Volley for a Cure: Beach Volleyball Fundraiser for TNT!

We’re just 5 weeks out from the 2013 Chicago Marathon and there’s a lot of work to be done – fundraising & training! A couple weeks ago my running buddy, Erin, and I hosted a successful fundraiser. If you’re looking for summer fundraiser ideas, this is a great option! We invited friends, teammates and coworkers to help us “spike out cancer” in a friendly game of beach volleyball.

Along with the cost to play/spectate, we sold burritos donated by Chipotle, drinks and held a silent auction for gift cards donated by local businesses. What was the most difficult part? Figuring out the player bracket. 

 

Go team!

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Training on the Road.

Good morning Charlotte!

I mentally prepared myself for a long, solo run all week…but It took everything in me to crawl out of the large, comfortable hotel bed at 5 AM. I was prepared though – my favorite chocolate cherry shot bloks, GPS watch and even the gel I use to avoid chaffing 🙂

I ran a few miles in the fitness center on the treadmill until it was light enough outside. Outside the hotel, it was an eerie morning on the streets of Charlotte.

Since I am with a bunch of other Ag Nerds at AgChat 2013, I proudly sported my “Team Dairy” shirt!

I love exploring new roads, but at the same time have to remember to stay cautious. Always check with the hotel front desk to ask about parks, running trails, sidewalks and safe/unsafe areas of the city.

Song: Wake Me Up – Avicii
Recovery: 1% Chocolate Milk

Our Path to the 2013 Chicago Marathon

I’m gearing up to run the Chicago Marathon for the 2^ndyear (after skipping last year). What made me skip a year? It’s a huge commitment. What made me come back? It’s a huge commitment for the best cause and most amazing feeling of accomplishment.

It’s something I cannot explain to anyone unless you join me at 6 AM in the wet grass as a cancer survivor takes the bench to tell her story to a group of scrounge runners. I can’t explain the intense exhaustion you feel while you cross the 6, 10, 16, 20 mile markers; only to hear a supportive crowd of strangers scream your name. And unless you’ve experienced it, I definitely cannot explain the pure emotion you feel crossing the finish line after running 26.2 miles!

Former winner of the Boston Marathon, Amby Burfoot, once said, “Every mile is a gift.” Every second, every minute, every day is a gift and that’s why I’m running for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. We’re an unstoppable purple army out to fight cancer for those we love and those we may not even know.

For more information, visit my page:  http://pages.teamintraining.org/il/chicago13/jvandermolen

Welcome!

I don’t know what came first. Did I choose to run or did running choose me?  Going back to the playground days… I was picked last for kickball, was the first to call outfield and received not one, but two black eyes while standing in line to hit the next softball. Thankfully, I found running. It makes me feel good, provides me competition AND kicks my butt.

I am a runner.  I like the fast pace. I crave uncertainty and challenge. Relaxation is a foreign idea. Never comfortable, I’m always ready for the next adventure.  

You’re running with the fastest girl in town 😉 I invite you to keep up with me! #nationalrunningday