P.S.

We're still awaiting some last minute donations, but our Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation fundraising total will most certainly top $4,000 this time around. THANK YOU, EVERYONE for your generous support! None of this - not the training, not the racing, not the fundraising- would be possible without you.

I'd also like to point out that this brings the grand total to more than $20,000 over the past 3 years. Impressive. Impressive that we have such a fabulous network of supporters who believe in us and who believe in the mission of the Reeve Foundation. As Christopher Reeve once said, “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. They are the real heroes, and so are the families and friends who have stood by them."

P.P.S. There's still time to make your donation!

Running Rocks

Remember Erin, AKA Lady Southpaw, who put together an amazing running song and video a couple months back? Of course you do, but just in case you forgot:


I'm very happy to report that Lady Southpaw has been hard at work on new songs, a new blog, and an updated website!

Using vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, computer beats, keyboard synthesizers, harmonica, accordion and a baglama, yes, a baglama, Erin has written 6 new songs specifically designed for running! How so? Well, they are based on research about music and the brain, flow and "the zone," and the mind-body connection. Pretty freakin' cool. You can find out more on her blog, Running Rocks.

I say Lady Southpaw rocks.

Reeve Foundation Awesomeness

Blogger suckiness...I can't get this picture any larger. So, I'll translate in case the type is as small on your computer as it is on mine:

It says "You" at the bottom and "The Subway" at the top of the Great Wall of China. Then it says, "When you understand how hard it is, giving is easy. Give today at www.ChristopherReeve.org."

Here is the whole article from the NY Times about the Reeve Foundation's new and very first ad campaign that was developed pro bono by the Omnicom Group.

I love.

MYC MARATHON!!!

Ok, I give up on the official photos. I ordered the download, and I don't what's taking so long. You can view them here.

Now, let's get started. Overall, on a scale of 1 - 10, I'd give Marathon Day a 22! SO FUN! SO EXCITING! SO INSPIRING! Here is a little video documentation of it all:



Of course you'll want to watch the whole video, but in case want to skip around a little, you'll find me at 1:22, 1:55, and 3:44 (you'll also see me running my mouth in the background while someone else is being interviewed at 3:35).

Together, we raised over $8,200 for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (slightly short of my goal, but with this economy, what can ya do?)! Amazing. I knew whatever happened on race day, I'd be wearing my Team Reeve shirt with my head held high and my heart full of gratitude for all your help and encouragement.

The running part was pretty much the icing on the cake - and faster than I expected! I had been using a pace band for 4:14, but I threw it out at mile 20, turned it up, and finished in 4:06. An 8 minute PR!!! My first ever marathon PR (aside from my first ever marathon). The only downside is that the course is so fun and so filled with energy that the thought did cross my mind to slow down and make it all last longer. And I would like to point out that Brooklyn is, by far, the best borough. Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene was so full of energy and love, it brought me to tears!

There were so many other moments and such that I want to write about, but I'm having trouble organizing it all. So here is a random list:

• My mom came to see me run! She was an excellent cheerer, especially on 4th Ave. I sent her to mile 25.5 on Central Park South too, but she was kickin back on some bleachers when I ran by. Hehe.
• Someone came up to me on 4th Ave, and told me he was running for his friend who is quadriplegic. We wished each other luck. I hope that guy had a good race!
• Christina G., Cathy, Luis and I met up with Margaret at the start. It was really freakin cold. I was also really freakin good to see Margaret (who moved to Minneapolis recently).
• Christina G. and I did a little minute loosen up run the day before the race. We also took pre-race portraits with Sister (I haven't seen them yet though!!)
• Speaking of Christina G. - you should read her blog post. Much more organized and detailed!
• Robert also has a good race recap!
• Running over the lower level of the Verrazano isn't as scenic as the upper level, but it's ok. I had my turn for the upper level last year.
• Luis had a tough race - major knee difficulty. I tried to convince him that a couple advil will not kill him!
• I beat Luis by 2 minutes. Not that we keep track of such things.
• I was stuck behind a guy dressed like Borat in a nasty banana thong for about 5 miles. His whole butt was showing, and it was not a good look.
• Deb, Jinny, and Melka totally surprised me and jumped in and carried me through some of the toughest parts of the course. Those guys rock!
• The ladies of Team Awesome make awesome cheerleaders!
• I got my goody bag this year (last year I walked right past it)! The Powerbar recovery bar hit the spot.
• I spilled Gatorade all over my shirt and the iron-on's ran. Not cute.

I'm not done marathoning. It's just too fun. And my legs still work and my dad's still don't. There is still work to be done. Marine Corps Marathon 2009, perhaps?

Why I Run Wednesday: Happy Belated Birthday Christopher Reeve!

I was supposed to post this last Thursday, but you saw my excuses. I'm also really bad with remembering birthdays, so it's fitting that I'm almost a week late.

Last Thursday, September 25th, Christopher Reeve would have turned 56.

I truly don't know were to start when it comes to describing this man and his impact on my family and the millions who have been affected by paralysis. So I'm going to quote directly from the website Role Models on the Web:

He once played a man who could fly. Christopher Reeve demonstrated a rare ability that exceeds the speed of flight. Christopher learned to live outside his body in a way that few people have the strength or courage to do.

All of us are, in some ways, prisoners in life -- some by limited thinking, others by physical limitation. But rarely has a man demonstrated such a wonderful ability to face limitation, to cry for all that it robbed him of, and then step beyond it into a life that knows no limitation.

Each morning, being human, Christopher shed a few tears. But then he brushed them away, stopped feeling sorry for himself, and went on to be an example to others. He created his own freedom to be truly alive. Christopher Reeve found the Superman within and we celebrate his courage to be free.

Please read Christopher Reeve's biography here and read eloquent, inspiring, and deeply moving tributes to Christopher Reeve here.

These are some of my favorite Christopher Reeve tribute videos:







I feel Christopher Reeve's spirit with every step I take. That's why I'm doing everything I can to maintain his bold and beautiful vision of hope. Happy Belated Birthday!

http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Thursday: Research!!!

With all this craziness going on with the election, politics, and conventions, let us not forget one of the BEST speakers at a national convention ever: CHRISTOPHER REEVE! Of course! Christopher Reeve thoroughly and completely awed an enormous room of 60,000 at the 1996 Democratic National Convention, just over a year after his injury.
























Reeve's speech called for increased funding for medical research, calling it a "moral and ethical responsibility." You can read a transcript of this passionate and inspiring speech here. And here is the only little clip of it I could find:



Christopher Reeve finished his speech with a much quoted and frequently re-played clip: "America does not let its needy citizens fend for themselves."

We try, right? But, unfortunately, if there's anything we've learned in the past eight years, it's that we can't rely on our government for funding and support for critically need medical research.

Now, more than ever, folks like us coming together to raise money for organizations like the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation are making a difference! By making a donation, you are keeping the tide of spinal cord research and cutting edge technology moving forward no matter what happens come November 4th. You are upholding that promise - indeed, "America does not let its needy citizens fend for themselves."

http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday: Jay Briseno, Jr.

Joseph "Jay" Briseno Jr. is one of the most seriously injured soldiers to survive the Iraq war. He was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range in a Baghdad marketplace. His spinal cord was shattered, and he suffered a C3 spinal cord injury and has paralysis from the shoulders down. The bullet also caused traumatic brain injury, two cardiac arrests, and total vision loss.

Thousands of soldiers are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with devastating spinal cord injuries and drastically different lives than the ones they left behind. This is why the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation has partnered with the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center and the Brain Injury Association of America to launch a new Military Outreach Campaign to improve the care and recovery of veterans and active military living with paralysis.

The Reeve Foundation is helping these courageous people find clear, accurate information to help make decisions about their treatment, from choosing the right rehab center to finding local athletic leagues. They have also set up a toll-free hotline specifically to help spinal cord injured veterans and active military with information specialists who are trained to help military personnel navigate the red tape that can present obstacles to getting the best care. This is the only service of its kind!

Also, Jay Briseno's father, Joseph Briseno (pictured above with his son), became an ambassador for the Reeve Foundation's Military Outreach Campaign and Multicultural Outreach Program. As such, he has joined Reeve Foundation representatives in visits to VA hospitals to educate medical staff about everything the PRC has to offer.

Please help the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation serve the people who have sacrificed so much for us and our country. http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday: A Tribute to the Caregivers

This one's for you, Mom. You're an angel, and none of us would be where we are today if it weren't for you. You're my hero too! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This video is 16 minutes long, so don't feel like you need to watch the whole thing. The point is that the demands of care giving are strenuous. Injuries such as my dad's truly effect the whole family and drastically change the dynamics of relationships. Caregivers feel grief and loss, guilt, isolation, and depression. Caregivers need to know that they're not alone and that they deserve support and nurturing too.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation know that the health and well-being of caregivers must be addressed and they have compiled a comprehensive list of resources for caregivers.

Please make a donation in honor of the caregivers: http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday: Chase Ford, again!

I must watch this video once/week. Luis is getting sick of the song and makes me turn the sound off. I just can't get enough. It's the perfect reminder of why I keep doing this running thing and why I'm stressing out and working so hard to get to that magical $10,000. So for the 2nd time, I give you Chase Ford:



And here's something new - highlights from Team Reeve's awesome showing at the Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon/miniMarathon. Watch Chase cross the finish line!



Instant tears. I've got it easy. I know I can do this and I know together, we will make a difference.

http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Cure for the post-vacation blues!

Maybe I'm getting a little famous in the world of people who regularly read the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation website. See that little blurb on right side - that says "I used to hate running" that I so skillfully circled using the high-tech program called "Paint"? That's me! I'm the one who used to hate running! (I still have my days.) It's a link to a little story in the Yardley News -hometown paper- about yours truly and my quest to train for the NYC marathon and to raise $10,000 for the Reeve Foundation.

A note about the article, in case you decide to read it, the paper version has a few pictures with captions in it, and I think the captions got merged into the article text, and it's a little confusing. You'll be able to figure it out though.

Why I Run Wedesday: Quality of Life!

Ok so everybody knows that I'm running the New York City Marathon in support of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, right? Well, did you know that all this fundraising isn't only about curing paralysis, but it's also equally about improving the quality of life for everyone who is living with paralysis NOW?

It's true! Dana Reeve created the Reeve Foundation's Quality of Life program to "recognize and support organizations that help disabled individuals, their families and caregivers in ways that more immediately give them increased independence, day-to-day happiness, and improved access." And since it's inception in 1999, the Reeve Foundation's Quality of Life program has provided almost 1,500 grants totaling nearly $12 million to organizations worldwide.

I know from watching my dad for the past 14 years, life can be very difficult and frustrating for people living with paralysis. There are so many little things that you and I don't think twice about that can be major barriers or challenges for people with disabilities. For my dad, daily routines such as grooming, dressing, and preparing meals pose major challenges and take a lot of time. So once he finally gets out the door to go somewhere, you can imagine the frustration at not being able to get in to where he needs to go. For my dad, a 3-inch high curb may as well be the Great Wall of China because there is no way he can get over it.

This is where the Quality of Life program comes in. Grants are awarded in 3 categories: Actively Achieving, Bridging Barriers, Caring and Coping. Recently, the Reeve Foundation has awarded grants to help build accessible playgrounds, train therapy dogs, provide financial aid for attendant care, build ramps, develop assistive technology, and much more of course!

You too can help improve the quality of life for individuals living with paralysis by making a donation!! http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday:

In honor of this week's Olympics Opening Ceremonies:



That's also the strength I, my dad, and millions affected by spinal cord injuries have found in the example set by Christopher and Dana Reeve and their amazing Foundation. The best humanity has to offer.

Please make a donation in celebration of humanity: http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday

This pretty much sums it up.



Let's keep Christopher Reeve's amazing legacy alive: http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

THANK YOU so much for all your support. I was just talking with my dad today, and of course he joked about how at this rate, he'll be walking before the marathon, but on a more serious note, we talked about how much the Reeve Foundation and this funding we're gathering up really will make a difference down the road. My dad said, "It might not impact me. I probably won't be walking in my lifetime. It's for the next generation. So they don't have to go through what I'm going through. It will make a difference- there's no doubt."

Why I Run Thursday: Happy Birthday Dad!!!

I run for myself, for my health, for peace of mind, for wonderful charities, but more than that I’ve always run for MY DAD!!! I run to make him proud. I run to let him know that I see the bigger picture – that life is precious and can change in an instant – so part of the way I live it to the fullest is through running. My dad inspires me, and I know that my running has inspired my dad. By joining together and working toward a higher goal, by looking beyond our immediate situation, by supporting the Foundation we love, together, we’ve lifted each other up.

And today is my dad's birthday!!! So today, dad, on your birthday, I'm going for a run, even though it's really, really hot. Don't worry that's not your present!

One more thing. Here's a little something to remind you of all the fun we've had together, including the many hours spent curled up on the couch watching Little House on the Prairie. You're the best Pa a girl could ask for!



Oh, and seeing this video also reminds me how thankful I am that you got my teeth fixed! I love you Dad! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Don't Worry

I still have some awesome running inspiration for ya. Check out this video made by BK's own Erin Sholl. Erin is training for the Nike Women's Marathon (yes, full marathon!) in San Francisco with Team in Training. That's her singing, and she even wrote the song! Awesome.

Why I Run Wednesday: From Impossible to Inevitable

"At first things seem impossible; then they seem improbable. Then, if we summon the will and give them funding, they become inevitable. " --Christopher Reeve

http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Why I Run Wednesday: Chase Ford

What can I say? Simply amazing.

Have you donated yet? http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

Please read more about Chase Ford here. Some highlights:

[After the injury] Chase was not himself. "We would take him outside," remembers Renee[Chase's mom]. "He loved airplanes and motorcycles, and he could really care less about seeing them. He would not see you, or he would not acknowledge your existence at the beginning."

The doctor told her Chase was depressed.

"What do you do for a child who's two and depressed?" Renee asks. The NRN [NeuroRecovery Network] changed Chase's outlook. As he progressed in his therapy, and became more mobile, his attitude and his personality changed.

Now, Renee says, "Chase is becoming the old Chase. Chase before the injury was daredevilish. That mischievous smile, that's the old Chase. He was the one that 'No' was not really in his vocabulary. And he was funny. He would just do things that would make you laugh."

Three years after his injury Chase walks over one hundred yards independently -- no walker, no one helping. "If we get him to concentrate," says Smith, "We can get him to where he is stepping foot flat, so instead of being on his toes you go to foot flat and then you go to heal strike like you and I walk."

"All he's asking me now is," says [Lee Smith, Chase's physical therapist], "How can I get to run?"
...
"Seriously, some of the funding we've gotten from you guys (the Reeve Foundation) has meant the difference between sending people home in a chair and sending people home with no assistive devices," says Smith.

"You've given us the ability on a number of occasions to not have to think about the money for therapy, and to be able to just solely focus on the recovery of the person in front of us."

"We're finding out about what we are capable of doing,' says Smith. "There are a lot of other people out there that we could be able to help if we just had the funding."

"Why I Run" Wednesdays!

I've decided to add a new feature to MVORB - Why I Run Wednesdays. I need all the help I can staying focused and inspired when it comes to running, and maybe, just maybe it'll help other folks out there stay focused and inspired by their reasons for running.

Ok, so ya'll know I'm running in support of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco and in support of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for the New York City Marathon.

Have I mentioned that I have a goal of raising $10,000 for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF)? Yes, it's true!! And here's a great example of where the money goes and why I'm doing this:



This is a pretty amazing, cutting edge treatment. Who would've thought it would be the body teaching the spinal cord how to walk, rather than the other way around?! Well, some pretty brilliant and creative scientists, I guess, and CDRF has been supporting their research for decades!

Unfortunately, not everyone who would benefit from this therapy has access to it. CDRF is also working to change this. Through the Neuoro Recovery Network, they've opened 7 centers across the US where staff have been specially trained in Locomotor Training. And they continue to work on expanding the network as I write this.

Exciting stuff! Every dollar really does make a difference. Please donate now: http://teamreevenyc08.kintera.org/dawnhering

It's Team Reeve time!

Some memories from last year, as I prepare for this year:



I can't tell you how nervous I got as soon as they turned on the camera (and I needed a little make-up and to remember to smile when I talk), but it was such an exciting, inspiring, emotional day for me, and I'm glad we've got this video to document some of it.

Ok guys, keep your eyes open - I'm planning to set up my Team Reeve fundraising page this weekend....

Darius Goes West

Order this DVD. You will love it, I promise.