After a year off from running due to a bad hip injury (which won’t ever heal…I’ve just been trained to work with it), there was one thing I made very clear as day after day ticked by and I started to get a little stronger, and live with a little less pain.
I wanted to run again for charity.
You might recall, back when I was training for my first marathon, Chicago 2013, I ran for the charity Action For Healthy Kids, a charity that Dean Karnazes works with, that aims to fight childhood obesity, undernourishment, and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can have healthier lives.
To keep true to my promise to myself to once again raise money for a cause, I found a great opportunity to do so…this November.
I have signed up to run the Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge at Disney World this November. You see, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon is one of my favorite Disney races, and despite some rather major changes to the race this year, I was still eager to return to this one (I ran it 2 years ago on a broken toe, LOL!). One of the changes made this year was that they added a 10K race the day before the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. So, on Saturday, November 5, at 5:30 a.m., I will be striking out (in costume!) to run the Disney Wine & Dine 10K course. Then, on Sunday, November 6, at 5:30 a.m. (yep…they moved it to a morning race…which is kind of MEH…but what do you do?), I will be running (in a different costume) the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon.
But the catch is…I’m raising money for a great cause this time!
I chose to run the Lumiere’s Two Course Challenge for Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a charity that also acts as a catalyst for children’s health. As an auntie to 7 (yes…7) nieces and nephews, I know, firsthand, how important it is for children to have a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrition and physical activity. Alliance for a Healthier Generation works with schools, companies, community organizations, healthcare professionals, and families to transform the conditions and systems that lead to healthier kids. After all, childhood obesity is a national epidemic. Nearly 1 in 3 children (ages 2-19) in the United States is overweight or obese, which puts them at risk for serious health problems. If obesity among children continues at the current rate, this generation could become the first in American history to live shorter lives than their parents.
Scary, right?
Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s goal is to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and empower children to develop lifelong, healthy habits.
As someone who has extensively studied nutrition, has my own food allergies to contend with, and is a dedicated home chef, and longtime food & fitness blogger, this charity seemed like a perfect fit for me.
My personal fundraising goal is $1000 (and hopefully beyond!). You can help by making a tax deductible donation to the Alliance. Your financial support will turn my efforts into research and programs to develop healthier opportunities during childhood.
If you can, please follow the link below and help support me in my fundraising efforts. No amount is too small or too big. And I appreciate any help I can get to achieving my fundraising goal.
You can help support me here: http://giving.healthiergeneration.org/site/TR/TeamHealthierGeneration/TeamHealthierGeneration?px=1065517&pg=personal&fr_id=1271
I hope to make everyone proud when I head to Disney World to run in November!
The Celiathlete 