Boston Application

  Today, I received my official Boston Marathon registration form from the BAA.  It’s really cool, as it comes from the Boston Mayor’s office.  There are some cool things about the registration.

  First, it’s an invitation to participate.  I realize that I didn’t qualify, and that I never could if I had to, but still, it’s an invitation.  The field is limited to 25,000 runners.  That’s right, 25 Grand.  That’s a heck of a lot of people.  I wonder how in the world Hopkinton handles that many people in a small town. 

  The application also states that numbers are assigned based on the date their application is received.  I’m hoping that Amye gets her application in soon so we get into the same corral.  If not, I guess we’ll just start in the 10:30 corral together.  The application also states that they suggest that all invitational entries be returned as soon as possible.  I guess there is a possibility of it filling up before we can get in.  So, I’ll have to return it soon. I’ll probably mail it on Thursday.

  The application also comes with a compliments card from the Mayor of Boston, Mayor Thomas M. Menino.  Pretty cool.

  The only unexpected item was that I still have to pay the $200 registration fee.  For the Pig, it’s only $75 and I don’t have to pay it.  The CFF pays it.  Oh, well, I guess I’ll just add that to my expenses for the marathon.  Since I’m paying them, I guess it doesn’t really matter.

  On the fund raising front, I’m up to $510 for the MGH fund and about $255 for CFF.  My MGH fund more than doubled today, let’s hope that continues.  However, I’m still in need of donations.  If you’d like to sponsor me, please click one of the buttons below.

                     

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I Need Sponsors

  Well, my $10 plan is just starting, but it’s been far from perfect so far.  I need more donors, and I’ve taken a few steps to help get those.  I’ve asked several friends to send my fund raising email to all of their friends and family.  That includes my pulmonologist, I’m hoping she sends it to colleagues across the country.

  I also plan to include the widgets on the right of my blog in my posts.  If you’re reading this, I’d appreciate it if you’d sponsor me.  You can click either of the widgets below to sponsor me.  More later.  Thanks to everyone that has sponsored me so far!
                

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The Fund Raising Begins

  I finally received my packet for the MassGeneral fund raising today.  So, I guess at this point I’m in full training mode: running and fund raising.  If you are reading this you either know me, stumbled onto my blog, or are one of  the three regular readers of my blog.

  Between yesterday and today I’ve sent out about 60 fund raising emails.  Some to friends, some to acquaintances, and some to my friends at work.  If you work with me, do me a favor, don’t turn me in.  I don’t need to get fired for trying to help people. 

  My training is going well so far.  I’m up to about 50 miles for January.  I’ll probably run another 5-6 miles at lunch tomorrow, depending on the temperature.  I think the low is going to be zero.  It’s amazing what good running gear will do for you.

  I really hope my fund raising plan works as expected.  Asking 400 people for $10 sounds easy, let me tell you it’s not.  I’m only up to about 260 people.  I’m sending them out in batches so I can balance which group gets money based on response.  I’m committed to raising $3000 for MassGeneral and $1000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  I’m asking for $10 from each person, but hoping that most give more.  It would be nice to get the fund raising done so I can focus on the training.

  If you just stumbled onto my site, I’d like to ask for your help too.  Please visit either of the links below to donate to either MassGeneral or the CF Foundation.

• MGH Fund Raising Site: http://www.firstgiving.com/MarkBuschle
• CFF Fund Raising Site: http://www.cff.org/LWC/MarkBuschle10282

  Also, I’d appreciate it if you could forward my sites to friends, family, or anyone that has a connection to Cystic Fibrosis.  Running one marathon is difficult, running two in three weeks is crazy.  I’m doing two with a chronic lung disease.  I would really appreciate any help you can give me!

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Team For Life: 2009

  The day is finally here.  Tomorrow is the first official day of training for Team for Life 2009.  We are all training for a form of the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon.  The marathon is on May 3rd, and it will be my third.  My second marathon will be the 113th Boston Marathon.  Yes, I’m crazy and I know it. 

  I’m really looking forward to seeing all my friends again.  I’m getting tired of running alone, running in my city, and running at 5:15 AM.  Last week was a 12 mile long run.  This week is a cut back week, so I’ll only run 10.  Next weekend I’ll run 14 miles.  Now, this is all assuming that we actually get to run tomorrow.  There is a winter weather advisory for tomorrow.  They are calling for rain, sleet, and freezing rain.  I don’t mind if it’s sleet.  Rain or freezing rain will suck.

  The team has between 50 and 60 runners this year.  That means at least $40,000 – $60,000 for the CF Foundation.  Since the team started 8 years ago, we’ve raised over $350,000.  That’s pretty impressive considering it’s been 50 or so people max per year.  This year we have more than 30 returning members.  Again, that’s pretty impressive.

  I think the biggest cudo to our coach, Mr. Wayne A. Wheeler, is that we’ve had 27 Boston qualifiers.  Just a quick note about Wayne.  Coach will turn 70 a few days after the Flying Pig.  He’s run 20 marathons, including two under 3 hours.  He has run Boston three times previously, in his 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.  His play is to run it again next year, when he turns 70.  By the way, all of his marathons have been under 4 hours.  Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.

  The other half of my training is the fund raising.  I need to raise $900 for the Flying Pig.  That money goes to the CF Foundation.  I also need to raise $3000 for Mass General Hospital’s CF program.  I really need to get started on it, but I don’t have a web site for MGH.  I really hope to get it soon.

  So, let the training begin!

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Just Plain Stupid

  I’m stupid!  An idiot!  I ran a 12 mile long run yesterday with my coach and Victoria, both of whom are faster than I am.  Between the two of the they were half stepping me the entire way.  It’s not their fault, it’s mine.  I should know better than to run with people that are faster than me. 

  Well, stupid me, I stuck with them.  We averaged a 10:15 pace, but that’s only because I slowed them down a few times to take salt and drink.  If I hadn’t, we would have been right at a 10:00 or faster.  It’s not that I can’t go that fast, it’s that I’m not ready to do it yet.  So now I’ve injured my left IT Band.  I’ve been saying for a while that pushing too hard too fast will cause injury lately.  Turns out that I was right.  What a _______ Moron! 

  Between the injury and the Boston mess I feel like things are just falling apart.  I don’t think I can run with Victoria anymore.  She’s worked on getting faster, and she has.  But, I’m tired of being half stepped and having to slow her down.  All of the communication for Boston has broken down.  Other than knowing that I’m on the team, I have noother information, which bugs me.  I can’t start fund raising for Boston since I don’t have my website.  I can start for the CFF, which I’ll probably do this week.  ARGH!!!!!

  So, I tried to get in touch with Amye to get her expert opinion on fixing an IT Band.  I guess she’s busy as I didn’t get a reply.  I’ll probably go get a foam roller and just get to work on it.  I don’t know that there is much else to do.  Maybe I’ll get to the gym and do the elliptical today, no impact and still gets me aerobic activity.  Team for Life 2009 starts on Saturday.  I’m thinking I’m going to get there early and start before everyone else.  I’ll be slow and won’t have to worry about trying to keep up with anyone.  They’ll probably catch me and pass me anyway, so that will at least let them know that I’m there.

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