$3 Triathlon Thursday - donate $3 at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7 for charity #IronmanChattanooga #triathlon #Charity

Alright people, it's time to start stepping up the fundraising efforts for Ironman Chattanooga. Starting with $3 for Triathlon Thursday! Hit my fundrazr page - https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7 - and donate $3 for Triathlon Thursday.

Help support Ride to Give and Mended Little Hearts as I train for Ironman attempt 2 for the year. As most of you know, I faltered at Ironman Texas and have a renewed sense of focus and cutting out some of the "frivolous" stuff in life that really doesn't matter... no, that's not the wife and kids. ;) I'm spending less time on anything other than family/friends, work and training. Those come first and anything else is a distance 4th. I shorted myself for Texas and it's not going to happen again.

What that also means is I need more support on the fundraising side so I can focus more on training and less on trying to squeeze donations from people. The more you donate, the more I can set myself up for success at Chattanooga! Thanks!

April 2014 Xterra #Wetsuit sale - Vortex Fullsuit and the Running Hat - Use code "C-STPM" #Triathlon #swimming

Our great www.Tri4aHandUp.com partner, Xterra wetsuits, is having a sale on the Vortex Fullsuit and Running Hat!

Until April 30, they are running an amazing deal on the Vortex Fullsuit for the Golden Price of $169. Standard retail pricing is $424.

Check out the deals below and hit www.xterrawetsuits.com and use code "C-STPM" at checkout to get the best price!

Thanks for the support!

 

www.Tri4aHandUp.com #GIVEAWAY No. 1 for 2014 Results

The first week giveaway results for ReInfinitize recovery formula.

After tracking the donations, there was no need for a drawing for week 1 as there were only 2 entries and it was the same person.  Congrats!  Easy win!  Enjoy your Evolution Solution!

Hopefully next week's raffle draws a little more interest.  ;)

And now, we return to lovely spring weather in Kansas City.  April 14, 30's and snowing.  Yeah.  Time to turn on the ole sprinkler system... or not.

www.Tri4aHandUp.com #GIVEAWAY No. 1 for 2014! Evolution Solution ReFinitize Endurance Recovery Formula

It's time... time to give some stuff away!

So those that have followed this blog, you have noticed I do a fair share of product reviews.  Some are great, some are good, some are so-so and some don't happen since the product didn't work out for one reason or another.

Well, those people that have sent me the products are on board with helping me reach my fundraising goals for Ironman Texas ($1500 goal), Ironman 70.3 ($600 goal) Kansas and Ironman Chattanooga ($5000 goal).   Check out last week's post for the update on the numbers.  It's coming along, but we need more!  This is all a part of my master www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising scheme for 2014.

I have a shelf in the basement full of stuff to give away to my readers, followers, fans and supporters.  I'm taking a huge leap of faith setting up online raffles will result in contributions and not be a bust for the great people that sent me products.

This week kicks off a giveaway hopefully EVERY WEEK!  That does require me to get some reviews done asap to review the product before giving away the extra.

How do you get in?

Each giveaway entry is counted by a contribution to one of the fundraising pages.  Each giveaway will have a unique amount to donate so I can keep track of what's an entry and what's a regular donation.  I get emails from each page when someone contributes, so they all get counted.  You can enter as many times as you want.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2

How do you win?

I will number each entry and hit random.org to randomly generate a winner. I will keep generating numbers until someone gets 3 hits and then they win!

How do you get your prize?

Pay attention to this blog and the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Tri4aHandUp.  Winners will be announced and I will have you email me your address for shipping.

Who is eligible?

Anyone in North America.  No overseas shipping UNLESS you are in the armed services and you have a North American shipping address that ships items to you.

What's up for grabs this week?

Evolution Solution ReFinitize Triple Chocolate Explosion Endurance Recovery Formula, 3.59 pound serving, expires 11/14

Check out my reviews:
Examiner.com
Blog
EverymanTri.com

In recognition of LA Marathon a few weeks ago, entry will be $2.62 at either site.  Enter as many times as you want!  Entry closes 11:59pm central time on Saturday, April 12.

You can contribute to either page:
http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2

March 2014 www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising update #IronmanTriathlon #IMTX #IMChoo #Triathlon

2 months-ish out from Ironman Texas.

There has been way too much indoor training this winter.  Due to choosing some major spring events like the LA Marathon and IM Texas Triathlon, I have spent a lot more time on treadmills and bike trainers than I ever have before.  It's been bonding time with the indoors.  Yuck.

Nice trick on March 23rd Old Man Winter, jerk.

Lets not forget about my Tri 4 a Hand Up Movement which was the major instagator for multiple Ironman Triathlons in 2014.

Pairing IM Texas with IM Choo for Mended Little Hearts and Ride to Give is all a part of my master www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising scheme.

I thought I'd give you an update of where we are at.

Here's a handy slide showing where we are for each event and overall.

As you can see,with 2 months to go, we have a lofty goal of $1500 with IM Texas and have $646 raised to date. Good, but we still have a long way to go!  Feel free to drop a buck or two off at http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX.  I know you want to.  ;)

IM Choo is doing a little better and we have until September to make that happen.  You can check out that campaign and contribute at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2.

We also have help coming on from the Xterra sales using code "C-STPM", so thank you to all that have used that code to get a discount and contribute back to T4AHU.

Also stay tuned for an AWESOME online raffle of sweet gifts that SEVERAL companies that I have reviewed products for have contributed, free of charge.  If you know of a quality method to run an online charity raffle, please drop me a comment and we can get that going!

Thanks for ready and have a good week!

You never know who you will meet traveling to races #BetterYourBest #LAMarathon @LAMarathon

So, I'm still flying high off the dream that was the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon...

I cramped at mile 22, and didn't get the time I had hoped, but it was awesome.  Still geeking out about it.

But, I wanted to write up a post about Claire Phillips.  ASICS pro athlete?  Nope.  Elite runner?  Nope.  Triathlete, not to my knowledge.

Photo from cjonline.com

At first it was a casual conversation at 6:30am on our flight to LA the Friday before the race.  She asked if I was headed to the marathon and we chatted about the excitement that awaited and her mission for the race.

She began her marathon career in 1999 at an event held at Disney World in which she raised funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She ran in the same marathon again two years later.  She has also ran in Oklahoma City and few other local Midwest events.

After reading a December story in The Topeka Capital-Journal about Breakthrough House’s Clubhouse impending transition from operating five days a week to four days a week, she wanted to help.  She resolved to run the 2014 LA Marathon for charity to keep the Clubhouse open 5 days a week.

Per the Capital-Journal, the Breakthrough House, which provides a range of mental health recovery services to its clients, sustained $350,000 in cuts during the past three years.

Claire's goal pace was 12:30 to 13:00 minutes per mile and she finished in 6:31:11, good for a 14:56 per mile pace.  But, as my personal race recap went, a lot of people had to adjust their goals this year at the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon.  It was a hot day by the end of the race.

Last I heard, she had raised $3000 to $4000 for the Breakthrough House, and they are still taking donations.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Phillips to help fund the Clubhouse may do so by pledging an amount per mile or giving a block donation. Donations can be made by check to Breakthrough House, calling the agency at (785) 232-6807, or visiting breakthroughhouse.org and designating “LA Marathon.”

All donations made in conjunction with Phillips’ fundraising effort are being designated specifically for the Clubhouse, which offers opportunities for those recovering from mental illness to participate in support groups, job training and social activities that give them opportunities to be involved in the community.

Ironman Texas training t-shirt fundraiser results #Ironman #Triathlon #IMTexas

Thanks to all that purchased a shirt!

Part of fundraising for Ironman Texas and www.Tri4aHandUp.com was a Booster campaign for a training shirt printed up by CustomInk.com.  Booster.com was awesome as you create the design, get at least 20 shirt orders, and they will print them up and ship them if you selected that option.

For every shirt sold, they contribute part of the order to you or your charity.  You can select the price for each shirt based on the baseline price for cost of printing and then adjust for the price you want to offer the shirt for.  I went for $19 plus each buyer pays their own shipping.

We needed 20 shirts ordered to print, and we got 26 shirts sold!  (Although Ironman Chattanooga netted 32 shirts) That will result in over $138 going to the charities!  Sweet!  I selected slimmer margins and hoped for a higher quantity of orders and not drive people off with too high of a price.

Stay tuned for a few more campaigns as I have a few ideas for other events and some fun generic triathlon shirts.

Again, thanks to all that made an order!

www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising update #IronmanTriathlon #IMTX #IMChoo #Triathlon #BetterYourBest #LegionOfBoom @1stPhorm

So here we are, a couple months out from the start...

The start of triathlon season used to be an Olympic race around Kansas City leading up to Ironman 70.3 Kansas, but this year we plow head long into Ironman Texas in May.

Why a spring event where all my training is mostly indoors in a Kansas cold winter?  I'm not sure.  Maybe I'm crazy, but it's all for a good reason.

Pairing IM Texas with IM Choo for Mended Little Hearts and Ride to Give is all a part of my master www.Tri4aHandUp.com fundraising scheme.

Where are we at?  Glad you asked.

Here's a handy slide showing where we are for each event and overall.

As you can see,with 3 months to go, we have a lofty goal of $1500 with IM Texas and only at $138 (thanks to those that bought Booster t-shirts).  We have a long way to go!  Feel free to drop a buck or two off at http://www.active.com/donate/kickstartyourheart/T4AHUIMTX.  I know you want to.  ;)

IM Choo is doing a little better and we have until September to make that happen.  You can check out that campaign and contribute at https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/6b2s7/ab/61quY2.

We also have help coming on from the Xterra sales using code "C-SETTHEPACE", so thank you to all that have used that code to get a discount and contribute back to T4AHU.

Also stay tuned for an AWESOME online raffle of sweet gifts that SEVERAL companies that I have reviewed products for have contributed, free of charge.  If you know of a quality method to run an online charity raffle, please drop me a comment and we can get that going!

Thanks for ready and have a good week!

Training for a marathon, REAL training this time! #LAMarathon #betteryourbest #ASICS #Tri4aHandUp

So ya, I've ran 5 marathons in various forms - traveling, one 3 weeks after an Ironman, 2 within 3 weeks of each other... and so on...

... but besides my first marathon (first real long distance endurance event in 2005), I have never really trained with a true plan.  Coming of long course triathlons, I had the base and I needed to recover more than add miles on.  So, I'd recover for a week, get the volume up, maybe work on a little speed, and run a marathon.  It worked for what my goal was, to finish.  But the LA Marathon is a different beast.  Since I have a lofty goal of BQ'ing, I need to follow the plan.

I'm mixing in cycling, swimming and strength work when it makes sense, but making sure the run workouts happen when they are supposed to.  I shifted the week to fit my schedule, but the workouts stay in the order scheduled and I'm only differing from the plan by 5 days.

But, why is the of any interest?  Well, you tend to run more miles on a real plan.  Two weeks ago was 42 miles and last week was around 33.  Usually I'm around 20 to 25 miles a week and maybe get around 35 with Ironman training.  Definitely upping the miles and it's been an adjustment to that much running.  There's a strong need for proper recovery and having some good shoes (cough cough LOVE MY ASICS!)

What's also interesting is the deep freeze we had along with the entire country.  Stupid polar vortex.  I'm all about enduring the elements, but I draw the line at 5 degrees for a high and dealing with sinus infections.  It's a marathon, not a sprint.  I can suffer on the dreadmill in order to stay healthy and not wipe out on ice on the sidewalks.

Which leads me to my most depressing stat of this marathon training... last week all 33 miles was on a treadmill.  Barf.  And this week was the "easy run" recovery week.  Just run 45 minutes, 80 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.  No drills, no change up, just me an the mundane whirl of the treadmill belt.  Barf.  Can you tell I'm not a huge fan?  I like to mix in sprints or hill routines on the treadmill, but not for ALL of my runs for 33 miles in a week.  LA Marathon, I hope this shows you how much I love you!

I'm also trying to visualize the warm 60 to 70 degree days ahead in LA for my 26.2 instead of 5 to 25 degrees and snow here in Kansas City...

2014 Ironman Texas training shirt for charity #Triathlon #IronmanTexas #Tri4aHandUp

So, I've put my creative genius to work and here's a second Booster shirt...

I wanted to make another shirt for the events to capture the spirit of Ironman and to also give back to the www.Tri4aHandUp.com charities.  That's where I came up with this second design:

Shirt comes in red or orange.

The www.140PointSix.com is my brainchild... and the spirit behind the shirt.  It's more of a frame of mind for Ironman triathletes that are obsessed with the event and distance.  It's for those that "get it" why we do this to ourselves over and over.  It's not really normal, but for the crazies, it's a way of life.  Ps - the website will have more to it as time goes on.

I heard about Booster from a fellow IM racer training for Texas.  She's raising funds also for charity and you can read more about her efforts on her Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/youareanironman

So, the skinny is the site is run by Booster.com which is a CustomInk.com run site.  We have to have a pre-order of at least 20 shirts by 1/30/14.  If we do not make it, the orders are refunded and the shirts are not printed.  If we get over 20, the shirts will be printed by the end date and everyone is happy!

Spread the word.  Like and share the site on Facebook, twitter, wherever!

https://www.booster.com/tri4ahanduptexas

Thanks!