Runin MCM

National Marathon and Half 2010

2010-03-21T12:01:00.001-07:00

Runin MCM 2009

2009-11-09T23:11:00.000-08:00

Back on My Feet, the non-profit organization that uses running as a vehicle to promote the sufficiency of Philadelphia and Baltimore's homeless population has a lot of commonalities with RUNIN, this social media site.

Reflecting on Relationships

Reflection starts with oneself but does not stop there—it is looking at the surface as well as probing deeper beyond. It is about understanding your abilities and capabilities as well as being open about your mistakes and your shortcomings. When looking inward during theprocess of reflection, the point is to figure out where one stands in relation to the world. In order for these lessons to be valuable, we must consider those around us, and we should be open to share as well as learn from others.

Reflecting on Relationships is about seeing the interconnectedness of many things. This principle is about realizing that many things in life are truly connected-- the situations, events, and decisions of today be synched and in balance and this health-work-life continuum has a direct impact on our future. Reflection can also mean spirituality -- your daily quest to prepare your mind and body for inspiration and enlightenment. As you observe your reflection, other images will emerge—those of the lives around you.

Personally, I am a lumper and not a clumper. To lump is to put things in individual boxes, compartmentalize and then relegate core elements in life to labels and stereotypes. In contrast, to clump is to remove walls, to appreciate the value of "one village" and to change the integrity of the things that are being brought together.

Understanding and Uniting

Another important value is to understand the world and the community around you. First we should try to understand others before trying to be understood. When visiting a tenant, it is important to not just collect rent or to check on the property, but to get to know them and learn about their community through the stories they have to tell. We listen, we understand, we learn, we UNITE.

Negotiating and Number Checking

In life, whatever hand you’re dealt is the hand that you have to play. However don't just submit it's worth to face value -- find it's true value and then negotiate it with other players. Before acting you should weigh every option. It makes it more difficult but in return, you get more out of life. I don’t like hearing people say we should do something a certain way because it has always been that way. In Runin’s approach, there are no set ways to approach a problem all the time – one size does not fit all, and life is too important to not try on another suit.

A decision should be made through negotiation but the numbers also need to be checked, refined and considered. Numbers is not just for balance sheets. It also connotes time, number of calories expended, distance to travel, etc.

If your numbers are not balanced, then your plans may fall into rocks.

Inspiring to Innovate

Innovation is not just about machines, technology and hardware. It is about people, ideas and software. Innovation is about sharing and tapping into people’s ideas -- a process we know today as Social Media. If people are using the internet in the same way that they were a few years ago, then they are behind the power curve. Web 2.0 means that the internet as an efficiency tool has drastically improved and we are just in the early stages. Social media is about leveraging people’s ideasand sharing it freely and instantaneously across the world.

Navigating

Onboard a ship, When you’re navigating, you are taking regular fixes to try and determine where you are. In life, people are not on a fixed course. Part of navigating is being OK with changing your course even if it means turning 180 degrees. There are times when you will realize that you are going in the wrong direction; it is OK to turn around as long as you don’t run aground and incur any permanent, significant damages.

Runin with Monica Mile 4

2009-11-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

A Sister Runs to Remember

2009-11-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Lubbock, Texas, Monica Velez looked out for her two brothers, Jose and Andrew.

Acting as a surrogate Mom, the three siblings ran with their Dad who ran almost daily around their rural community in Lubbock, Texas. Running was their passion and what bound the four together.

Photo courtesy of Deborah Cannon, AMERICAN-STATESMAN

In Nov 2004, Cpl Jose "Freddy" Velez was killed by a sniper's bullet in Fallujah. His brother Spc. Andrew Velez who was serving in southern Iraq, identified Freddy's body and accompanied him home..

After Andrew arrived in Afghanistan in 2006, he killed himself with a machine gun.

In a period of 18 months, Monica had lost her two brothers who she had loved and admired so much.

There's never a difficult or challenging time that she doesn't think of them. And today during the Marathon, she will remember and appreciate their sacrifices they made for their country.

Monica wants to raise awareness on the plight of those who have lost a sibling, what some call "disenfranchised grief."

Thanks to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Monica has been able to not only get counseling from the VA, but has also been able to go online to reach out and share with TAPS's large network of siblings.

Runin Back on My Feet

2009-11-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure to meet Anne Mahlum, Lauren Williams, Autumn Campbell and the wonderful staff during the Back on My Feet inaugural social at the Union Pub on Thursday.

During the run, I had the fortune of running into Maria de la Torre and Rick Amernick of DC Capital Striders. They spoke to me about the great features of this inspirational and purposeful program. Back on My Feet encourages everyone to run together and accomplish their goals, regardless of their race, education or socioeconomic status.

Back on My Feet gives the homeless a second chance to regain control of their lives. The program's mission also exemplifies several of Runin DC's core values. The first of these is "reflecting on relationships" or seeing how we are all connected. Back on My Feet is not a handout; it is about partnerships and seeing ourselves in others. While running and training, the homeless and the trainers support and challenge each other to strive higher.

Back on My Feet is also about "understanding" or empathizing with people--no matter how different they may appear at first glance.

The neat thing about running is that it is a great equalizer. When we're running hard up a hill, it doesn't matter what socioeconomic status you come from. You are working extremely hard -- rich, middle class, or poor -- all of us have to climb the same hill.

The next value is "negotiation," which is exemplified by Back on My Feet's emphasis on goal setting. Participants of the program--both trainers and homeless runners--make a commitment to themselves and each other. This is an especially meaningful decision for the runners, who examine their current lot in life and ultimately know that they can do better.

Their response is to commit to running a few miles each day as early as 6am. The "innovation" value is illustrated in the uniqueness of the idea itself. Back on My Feet shows that love for humankind and strength of spirit has endless applications.

Finally, RUNIN is about "Navigation." Likewise Back on My Feet will help the homeless strive to finish the run, train for the next race and aspire to get back on their feet and become both customers and contributors to this great social running continuum.

Marine Corps Marathon Crystal City Run

2009-11-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

Runin to Help the Homeless

2009-10-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Georgetown Aid Station

2009-10-28T20:44:00.000-07:00

(From Tammymassie.blogspot.com)

"The first mile flew by and pretty soon we were climbing another hill. During this mile a very nice gentleman came up to us and interviewed us on his camera. I believe a youtube interview may be online at www.runindc.com at some point.

It was pretty cool to be interviewed and lots of fun to meet another runner who had a very similar attitude to running as I do--it's all about having fun and meeting people!

Running along we passed by the Georgetown University Band who were playing fight songs enthusiastically. And I even got a picture of myself with the Georgetown Mascot while Imelda ran on ahead.

Just past Georgetown University we continued along the canal and split off from the out and back and entered the loop. The C&O Canal is very pretty and this section is very flat. But alas during the first 8 miles of the course, there are a smattering of hills, so this flat section did not last too long. But this hill at the turnaround provided a much needed walk break. So we walked up it with purpose.

After reaching the top of the hill I mentioned to Imelda up ahead on the left there would be screwdrivers, mimosa's and bloody marys. Some of the runners behind us were excited to hear this but were incredulous and suggested they thought only mile 20 had adult beverages. I indicated that at least last year, there were folks out with very yummy drinks and treats and hoped this year they would continue this tradition. In just a few moments we arrived at the Georgetown "Rogue Aid Station". Imelda grabbed a Mimosa while I got a picture with me and a bottle of champagne. Life was good!

I LOVE the Georgetown portion of this race. The fans are so sweet providing all sorts of tasty treats and drinks. You can see my dilemma when having to decide between a bottle of champagne or my hawaiian themed water bottle.

Since I have a 100 miler next week, I elected to stick with water and gatorade, but it might have been more fun with a little bubbly!

Here is Imelda and I with another cute dog along the course, the Georgetown Bulldog. He was really huge and very sweet as well.

We actually had two poses with this doggie, one just standing there, then we decided to strike a runners pose, which he was happy to do!

First Marathon and 100 More

2009-10-28T20:43:00.000-07:00

MCM Miles of Hope

2009-10-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

Rookie 70-Year-Old Marathoner

2009-10-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

RUNIN MCM

2009-10-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

Team Travis

2009-10-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Travis Manion "Brave Kid with a Big Heart"

2009-10-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Carrie Prendergast has never met Travis Manion, the ambitious Marine 1st. Lt. who was killed by enemy sniper fire in the Al Anbar province of Iraq on April 29, 2007. But she shares several common attributes. A former Marine, who comes from the same hometown of Doylestown, PA., Carrie also believes strongly in the core leadership principles of Courage, Loyalty and Integrity.

Travis graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2004 and finished at the top of his class in Quantico. As part of 1 Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Pendleton, Calif., Travis deployed to Iraq in 2005.

Shortly after returning home, Travis was selected to become part of a military transition team that would be attached to an Iraqi Army Battalion in Fallujah.

The following excerpt is attributed to Travis' Hero Card:

"Manion and his fellow Marines labored diligently to change the outcome in Fallujah, building a brotherhood with the Iraqi Army units and setting the example with strong leadership.

He and his fellow Marines aggressively took the battle to the enemy on multiple missions while mentoring their Iraqi counterparts. On March 19, 2007, his vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device. Though disoriented from the attack, Manion checked for secondary devices, and then led the pursuit to the triggerman. Once identified, he personally apprehended the suspect. On March 27, 2007, he exposed himself to enemy small arms fire on multiple occasions in order to physically position and direct the return fires of his Iraqi soldiers during a complex enemy attack. On March 28, he immediately responded to a suicide vehicle-borne IED attack on the Iraqi Barracks at the Fallujah Government Center. Despite ongoing enemy small arms fire, indirect fire, two suicide vest attacks, a second suicide-vehicle-borne IED, and the heavy presence of chlorine gas, he repeatedly endangered himself by entering the damage barracks to remove casualties, and then by positioning and directing the fires of Iraqi soldiers on the rooftop of the Government Center.

Manion and his fellow Marines fought courageously to change the tide in this critical battle ground. As a result of their efforts, Al Anbar Province is now recognized as one of the more significant successes of the surge in Iraq.

On April 29, 2007 during his final patrol mission, Manion made the ultimate sacrifice.

His patrol was concluding a search of a suspected insurgent house when it came under precision small arms fire attack. With the corpsman seriously wounded by enemy fire and the attack developing in to a full-scale ambush, Manion and a fellow Marine exposed themselves to increasing fire to pull the corpsman out of the kill zone.

After recovering the corpsman and administering first aid, Manion led his patrol in a counter attack personally eliminating an enemy position. As he continued to direct the patrol, another Marine was wounded. He again moved across the kill zone, under fire by five insurgents, to recover the wounded Marine. Iraqi Army reinforcements were halted by an IED and were unable to advance on the flank of the insurgents, leaving Manion and his patrol to take fire from three sides.

While fearlessly exposing himself to gain a more advantageous firing position and drawing enemy fire away from the wounded Marines, Manion was fatally wounded by an enemy sniper.

His courageous and deliberate actions inspired the eventual counter attack and ultimately saved the lives of every member of his patrol, according to his medal citation.

“He wouldn’t put anyone in a situation he would not be in himself first,” said David Borek, his brother-in-law and close friend.

Manion was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and the Silver Star for his heroic actions in Iraq.

As a true testament to how much Manion was admired, the Iraqis named their new headquarters Combat Outpost Manion in honor of him.

Keeping the spirit of his selfless nature alive, The Travis Manion Foundation was created and continues his mission to assist the families of Fallen Heroes and wounded veterans, according to Janet Manion, his mother and executive director of the foundation.

“He was a kid with a big heart, never had a bad word for anyone,” said Tom Manion, his father. “He was all heart; that is who he was.”

Excerpts from articles by Gary Weckselblatt, Bucks County Courier Times, Nov. 29, 2008; by Kenneth Harbaugh with MissionContinues.org; and The North Shore Journal.