Mentor's Corner: Meet Maggie

Hi I am Maggie, I am currently an unemployed teacher that has loads of time on her hands. I have had Crohn's for 32 years, but have been in the longest remission to date! Yeah 6 years! That is why I was mentally strong enough to start an endeavor like Team Challenge 1/2. I have been physically strong enough most of the time, but have always been fearful I would ask/get all this money and never be able to run the race. Honestly I don't think people are giving you the money just because you are running/walk/crawling the race. They are doing it for YOUR CAUSE & CCFA! I completed the 1/2 marathon last year in just over 2 hours by run/walking it. I am typically a runner, but thoroughly enjoy the run/walk aspect because it doesn't take so much out of me that I can enjoy the run or the scenery around. Plus, I am not exhausted where I can't enjoy the rest of the days in Napa Valley California! I have a dog,Tigger, that you may meet on some of the short runs, he is the light of my life. I grew up just outside of Chicago and have lived lakeside for the last 15 years. I am goofy, full of energy and often am willing to make fun of myself if it makes others feel more comfortable or laugh. So basically Team Illinois has at least one crazy mentor. I will be happy to chat anytime. Really I will. Now go enjoy a run or a run walk. 

Barefooting by Coach Brad

If you hang out with runners long enough,you are bound to hear someone mention barefooting. What is barefooting ? Barefooting is essentially what you probably think; running or walking without shoes. The barefooting phenomenon seemed to gain traction (pun intended) in 2009 soon after the publication of a bestselling book called “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. I won’t review the book for this article, other than to say it is a very entertaining read that promotes barefoot running while intertwined with a fun and sometimes compelling story. 

Are there benefits from barefoot running? 

The short answer is yes. When feet are cradled in shoes, the range of motion is reduced and the shoe absorbs the shock of the foot plant. (Foot plant is the when the foot lands on the ground during running or walking and NOT a form of athletes foot fungus) Without shoes the foot is forced to absorb the shock and in effect is strengthened. Also, walking or running without shoes forces the athlete to keep body mass distributed over the midfoot rather than just the heel area on impact. The result is more shock absorption with the entire foot and less in the lower leg, which can contribute to injuries. 

Are there drawbacks to barefoot running?

There are certain aspects of barefooting that can cause issues. If you are a beginning walker or runner, the initial stress of barefooting on weak foot muscles can lead to injuries. Road debris, such as rocks or broken glass can also cause injuries to the feet. Gum is also an unpleasant find for barefoot runners.

What should beginner runners do?

Most beginners should focus the majority of their workouts on the aerobic side of increasing their endurance engine (heart and lungs – the circulatory systems). As their fitness levels increase, muscle strength in the transmission (glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and feet) should also increase. Barefooting should be limited to walking around the house or short 5 minute walks. There are a few basic exercises that beginners can do to strengthen the feet without actually running or walking barefoot.

Perform the following 4 exercises on a daily basis to strengthen the feet.

Toe Fan: In a seated position, lift your feet up to a comfortable height. Spread all ten toes out as wide as you can and hold for a slow count of 15 before you relax. Repeat 3 times.

Toe Grip: Place a towel or washcloth on the floor. Use your toes to grab and lift the towel/ washcloth off the floor. Hold for a slow count of 10. Repeat 3 times on the one foot before repeating exercise on the other foot.

Tippy toes: Stand up tall on your tippy toes, just like when you need to reach a top shelf. Walk 30-40 paces before taking a 5-10 second rest. Repeat 3 times.

Heel Walk: Shift your body weight to your heels. Lift your toes and front of your feet up high and walk on your heels. Walk 25-30 paces before taking a rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

In summary, strengthening the feet through barefooting or exercises can be beneficial to reduce lower leg injuries and increase strength and speed. These exercises are a great supplement to your training program.

Team Challenge: You can: challenge • change • cure!

Kickoff Napa with Wine, Cheese, Fruit, and Chocolate!

RSVP by clicking here!

How to write a fantastic "appeal" letter:

1. Plan first: Make sure you take the time to plan how you want to phrase your "ask." Are you going to talk about your Team Challenge fitness goals? Are you walking or running for a personal hero who is directly affected by Crohn's or ulcerative colitis? Figure out your angle and then take a pen and paper and begin writing!
2. Know your audience: Are you writing close friends and family members or are you writing local business owners? Cater your letters to the type of donors you are solciiting. Sometimes it might be helpful to have two letters just in case the opportunity arises. Gather and then organize the mailing addresses in a way that is comfortable for you. Excel is a great tool!
3. Establish a connection through emotion: Go straight for the heart! You can reiterate your personal connection with the donor or talk about how donating will benefit the 1.4 million Crohn's and colitis sufferers in the country. In Illinois alone, there are 60,000 adults and children with Crohn's or colitis. You can also mention our team honorees and include pictures.
4. Benefits of donating: Talk about what the benefits are to donating to your fundraising goal. Maybe you'll bring everyone a special token from Napa or mention that the donation is tax deductible. Don't forget to talk about matching gifts!
5. Create a sense of urgency: When do you want to reach your goal? By the fundraising deadline or recommittment on May 16th? Maybe suggest that your goal is to raise $2,000 by the end of April. This way the reader will know that he/she needs to act now.
6. Make it easy for them to select an amount to donate: Everyone loves multiple choices! Suggest a variety of donation options for them so that it is quick and easy for them to make a decision.
7. Make sure you say thank you: Write a hand written note to say thank you for their donation. Call them as soon as you recieve the check or credit card information. Donors sometimes have "buyer's remorse" after they've donated so it is always a good idea to communicate your gratitude right away.

Remember, if you send us a final draft of your letter and mailing list by April 8th, we'll take care of the cost of printing and sending your donation letter! Voila! It's that easy!

Contact Junnie Cross, Endurance Manager for Team Illinois by emailing her at jcross@ccfa.org.

You can only achieve what your mind can visualize

Welcome Team Challenge participants! I can only hope you are as excited to start the training program as I am in coaching such a fantastic group. You are destined to achieve great things! So now that you have signed up and are ready to get started, an obvious question is: What should I do until the official training starts? If you are already active with running or walking, continue your workouts. If you haven’t started yet, you can start easy walking approximately 10-15 minutes daily. Don’t worry about intensity at this point. We will cover those aspects of training when the program starts.
So what else can you do to prepare for the training program? A very useful but often overlooked side of training is psycho-cybernetics, also known as self visualization. This technique of seeing oneself being successful is based on research by Maxwell Maltz and published as a book in 1960. Self visualization techniques use the mind-body connection as the driver in succeeding and achieving goals.
Psycho-cybernetics can be defined as the process of making a change by using the subconscious mind. There are many specific techniques that can be used. Some of these techniques include, writing notes to yourself with positive messages about workouts or the race, visualizing finishing a workout, visualizing completing the half-marathon, and even visualizing yourself having success with fundraising efforts. The main idea is reprogramming negative thoughts into positives.
This part of your training takes virtually no physical effort and requires 10-15 minutes per day. Find a quiet place and relax. (you can close your eyes but don’t fall asleep!) Visualize successfully completing whatever task you choose.  You may want to start with the small tasks, and eventually begin self visualization of successfully completing the overall goal. Don’t forget to leave motivational notes that you will see each day, in places you will see them, like on the bathroom mirror, the background of your computer screen, or even the default screen on your phone.
Many professional athletes use these techniques to stay motivated and achieve success. You can use the same techniques to find success in Napa! Remember: You can only achieve what your mind can visualize.

Feel free to contact Coach Brad by emailing him at krugler@yahoo.com or email Coach Stacey at coachstaceym@gmail.com.