The Vacation Challenge

I am happy to report that I am going on a short vacation for four days to Maine to chill out in a log cabin at the side of a lake. I will manage to keep my training up with some open water swimming and runs around the area – however I do not want to lose my focus. Fund raising has been going extremely well and I would like to ask for your help while I am away.

From now – until noon Tuesday 8/11, I will match all donations made to my online account up to $300.  I truly believe in this cause and know the value of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s support for those facing a blood cancer.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri09/mingram

Please take a moment out of your day to donate to this very worthy cause and double your impact! I challenge you to donate and help raise $300 while I am away from my computer for the next four days.

Thank you for your help!

Matt

Happy Donate Your Status Day!

Hi Everyone!

If you have found yourself here from a friend’s status update please take a moment and donate to a very worthy cause. Any amount, no matter how small can really make a difference in the lives of those affected by these blood diseases.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri09/mingram

With the help of friends I have managed to raise more than 60 percent of the minimum fundraising amount! This is huge, but I still need your help to get me to my goal, $2400. Please donate today and start your week off knowing that you have made a difference!!!

Thank you everyone!

Matt

Ambition takes hold – 3 disciplines, one day

My morning routine is becoming ever more acceptable. I wake up at 5:00 a.m. everyday with ease. (Fun fact: 99.9 percent of readers polled stated that the thought of waking up that early made them tired with a sudden craving for Starbucks.)

And what do you do at 5:00 a.m.?

I attend the Sport & Health gym on N. Kirkwood in Arlington. My gym is quiet and empty at this early hour.

Please don’t get me wrong, I am still tired, but I have enough energy to move. My walk towards the weight room entrance slows as I yield my energy to a pair of on-coming yawns. During this workout I am following my triathlon training guide. I need to do some strength exercises because I forgot to do it on Monday.

I am not done…

I am not done yet. I tell myself that I ran up the stairs to the bank of treadmills. Realistically, I would have given a tortoise an ego boost going up those stairs. I reach my destination. I ran for 30 minutes and covered 2.5 miles. I am done.

I would have welcomed a small rain shower on the way home. I am hot and sweaty.

[Story Intermission: I went to work and I worked. I left work]

I left work too late to join my company softball game. Tyson’s Corner traffic was a pain. (Do you live/work in McLean? How is the traffic treating you?) Plan 2 comes into effect – get home in time for the Conte’s Tuesday night ride.

I get home in time to change and race out the door. I might just make the beginning of the ride. The beginning is the coolest because the Arlington Police Department temporarily blocks off the road for all of the cyclists. We number somewhere close to 60 cyclists.

This is not a typical bike ride. This is my first bike ride wearing clip in shoes with pedals. Did I make it in time for the ride? In short, yes. Did I nearly fall with my bike to the ground trying to unclip and stand up at an intersection? In short, yes. (If you are a cyclist, do you remember your first few times using clip in shoes? How did it go?)

We proceed to Military Road, a natural and uncompromising series of hills. My heart pumps fast and I sweat. I attempt to chat with a few fellow cyclists along the way. I fear my need for oxygen might have hindered what could have been some great conversations. I take my fill of hills and leave to head home.

Ambition takes hold…

I do not relax when I get home. I urge myself to don my swimming trucks. The Washington and Lee High School pool is one block away from my house. I give in to my ambition’s desire to wear myself out for the day. I swim for 30 minutes and do (12) 25 meter laps.

I still need to work on my breathing technique, but I think I have improved. I will see how Thursday morning’s swim practice goes before making any solid claims about improvements.

A welcoming sofa…

The short walk home is quickly followed by a shower and dinner. I have accomplished workouts in all three disciplines. I am not exhausted, buy my body is in need of rest. I relax on the sofa for a while to go over my accomplishments and watch the news.

I think this whole triathlon thing will be fun and most importantly achievable.

Thanks for reading.

Matt

Whether you are family, friends or a random person that found my blog, please help my cause and sponsor me in the Nation’s Triathlon: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri09/mingram

Every tax-deductible dollar you donate will help the life of someone in need.

Update: 2008 National Memory Walk

Here is an update on my attempt to help Fight Alzheimer’s disease.

I signed up to participate in Booz Allen’s team for the annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk on July 30, 2008. Read my first post about it [Here].

Since I signed up to help out with this walk taking place on October 18, 2008 I’ve raised $95 so far. Woot!!! If you read my original post, I was only looking to raise $50 and I was going to match that $50 for a total of $100. Now with the generosity of one family in particular I am going to walk in honor of their family member…lol I still need to write a thank you letter to the family for their generous support. With my donations included, I’ve helped raise $145. Thank you!

To be honest I never knew Alzheimer’s had touched the lives of many of my friends until I started asking for donations. I’m sure if you asked some of your friends, you might see how it has impacted their lives. If you’re able, please donate $5 to the cause of Alzheimer’s research. This is a disease that will impact those we know. Even if you happen upon this blog from a random search on the Internet, please consider helping this worthy cause. To offer a donation of any size, please click here for my personal page: Matt’s Page

Thanks all.

Matt