get out. Start slow, build your confidence back then soon you will be full throttle and full marathon mode.

Can you see the humming bird? Look for the small movement. -Advice from my friend

There was a lot of activity at the park, runners on the trail, cyclist, hikers, families and even rock climbers. Some of the biggest blessings in living in LA are the weather, the landscape, and the people. If you have lost your energy to exercise to train, get out in LA. You will find everyone doing anything. On our drive up we passed by the 4th Street stair climbers, bicyclist riding up PCH, surfers, paddle boarders. Everywhere you look someone is more active than you. I especially like seeing the people on the trail with their walking sticks, you know they were in some serious hiking mode. Seeing others at play really does feed your need for movement. It was so invigorating to be in the middle of nowhere, yet still see others enjoying their friends and this place God has given them. I am truly thankful to have a wide variety of friends with different interest and passions, because this is exactly what I needed this morning.

How is your training going? Where are you stuck, and who will be there to help you get unstuck?

Happy trails my friends!

Climbing the big rock.

A tree points the way of the path.

Rolling hills of Malibu.

Why I Like to Race

Runners are really cool people. Any type of racer are cool people, walkers, cyclist, swimmers, but runners especially. The marathon brings out the best in people. Don’t get me wrong, they are tough but nothing really great comes easy. 

Nowadays, I am a run/walker. I can still run short distances, but my preference for 6+ miles is to run/walk. I suppose that is a benefit of age. Clarity is also a benefit of age (at least most of the time). There are still many more questions, but I feel like I know my body better, when to push and when to pull back. I do like the fact that my husband now runs with me, which is so great, because I have a relay partner. I am leaning toward the ASICS LA Marathon Charity Relay. I also feel like this will give Trevor an opportunity to build a better base. I told him that I would like to run 2015. So there you have it, I plan to run (the whole thing)!

I want to share a story of Pilar’s first marathon. Pilar ran her first marathon with Race 4 Veronika’s Place at the 2013 ASICS LA Marathon. She was fast, and beautiful, her race photos look like they came from a photo shoot. This is what I mean about runners being cool. She found us by the grace of God and now is one of our running leaders, helping with recruiting and motivating everyone she meets.

These are her words.

Early in life, I learned to believe that I was created for a purpose. My parents taught me to aim as high as the stars and always believe that I could accomplish my goals by the grace of God.  In particular, my mother has always motivated me to pursue great challenges, and the memory of my late father and his passion for being active has always inspired me.

I remember listening to one of my favorite spiritual mentors, Noel Dîaz, talk about discovering strength and pushing ourselves in situations we had never known before because all things are possible with God. He illustrated the point by sharing his story of running the LA Marathon for a few years himself, and I got excited! I wanted to try. At the same time my dear friend from the gym, Wanda, was always making sure to encourage me by saying that I can do a marathon and more, even though my longest run had been 5 miles in my entire life. She has always inspired me with her self-discipline and dedication to her training. I was in!

I wanted to run for a cause that would give further meaning to the adventure. I was thinking about it, and one Sunday I attended Saint Monica’s 5:30 mass.  There they invited anyone interested in running the LA Marathon to be part of Race 4 Veronika’s Place.  This was surely meant to be as everything I was wishing for was coming together to run a marathon.  After I learned about Veronika’s Place, there was no question I did not want to delay contributing to this amazing cause.

I knew I needed to have a plan in order to succeed in my running experience, so I joined the LA RoadRunners, the official training club for the LA Marathon. I followed all their instructions, and thankfully, because of their extensive training, I was able to cross the finish line. I knew that somehow I had been a part of making a difference in some lives through Veronika’s Place. I eliminated the word impossible from my vocabulary a long time ago; all things are possible for one who believes.

Living with purpose,

Pilar 

Why am I Training

It's not easy to train for a marathon and commit to running or walking 26.2 miles. First you have to sign up, and pay the race fees, sometimes upwards of $100. Then you have to do weekly runs, cross training, recovery exercises and a long run. You have to feed yourself whole foods, maybe give up drinking or smoking. AND most of all, you have to give yourself permission to sleep, 8 hours, 10 hours if you need it. I have never seen such commitment, as I find in a marathoner, runners and walkers alike.

Our lives are filled with so much distraction, work issues, family issues, health issues. Sometimes I feel so out of control of what is happening around me. This past week, there was tragedy in Kenya. A mall in Nairobi was under siege. So close to our Sister Parish, Holy Cross Dandora, many of us here were so frightened by the thought of the terror and death. Fortunately, from the information we were given, our parishioners are safe, however, friends of friends and so many innocent died in this incident. Read more in Making Sense of Kenya's Westgate Mall Massacre.

If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon. -Katherine Switzer

Your plan to train for a marathon should have already started. We are in the beginning stage now of building our base. It is certainly not easy, and you will be pushing yourself outside of your comfort level, but it will be worth it. My husband and I were under the weather this week during our training plans, and it would have been easy and totally understandable to miss our long run with our training group on Saturday. Instead, we joined the RoadRunners in Venice and ran with our group the first 2.5 miles and walked back. It's all about the habit. Listen to your body, push yourself, but also give yourself grace to ease up when you need to. It was a beautiful day, we got to experience God's glory, and we felt accomplished even though we were not able to stay with our group.

Race 4 Veronika's Place

There are 3 race options through Race 4 Veronika's Place. My encouragement to anyone that would like to race with us, would be to start training now. Whether you intend to train for a marathon, half marathon or the 5K, start now. I am training for the marathon, not because I have all the time in the world, I am like many of you, juggling family with work, volunteer with relaxation, and searching for that balance to be at peace and with my God.

Running has become my prayer, it has also made me more aware of my nutrition and how I treat my body. I know there will be a time when I cannot do a marathon, but this will not be the year. At least that is my hope. However, I do not know my future, and if I cannot complete the ASICS LA Marathon this time, you will find me at the half or even the 5K. There is no shame in listening to your body, these distances will challenge you. The race will motivate you, and the people of Dandora will be praying for you. Not only our friends in Africa, but we too at St. Monica will be praying for you. I encourage you to make that decision to train now, to race for a bigger cause, and to help us in saving lives.

If this is your year that you will be training for a marathon, reach out to us, we would be happy to have you on Team Monica, Race 4 Veronika's Place. Also, click on the tabs above for training programs for a marathon, half marathon or 5K.

Like the marathon, life can sometimes be difficult, challenging and present obstacles, however if you believe in your dreams and never give up, things will turn out for the best. -Meb Keflezighi

Race for Something

I walked my first marathon in 2001. It was a bit of a fluke. I received a postcard to join Train to End Stroke, a charity marathon program for the American Heart Association. I was 27 and in my first corporate job. I was high stress and had gained 30-40 pounds since college. In fact, because of my family history of heart disease, my doctor recommended I loose weight and adopt a healthy life style before having to be placed on medication that I may have to take for the rest of my life. I saw my parents take handful of pills, and I knew that I did not want that to be my future.

When I joined Train to End Stroke, I actually did not understand the concept of a marathon. I had never heard that anyone had the desire to run 26.2 miles. In fact, I knew I could walk the distance, I just didn't know I was subject to a time limit to finish. During the orientation, I was asked how long would it take me to walk a marathon. I thought, well if I can work for 8 hours, I expect that I can also walk for 8 hours, but if I built in some breaks, perhaps it would take me 10 hours. I was dead serious, however, our coaches thought I was being facetious. My childhood experience in Volksmarches were that walking was casual, for enjoyment, and a family affair. I remember carrying my baby sister in one of those baby backpacks. At the check-points (similar to an aid station during a marathon) we would stamp our book, to verify that we were following the path and have a bratwurst, adults could partake in beer, I would have an orange fanta. There was usually music and other festivities. There was no training for Volksmarches. We just went out for the weekend to nearby towns and joined in on the fun.

Medals from childhood in Germany, as a family, we did Volksmarches,
10k and 20k family friendly hikes. Thus starts my love for medals.

Fast forward 15 years and for my first marathon, I started a 30 week training program starting with a one mile walk and completing with the Kona Marathon. We had participants from all over the country on the Train to End Stroke team. We trained along side stroke survivors, some told that they would never walk again. It was quite inspirational, I told myself that I was young and healthy, and there should be no reason for me not to be able to complete the marathon. I finished my first marathon in under 6 hours. Then I decided to train for a second marathon and run the whole thing, and finished in 4:27. I was hooked on races, but not quite marathons. After the second marathon, my body had a difficult time recovering. Actually, I didn't have a recovery plan. I then signed up for half-marathons, 5Ks, and bike tours. I joined the MS 150 Bike Tour, where one rides their bike over 2 days 100 or 150 miles. In my first year, because I am competitive, I rode 150 miles. I have always enjoyed the energy of a race, but there is nothing to scare me into a 6 month training program quite like a marathon.

When I decided to join Race 4 Veronika's Place, ASICS LA Marathon, I knew I needed a training program. I joined the LA RoadRunners. What a great group.They all have great energy, they're positive, and they are encouraging, especially to first timers. They start out at 3.5 miles and go to 20 miles and have just about every pace group you could ever need. There are 10 running groups, 6 run/walk groups, and 4 walking groups. To find a pace, typically look for a pace that is about a minute slower, because you will be putting on the miles. There are other local training groups, the LA Leggers meet in Santa Monica and typically run south, whereas the RoadRunners run north from Venice. We pass each other on the beach path and you'll hear, morning Leggers, morning RoadRunners.

Please consider joining me with Race 4 Veronika's Place, there are 3 race options. Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 5k, we also have several fundraising options from $250 to $2,500. Whatever you can raise for Veronika's Place will bless the people of Dandora, Nairobi, Kenya. In my next blog post I will talk more about Veronika's Place and why I chose to Race 4 Veronika's Place.

Medals from races completed in US.