Fellowship of runners and friends

With the Run For The Pines quickly approaching, Mandy decided that it was time for us to all get together and talk, run and eat (3 of my favorite things). This has been in the works now for a couple of weeks and I have been so excited for the opportunity for all of us to get together. God really showed up and gave us the Perfect day.

I had been watching the weather all week praying for a good day to just get out for a run, get some pics taken and talk about the things that are going to take place over our 5 days in October. We met at The Orange Planet (not heard of it, click the name to find out more) to get some pictures done, thank you again Becki, and then off for a run. Due to some unforeseen things a couple of the team members couldn't head out, but Mandy, Aubrey and I decided to go. It is interesting how God works through things like running. The 3 of us have never really talked together but there is an amazing fellowship that comes out during a run. It was truly like we were old friends and have known each other for years. During our short 4 mile run there was never an awkward silence or moment without discussion of things running, church or family.

After the run we went off to Mandy and Tim's house for food and more conversation. I have known all members separately for a few years but have never known them together. After our meeting I feel that this is the best team that could have been assembled for this adventure. We have Mandy, who is a first class runner and married to a great man (not to mention the daughter of a great man). She has a huge heart and ready to run. There is Nick and Aubrey, great parents with huge hearts to help others meet their full potential no matter what. Andrew, I have so many things to say about Andrew as I have known him the longest. He is a great friend and will talk your ear off if you let him :) And Justin, another really good runner that has the heart of a true competitor and ready to take on this challenge.

This is our team. Enough said. Of all of the people I could have thought of to make this event what it is going to be, I wouldn't choose differently in a million years.

We had some great conversations and got some logistical questions answered. I think that everyone is really confident about the run and what we are about to embark on. I may be a little bias, but I think that this could be huge.

Please pray for our safety while training, pray for the injured that they may recover well and be ready to go in 2 months and pray to help us help these kids.

Stay Strong, Run Long,
Brad

Freedom is...

With the Fourth of July coming up I am sitting down thinking what freedom is. As I said a few weeks ago, I have started doing 2-a-day training and have found a great love for the benefits of biking. I have been biking in the morning and running in the afternoon so that I don't get bored just going out and running (if that is possible). Yesterday I finally decided to run twice and see how I felt. And boy, was it an experience.

I woke up around 5 am and headed into Des Moines to run. Got out the door around 6:15 or so and just went. I wasn't real sure where I was going, but knew that I had the freedom to just go. That is the thing that I love about running. You don't have to have an agenda. You can throw on your shoes, grab an iPod if you need it and just go. When time isn't an issue I do this a lot. It tends to make running more fun. Getting out and basically exploring the area. I have been in this city for a few years so I know the area, but it is so cool to go into an area that you know and just look at the sidewalks. See what the landscape is like with the sun coming up. Feeling that cool breeze hitting you in the face when you think that this run couldn't get any worse. We have that freedom to just go. That is why we are doing this run for these kids. To give these kids the freedom that they deserve. Freedom to live. Freedom to grow up and just run (literally or figuratively speaking). We have life so good sometimes but yet we get mad when our car breaks down, but how about losing a parent at age 2. We get so frustrated with telemarketing calls at night, but what about not having a home to even take those calls. Or what about that stupid person at Starbucks who made your coffee wrong. Think about not being able to afford to eat let alone drinking a $5 coffee. This is what so many in the world have to face and yet we stay silent.

Come join us. Run/walk with us. Donate to something that could end up being bigger than anything you and I may ever know. This is our chance to take a little bit of the money that we have been given to help a kid know what it is like to get up in the morning knowing that they can live in Freedom. Freedom to think for themselves. Freedom to teach others in their communities what true love is. We have been given those freedoms because of the people that fought for us. Let's fight for them, together.

It's funny how just running at 6:15 in the morning can liven your life and bring perspective. I have the freedom to run twice a day if I choose, and that run yesterday made me realize that. After all was said and done, the run went well. Aside from being stuck behind a train for nearly 15 minutes, I got my 9 miles in in the morning and hit up the treadmill for my second run of the day logging 6 miles that time. Total miles this week, 22 in two days. Not to bad, if you ask me :)

Take some time this upcoming weekend to celebrate your freedom. Get out and run/walk in a firecracker race (typical theme for 4th of July races) or just hang out with friends but don't forget to thank those who came before us so that we can celebrate together.

As always if you are interested in sponsoring our event, shoot me an email at runforthepines@gmail.com or visit our Facebook page and send me a message there. Please also check out our wonderful sponsors. They are taking a huge leap of faith with us and we want to show them our thank you by giving them your business.

Stay Strong, Run Long

Brad

Our Race Brochure

Here is our run brochure. As we get more sponsors we will be including all of them on the back of the brochure. If you have the capability to print on both sides of the paper please do so. Please fill out the information and cut off at the line and send in along with your donation. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Run For The Pines Brochure

Stay Strong, Run Long.
Brad

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Let the 2-a-days begin

Update: I recently ran a 5k in Van Meter, IA and not only pr'd my 5k but also placed 1st in my age group!!!!! PR - 24:02 and don't tell anyone, but I was the only person in the 20-29 males bracket so I was pretty much guaranteed a medal :)

Now that Dam to Dam is over with I finally decided that now is the time to start my 2-a-day training. I am doing it very smart though as not to hurt myself. I thought about jumping in head first and just running twice a day to prepare, but I know that with a few months still, I have some time to prepare for the 2 runs. I am doing some cross training along with a run.

Yesterday I decided that I was going to get up and hit the gym early as to not miss my chance at getting a great workout in. I got to the gym around 6:00am and jumped on a bike. Now I will say that typically I don't like the bikes at the gym for a couple of reasons. 1) The same reason I don't like the treadmills, you are going no where for a long period of time. 2) The seats are REALLY hard. I don't know what it is, even if I switch up different bikes their seats tend to hurt.......my seat. But anyway, I got on and drifted into unconsciousness listening to a really good audio book. Before I knew it I had worked up a good sweat and looked down to see 21.4 miles!!!!! That is officially the most I have ever ridden on a stationary bike, with minimal discomfort. There is power when you lose focus on something difficult and immerse yourself in a good book. Afterward, I did some light weights before heading off to shower.

I went and showered, hydrated, ate a little bit and to work. At about 11:00 am I went back down to the gym to head outside for my second workout of the day. I threw on my garmin, ipod and repeated what I did earlier in the day. I put on the same audio book and just lost myself. I checked my watch a few times but tried not to focus on my second workout of the day. When all was said and done I ran 5.05 miles in 44:45. Not a bad time.

Today is the day after and I actually feel great. My plan is to do two 2-a-days a week for the next 2 weeks, jump up to 3 for about a month and so on until the big week. I am working with some great people in a small running group on how to train effectively using more cross training than I have ever done. It is going to be an interesting change of pace and will probably end up turning into a "tri junkie"

Please continue to pray for our continued success training and fundraising. We are hoping to start distributing material at POG in the coming weeks to get the word out. Again, if you know of sponsors that would be interested, we are always looking to add people.

Stay Strong, Run Long
Brad.

Dam To Dam Race Report

To give you a little update on the RFTP crew, 4 of the relayers ran the 20k Dam To Dam in Des Moines on Saturday, May 30th.

It was a great day for a run. God blessed us with a perfect morning and was really holding off the winds until after all of us finished. The morning brought a little rain, which was nice because it killed the humidity from the night before. It was cool and then warmed up by the time the 5k was finished.

For myself, I ran through some gigantic blisters that formed right around mile 4.5. Not a lot of fun for the remaining 8 miles, but I made it through. Here are the times for all of our runners. Great job everyone!!!!!

PLACE FINISHER CHIP TIME GUN TIME PACE
42 Amanda Ives 1:31:23 1:31:36 7:21
1824 Nick Villotti 1:55:06 1:59:09 9:16
1468 Aubrey Villotti 2:03:19 2:07:21 9:55
2259 Brad Dains 2:01:42 2:04:56 9:47

All about Mandy

I started running in high school and ran Track for 4 years at Des Moines Christian High School. I didn't really love the sport but did it because "everyone can run"! I didn't ever work at it or put my heart into running until after I got married.

My husband Tim Ives is an avid runner and it is one of his passions. I believe that is what spurred on my love of running. I started running the usual 5k and realized I was getting faster and faster. When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I decided my goal would be to complete my first marathon after he was born.

I ran throughout my pregnancy and started training for the marathon 4 weeks after Isaiah was born. I finished the Rhode Island Marathon in 3:52 and had a wonderful experience. Not to mention I was extremely sore. I decided I wanted to run a marathon between each child I had and fell in love with long distance running. I had my second child Lydia in February of 2008 and ran my second marathon, Des Moines marathon in October my goal for that race was to run in under 3:30. My time was 3:29, so I was really pleased.

I have wanted to support the Pines and would love to go there for a visit and to help them, but with my family and the time commitment it requires, have not been able to do so. This is where this crazy run comes in to play. I felt like I was being pulled to join this relay team and that could be a way I could serve the Pines with a talent God had given me. I am really excited about what God is going to do through this and can't wait to see the results!