Earning Miles, Reaching Milestones

Previously, I gave my interested parties a little information into what I want Miles for Mitzie to become.  This post is about earning the 'miles' in Miles for Mitzie.  Rather, how YOU can get involved and make this thing come alive ("It's aliiive, It's aliiive!").


Basically, at every Miles for Mitzie event you, the activist, achiever, amazing, awesome believer, will have the opportunity to earn miles.   And yes, I already have put my OCD skills to good use and created a spreadsheet to keep track. A very rough-around-the-edges spreadsheet, but it's coming along...ahem.


Back to the miles - As you earn miles by participating in our events, there will be special 'Milestones' along the way, marked by mile markers (earning 50, 150, 200, or 500 miles might be some of the mile markers) I have not decided how to celebrate each of the mile markers, yet.  However, please know that it is very important to me that YOU, my friends, receive a lot of pats on the back, high fives, and celebration boogie woogie dances to let you know just how amazing you are. 

I believe that EVERY mile earned (no matter where or how) is representative of another person who is made aware of ovarian cancer, Miles for Mitzie, and the fight against this disease.  That victory is HUGE!  So the more miles, and the more Miles for Mitzie'ers we get, the more awareness is raised....and the more I, personally, begin to fall madly in love with you...err, I mean, the more miles = more awareness = the closer we get to a cure.  So, naturally, as my love for my friends grows so does my need to express it through gifts, parties, celebrations and boogie woogie dances!!!

How to earn miles and reach milestones EASY!!!  Just get involved with us somehow (check out our events page).  Our hope, one day, is to have many different activities going on all at once, all the time, all over the place.  We've come up with all sorts of ideas so far, from organized bike rides, to fun runs and walks, a kickball tournament, a golf tournament (hey we got to get our men involved in this too), to an organized shopping excursion (complete with a limo, snacks and some adult beverages). 

You see, somewhere in all of that has got to be SOMETHING you can and really want to do- RIGHT!??  And, even better, we are open to other ideas.  Maybe you want to take a group of Miles for Mitzie'ers down the Guadalupe to make a river of teal. I'll give you miles for that - just let me know!  Of course, I want to make sure all of our miles are safe, organized (at least somewhat), fun, but represent the group and the cause in a positive and upbeat way...so just keep that in mind and we'll be all good in the cancer-fightin'-neighborhood.

Also, if you take up any fundraising for our group I'll give you double miles.  Yes that's right! Any money raised through a Miles for Mitzie organization that goes toward ovarian cancer research will earn you double miles (based on the amount of activity 'miles' or the amount of money raised - whichever is greater!).  So if you decide to do a 5k fun run with Miles for Mitzie and you raise $100 to go towards one of our charities in the Miles for Mitzie name, then you will have earned 200 miles (let the fist pumping begin!)! 

So where to begin??  Wellllllll start by checking our events page and see what we're planning so far.  Then sign up to be a part of the group in some way. THEN get your friends to sign up, and their friends, and their friends' friends.  The more, the merrier!

Here are some things the group wants and needs, and just may be in the process of working on:
1. Apparel.  We want shirts, hats, scarves, pants and underwear that have our Miles for Mitzie information all over it. 
2. Ideas.  We need these to keep the ball rolling and we're open to all ideas to help us make things run smoother and get bigger!
3. People.  We need YOU to get involved.  This is NOTHING without YOU (yes, you...YOU!).  So please find something or think of something that you want to do and we'll help you get involved with us.  Also, some of these events are a lot of work, and money for us to put together, too...please be kind enough to show up when you say you will too.

Please let me know if you have any questions, or anything to offer (recommendations, ideas, referrals, pro-bono work, etc.)  Any help and involvement is appreciated and welcomed far beyond words that I can express to you?  I'm trying my best here, but there is a lot I don't know. So whenever anyone steps up to the plate and points me in a new, better, uplifting direction I am filled to brim with excitement and appreciation! 

What Exactly is Miles For Mitzie?

As I have worked to try and pull this group together through events, ideas, and parties it has suddenly occurred to me that perhaps many people do not understand what Miles For Mitzie is...or what it is trying to be.

What is Miles for Mitzie? 

It's kind of a hard question for me to answer too, because what Miles for Mitzie is now is the beginning of a pretty huge concept.  A concept that I want to positively impact the future for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  Currently, there is a small group of us that has gotten together as a team to participate in 5k fun runs, bike rides, and a really fun sign-painting party.  We have no registration fees, no obligations, and the only thing we expect of the people willing to sign up with our team is a happy face and an inspiring attitude.  Right now, my desire is that these few awesome folks are raising ovarian cancer awareness and Miles for Mitzie awareness while having a little bit of fun along the way.

Miles for Mitzie at the Sprint for Life 5K for MD Anderson (5/7/2011)

 

A Little Bit Of History:
Miles for Mitzie was originally a team formed for the Terry Fox 5K once run in Houston shortly before my mom passed away.  It was not my idea, but it has taken root in my head and heart and it is growing.  I keep praying for the ability to turn this into something bigger than a cool name and a few t-shirts at a 5K. 

 

What a Girl Wants:

1. I want Miles for Mitzie to motivate women to become proactive in their healthcare.
2. I want Miles for Mitzie to help fund research into the causes of ovarian cancer.  I want to help fund research into a means of early detection, prevention, treatment, and above all else - a cure! Researchers need money to study this disease and make advancements in the methods we use to fight it.  Donations are one of the primary ways of funding their much needed work!
3. I want Miles for Mitzie to help current patients and families find a way to deal with their disease and take the fight outside of their homes and hospital rooms to help others (a proven way to lift the spirits - and lifted spirits heal bodies!)
4. I want Miles for Mitzie to inspire people to get involved.  You all have something to give to this organization.  You all have time, you all have energy, you have heart, you have a story, and some of you have the much needed money to help researchers and Miles for Mitzie grow. 
5. I want Miles for Mitzie to be, above all else, FUN, INSPIRING, POSITIVE, and definately COOL!

Goals, Generaly Speaking:

1. Turn Miles for Mitzie into a non-profit.
2. Get a logo
3. Get a website.
4. Get a business plan together.
5. Get a primary team together (a.k.a. 'The Board') that know this disease, know this community, and know fundraising and how to run a business.
6. Get a secondary team together (a.k.a. 'The Do-ers') that have ideas, initiative, and are inspired to change the world (yeah someone like YOU!)

 I hope this helps you kind of understand where I'm headed with this.  In another post I'll explain my plan for earning the 'Miles' with Miles for Mitzie and reaching 'Milestones' with us.  (psst - that's part of the fun stuff!)

 

Until then - Happy Friday!!!

 

 

Here's Where the Fun Is:

Events

2011 Upcoming Events

Tour De Pink
When: September 18, 2011
Where: Prairie View A&M
What: An organized bike ride with various distances from 12-100 miles. The supported ride is benefitting the Pink Ribbons Project for breast cancer awareness. Thank you team captain Meredith Sharp for putting this one together for us!
Website: http://www.tourdepink.org/site/TR?fr_id=1100&pg=entry

"Primp Your Pump Tea Party"

When: September 24, 2011
Where: The Woodlands, TX
What: It is a tea party where we are inviting all of our guests to bring a decorated high heel shoe to enter into a shoe decorating contest. A silent auction with great auction items from jewelry to gift cards and accessories will be available for you to bid on. The silent auction will directly benefit the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer Fund at MD Anderson! Check out our facebook page for more information and leave me your e-mail address if you'd like to be added to our mailing list.

Bike Around The Bay

When: October 8-9, 2011
Where: Galveston, TX
What: Bike Around the Bay is a fully supported two-day, 150-mile bicycle ride around Galveston Bay showcasing the natural beauty of Galveston Bay and benefiting the Galveston Bay Foundation. Thank you team captain, Chris Sharp! Sign up with team 'Miles for Mitzie' to raise awareness for ovarian cancer while supporting another great foundation. Plus, what a great way to spend a weekend than riding a bike along the Texas Gulf Coast!!

Website: http://www.bikearoundthebay.org/

First Day of School and The First Awesome Mile

Today was my son's first day of Kindergarten!

And yes, I did cry - but just a little bit.  In fact, I don't even think he noticed.  But who could blame me for crying, right?!  As adults we understand the huge new adventure he's beginning today.  We know that this is kind of the step into the 'big kid' world, that, eventually (hopefully a super duper long time from now) leads into the 'grown up' world.  School is kind of a BIG deal....and I'm so excited for him!

So as Blake begins a first for him, I need to know who is going to help me kick off that big first for me.  That's right - I want to know who is taking Mile #1 of my Ironman??  I can't do all 140.6 all by myself folks - that's why I enlisted your help!  You have to get me started on the right foot.  Who's going to make that super awesome first donation to get my 140.6 Miles for Mitzie on it's merry little way???  Whoever that person is - they are freaking awesome!!!  And we all want to be awesome - right???  So if you're awesome (and I know you are!), stand up to ovarian cancer, make a donation through the link on my page (it's purple and gold, if you missed it) and let me know!!  And guess what awesome people get from me - a portion of my Ironman!!!!  Yeah baby!!!!  ROCK IT!

Another Discovery In The News

A blood molecule has been identified that could detect the very earliest signs of ovarian cancer. This is huge! Ovarian cancer's symptoms are so vague and when they appear it's often a very late diagnosis. This molecule could help doctors find the cancer earlier and help women survive!  This same discovery had a breif 10 second 'spot' on Houston's local morning news yesterday, too.


http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=524171051335401771

P.S.  In my early morning 'fog' I tried to post this in my "In The News" section, unsuccessfully.  So, for now, everyone gets to read this short article here.  But if you come by and can't find it later, look at "In The News".

140.6 Miles for Mitzie

Ironman Texas 2012 Plan:

I've registered for the race, signed on with OCRF (that's blog-talk for Ovarian Cancer Research Fund), and they have hooked my amateur butt up with some great OCRF goodies and an awesome link (http://ocrf.kintera.org/mazeikas).  Want to know why??  Besides the fact that they think I look great in teal, it is also because of this...


On May 19, 2012 I am going to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles for Mitzie (aka Mom).  That's 140.6 miles, in under 17 hours!!  And I want to have every mile sponsored by one of you, my amazing supporters, my cheer squad, my (and my mom's and grandmother's) champions in this fight against ovarian cancer.

Each mile costs $100....BUT do not fret my survivors in these tough economic times, for you can STILL help me!!  Maybe you don't have $100 lying around - I get that.  Some of you are like me and spent that last $100 you had lying around on race entries and hotel rooms for crazy endurance events (no, that's not you?...hmmmm). Or, maybe you're completely normal and you got bills and life and a hot water tank that just bonked and is going to cost an arm and a leg to fix.  But you still want to help???  (Yayyyyyy- I love you!)

Don't let the $100 get you down, if you can only give $10 then you still get 1/10th of  1/140.6 miles.  Not a math a person? (Neither am I - I had to get my husband to read this to make sure I wrote all the fractions correctly...a-hem)  Let's say you can spare $10 for the campaign, and I'm up to getting mile 41 sponsored, then you will get 1/10th of mile 41!! Yayyy!  Maybe you can give more and you've got $25 to spare, then that's 1/4 of mile 41....OR maybe you have $25, and three more of your awesome friends/family want to help me out too with another $25 donation each...then I will give you and your friends and family the entire mile 41!!!


Maybe you have a particular mile in mind...like say you love the number 7, or you plan on watching me race and want to hang out at mile 18 - then guess what - if YOU give to my campaign then I'll give you part or all of that mile that you request (based on availability, of course).   Or, do you have a really cool name you'd like to have your mile called (or your portion of a mile) Just let me know - I want it to be fun and inspiring...and funny, comedic, or curious, and crazy!!  Make me laugh people - I've got a long time to think about what the heck YOU were thinking when you decided to name mile 11 the "Milky Way Mile of Mayhem"

Perhaps you would like to sponsor more than one mile, or even an entire portion of the race (like, the 2.4 miles swim would be a $240 donation) and maybe your name is Sally Jesse.  I would give you the "Sally Jesse's Super Swim Event" of Ironman Texas 2012! (Any relation to real, or fictional talk show hosts is completely coincidental)


Awesome, right!!???  Right!!! 


This means that if I get all 140.6 miles sponsored at $100 each, then, all of us together have the opportunity to donate $14,060 (Yes, I used a calculator to figure that out) to OCRF in my mom's name!!!! 


That's 140.6 miles for you mom....

And $14,060 to raise awareness, find a means of early detection, and help end the grim statistics that surround ovarian cancer....basically, to change the future for these little girls:

So ready, set, donate:

http://ocrf.kintera.org/mazeikas

You can also click on the purple and gold link at the top - in case you missed it :-)

Love Yins!!

River Cities Triathlon Race Report - The Race to Ironman Begins

This weekend was so much fun!  A friend of mine has spoken so highly of the River Cities Triathlon since she first completed it a few years ago that I knew this one would be on my 'must do' list.  I'm so glad I got to do it this year!

We got to Shreveport around 4pm and checked in with the race at Sportspectrum - a really cool fitness apparel store.  While waiting in line for my race packet I walked straight past a table set up for a raffle drawing with triathlete Jenn Sommermann, an ovarian cancer survivor who is racing around the country to raise money for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). 

I had read Jenn's story a few months back and written her an email telling her about losing my mother and grandmother to this horrible disease.  I also let her know how grateful I was for her efforts and that whenever I got to meet her I wanted to give her two hugs, one for my mom and one for my grandmother.  So needless to say, I was thrilled to see her.  After I grabbed my packet I walked over to the table and introduced myself.  Jenn was so gracious and immediately gave me the biggest hug I've had in a long time.  Let's just say I lost it...cried my eyes out.  I felt so embarrassed, but the first thing that popped into my head when she hugged me was "I'm hugging a survivor!"  She was so sweet and encouraging in MY efforts to raise money.  I could barely even get out the words to thank her in person - but I did manage to give her the TWO hugs I promised her I would.  Here's a picture of us (once I wiped the mascara off my face - Ha!):

Please check out her blog and help her if you can:  http://www.jennsommermann.blogspot.com/

Now I had to focus on race day.  That means a mandatory pasta dinner, setting up all of my gear so it's ready to go in the morning, and attempting to get a good night's sleep.

The next morning we were up at 5:00am.  Time to get dressed, load up all of the gear and the bike and get to transition.  I love getting to transition early...thankfully so do most of the other triathletes I know!  It's nice to get there with plenty of time to set up, go to the bathroom 7 or 8 times!, and people watch before the nerves set in.

Ready to roll!  Go Team Hope!

My wave started around 8:40.  We all stepped into the water, the cannon went off and the race was on.  The 800m swim was nice once I could get out of the crowds and find a line to the next buoys.  There was a small current that made it a bit of a struggle to stay straight, but it was a quick swim and in a little less than 20 minutes I was done and on my way to the bike.

I headed out on the bike (my worst of the three disciplines) and just tried to find a rhythm and not count the number of times I was passed.  The course was a big 18 mile loop of rolling hills around the lake and was pretty shaded from the extreme August heat.  It was a really nice bike ride - challenging, but not killer, with some really great scenery.

Getting ready for the bike ride!

18 mile ride done!  Now it's time to RUN!

I got off the bike in 1:05:52...which I'm pretty happy with.  That's about 16.6mph average on rolling hills and 100 degree temperatures.  I'll take it.

Next up, my favorite part, the run!!  I love to run, especially in the heat.  I felt good for the whole 3.1 miles and worked hard to keep cool.  I really thought my pace was much faster than a 9:18/mile, but I'm still happy with the 28:49 run finish.  My total race time was 2:00:09. 

Crossing the finish line!

You really have to consider the heat in races like this.  It's amazing how much faster race times are all around in cooler/drier conditions.  Racing and exercising, in general, in extreme temperatures really takes a lot more out of you.  I consider any work out in that kind of weather a success if I don't end up puking my brains out in the end.  So this race is an absolute success in my book!

When we reached the car in the parking lot the temperature outside was 108 degrees!!  That officially makes this the hottest race I've ever competed in!

River Cities was a great start to my fundraising efforts for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.  Even though I didn't raise any money for this race in particular, I consider it the beginning to the ramp up races for my Ironman on May 19, 2012.  Soon I'll have some more information about my plans for the Ironman, but please keep following me and stay tuned for all Miles for Mitzie events so you can find a place that you can help too.

Stay tuned...