(be a part of the team)
(CPT Matt Cavanaugh -Army Athlete of the Year!)
2-18-10
Austin
My thoughts are with anyone directly hurt by the plane/building crash today.
Crazy to drive home and see a building slightly resembling the aftermath from 2001.
But it reminded me of our servicemen and women who work hard to protect us/ and or save us when something like this happens.
So today, I am going to stray away from my fundraiser challenge and put the spotlight on a friend of mine, CPT Matt Cavanaugh. He was my inspiration when I first started my WWP challenge, and has a sweet personality and is dedicated to his work and helping out his wounded comrades. He has raised nearly $45,000 for the WWP and was just named Army Athlete Of The Year! Technically, he's my competition, but I don't view it that way. As we are all raising for the same cause, I am happy to put his blog up, so you can follow an active duty Army Captain reach awesome goals, and donate to his page if you'd like.
I almost convinced him to run the Austin Marathon with me, but he decided on Myrtle Beach (financially easier as he lives out East), but Myrtle was cancelled because it snowed! He has several other races lined up, so check out his schedule, and if you are at one of his races, be sure to cheer him on loudly. Maybe we can convince him to do Austin next year:)
Matt, congratulations, and all the best on the rest of your running and fundraising journey for WWP.
You are the epitome of a great serviceman for our country.
2-17-10
GOAL: 26.2 miles around 4:15 time, raise $26,200 for Wounded Warrior Project
Honestly, I don't know how I am going to do this, but , I felt drawn to this specific marathon and this date. Three 10's, it just seems like a lucky day. We were lucky this past Valentine's Day at the Austin Marathon, as we have raised nearly $13,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project in my brother's memory. I finished my first marathon with a sub 5 hour goal time of 4:33, and now I feel like all the support has given me courage to continue.
I had to sit on this a few days before talking about it because it's a lot of work for a single parent, with limited cash flow, and have to take my Lupus condition into consideration this time around. I was diagnosed last summer, and pretty much didn't run for the better part of the summer as inflammation was at its peak. However, I have never been happier in my life, and I cannot imagine stopping just yet as literally hundreds of supporters have been just as happy as I am to keep Ryan's memory alive.
There were moments I was overwhelmed with this last challenge for the Austin Marathon, but my arms were open to anyone who wanted to help, and that's how it was possible to do what we have done so far.
So, I will adapt to running in the sun with as minimal exposure as possible, and start asking for help immediately.
We had a 12 member running team, plus myself for the Austin Marathon. I would like to recruit another 12 member team. I would like to ask anyone who is running the Chicago Marathon and wants to run with Running For Ryan to contact me at: runningforryan@gmail.com
Ideally, you will produce your own entry fee, and fund your own trip. Myself and another team member from Austin will raise money as well before heading out to Chicago, granted we can fund our trip. That's a separate issue, but I am positive with over 6 months to go, we will make it work.
I would ask that you set a goal of $1,000 to raise individually for the cause. I will provide the uniforms through sponsors just as we did for Austin.
When I first started the challenge for Austin, Gary Brimmer and John and Stacey Conley, and Joey Trimyer didn't wince once at the idea as they were the first to reach out a hand to me. So, I need to take this optimistic attitude into the next challenge and hope that we will all succeed again.
Please let me know as soon as possible if you are game, and we will go from there.
Thanks!
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