1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,800 You're listening to episode 181 of the Marathon Running Podcast. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,520 In this episode, we're gonna talk about charity running. 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,560 This is the Marathon Running Podcast by Letty and Ryan from 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,320 We Got The Runs. Join us in our running community 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,960 for weekly content that is motivational, educational, and 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:27,000 inspirational, and that the Marathon Running Podcast take 7 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:30,040 you from the starting line to the finish line and beyond. 8 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,640 Hey, runners, and welcome to Episode 181. 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,440 My Name Is Letty. My name is Ryan. 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,480 If you're a longtime listener of ours, thank you so much. 11 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,840 And if you are new, welcome. We do a weekly marathon running 12 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,800 podcast on all things related to running. 13 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,880 We bring you experts that talk about training, nutrition, and 14 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,920 we do some race recaps, which we'll be doing next week because 15 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,760 we're actually pre recording this episode At this very time 16 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,320 of this episode coming out. We will just have finished the 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,000 New York City Marathon. So that'll be coming up next, 18 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,200 yes. What are charity runners? 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,120 So a charity runner is a participant in a road race, 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,720 usually half marathons or full marathons. 21 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:17,280 Who raises money or awareness for a charitable organization? 22 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:22,240 And a lot of people run the major, the world major marathons 23 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,320 as a charity runners because they're just so difficult to get 24 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,600 in. So if you can't get in with a 25 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,040 qualifying time, it's another way to get in, yes. 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,800 So a lot of those races do have qualifying times that are pretty 27 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,000 steep, but there's also a lot of runners that choose the charity 28 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,800 programs over doing a regular entry because they have a 'cause 29 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:42,680 that's close to that heart. And so they raise a lot of 30 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,080 money. So, and just to give you some 31 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:48,240 numbers, for example, the Boston Marathon, there's 30,000 runners 32 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,400 in the field. They can't increase the field 33 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,000 because the streets are too narrow. 34 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:57,800 And so out of the 30,000 runners, they give 6000 about 35 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,520 spots to charity runners. So these organizations, most of 36 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,680 them have a minimum of $8000 that needs to be raised per 37 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,479 runner. So you have 6000 runners and 38 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:13,960 each one of them raises more than $8000 to participate in the 39 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:15,880 race. And that's pretty amazing. 40 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,120 I can't do the math in my head. So obviously that's good for 41 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:19,960 charities. So if you were trying to just 42 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,160 fund it by coming up with $8000 and giving it to a charity, 43 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,080 that's a lot of money. So how does that work? 44 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,200 So I think there's an interviewing process by the 45 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,000 charities. I think they want to sometimes 46 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,840 see that you have previous fundraising experience, 47 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,240 etcetera. And then they select you, you 48 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,320 give them a credit card number. So you're liable to raise those 49 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,080 funds no matter what, even if it has to come out of your credit 50 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,160 card. But then most organizations, I 51 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,560 believe they give you a lot of help and ideas on how you can 52 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,360 raise those funds. Hopefully your credit limit is 53 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,040 high enough. Yeah, right. 54 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,440 Charity runners work a lot harder because not only do they 55 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,360 have to train for the marathon and figure out their travel 56 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,120 budget, but then they also have to come up with this much money. 57 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:08,600 So I feel like they have a stronger mind game just because 58 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,080 they have these personal connections to their charities 59 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:16,160 and they feel maybe some pressure or responsibility to 60 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,280 fulfill these expectations by the people that have pledged for 61 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,480 them. And the outcome is more 62 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:23,360 meaningful. So you have a charity that's 63 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:25,960 close to your heart and then you cross this finish line, you feel 64 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,080 like you've done it not just for yourself but also by doing it 65 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,720 for the cost. So I feel like the stakes are a 66 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,360 little bit higher. So I have a lot more respect for 67 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,160 charity runners than most of us that, you know, don't know how 68 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,000 to fundraise. Or they have an $8000 credit 69 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,880 card bill that they're going to have to pay when they're done. 70 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,600 So now that we understand a little bit about charity 71 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,280 renters, do you have an interviewee today? 72 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,880 I do. So I interviewed Hillary, who 73 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,880 can be found on Instagram as running up that Hillary, which I 74 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,200 love her, I love her handle. And she actually had to 75 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,160 fundraise. Under pressure, she got 76 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,920 notification that she was in for the Boston Marathon of this 77 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:08,040 year, 2023, but she only had a little bit over a month to raise 78 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,040 those over $8000. So if anyone, she would be a 79 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,480 good person to talk to about fundraising. 80 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,160 Yeah, that's quite the uphill Validel. 81 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,040 I got it. And then when we're done talking 82 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,760 to Hillary, we're also going to discuss a few ideas on how 83 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,480 people can fundraise, if that's what your goal is. 84 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,160 So. You want to get into it? 85 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:29,960 Yeah. So without any further ado, I'm 86 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,200 now going to play my conversation with Hillary. 87 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:36,520 All right. So I'm here with Hillary 88 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,360 Burgess. Hillary, thank you so much for 89 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:40,680 joining me for this episode. Yeah. 90 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,640 Thanks for having me. All right. 91 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,640 So let's start with a little bit about you. 92 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,760 Who are you? What do you do? 93 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,880 And how did you basically get inspired to become a charity 94 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:52,960 runner? Yeah. 95 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,200 So I I've been running for most of my life. 96 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,640 I'm 31 years old. I I've been running since I was 97 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:06,240 seven years old. My my dad is the one that got me 98 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,520 running. He was a runner in childhood, 99 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,000 ran his first marathon at 12, which is is kind of crazy. 100 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,280 They don't let. They don't let you do that 101 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:21,680 anymore. And he I I grew up. 102 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,880 We would just drop him off in the desert 1st 20 mile runs and 103 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,520 he would he would run home. I grew up in Arizona, so this 104 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,160 was literally the desert. We would just leave a jug of 105 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:35,120 water at random random places. So very familiar with with 106 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:40,400 marathon culture even back then. He signed me up for my first 5K 107 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,760 in second grade and I have been Rd. racing consistently ever 108 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:46,920 since. So I did. 109 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,440 Cross country and track and in junior high and high school. 110 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:54,320 I moved to to longer distances when I was in college so I did 111 00:05:54,320 --> 00:06:00,920 my first half marathon at at 20. I just hit fifty half marathons 112 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:07,120 this last weekend and I. I ran my first first marathon 113 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,840 about a year ago, so it'll be a year in December. 114 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,840 That's pretty amazing. So before we go any further and 115 00:06:13,840 --> 00:06:17,800 hop into the charity part of this, I am wondering what did he 116 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:22,160 say to help you like running? Because we see as parents a lot 117 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,280 of the times that parents try to share what they like with the 118 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:28,560 kids and maybe. Do it a little bit too much and 119 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,120 then the kid gets completely turned off by it. 120 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,760 So I think what he did really well. 121 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,560 Is that he was always really supportive. 122 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,840 You know he would he would sign me up for races. 123 00:06:39,840 --> 00:06:42,400 He would come out to my my cross country. 124 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,320 He was my cross country coach. So he was he was there anyways. 125 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,480 But even in junior high before I was on his team he would always 126 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,560 come out to just support me and and my siblings as well when 127 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,280 when they ran, but never in a pushy way. 128 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:59,720 So there's been years where I only race maybe once or twice, 129 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:04,080 and he's as supportive at at at those years as. 130 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:10,000 He is years like like this year where you know I'm racing 2 131 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:16,040 three times a month and and so less you know I want you to be a 132 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:20,160 runner and here's how you should do it and and more hands off and 133 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:21,680 he's there when I when I want him. 134 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,320 He's supportive. I've grown up around the sport 135 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,640 so the exposure was always good, you know, going cheering him on 136 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,520 for his races. You know, if there was a a 5K or 137 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,840 even a kids run, I would have the option, but it wasn't an 138 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,520 automatic. Hey Hillary, you are doing this, 139 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,320 this is what you're going to do. And so I think, I think that's 140 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:43,960 the what has made it stick so long. 141 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,280 That's pretty awesome. So that's some parenting advice 142 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,560 for those of us that have kids. All right. 143 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,720 So then you said your first marathon happened just last 144 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,040 year. Which one was that? 145 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,520 I ran rock'n'roll San Antonio, so I I live in San Antonio, TX. 146 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,640 My first half marathon was actually rock'n'roll San Antonio 147 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:07,360 as well in 2012, and then ten years later my my first full 148 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,040 marathon. That's so awesome. 149 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,680 And then this year you ran the Boston Marathon, and the Boston 150 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:19,840 Marathon is a pretty big event to run as a charity runner. 151 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,920 So maybe we can. Talk about what inspired you to 152 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:27,160 become a charity runner and pick the Boston Marathon for this. 153 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:34,320 Absolutely so, So I guess it it all started with my my daughter. 154 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,640 So I have two kids. I have an 8 year old and a two 155 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:46,040 year old and my my 2 year old. Was born and immediately we knew 156 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:50,240 something was wrong with her. It was it was not something that 157 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,080 came up in in pregnancy, very normal pregnancy. 158 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,880 But it was the moment she was born that all the nurses were 159 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:58,840 quiet. They rushed everybody in, took 160 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,840 her, took her away. I still had an epidural. 161 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:07,360 I couldn't even move and they're whisking my baby away and. 162 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:15,000 She ended up being in the NICU for a while and we went home and 163 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,720 didn't get a diagnosis for a little while, so we ended up 164 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:23,320 back in the hospital. She wasn't really able to eat, 165 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,440 she wasn't gaining weight, She was in the lowest, lowest 166 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,680 percentile, basically starving to death and we couldn't figure 167 00:09:29,680 --> 00:09:31,960 out. We thought it was a tongue tie 168 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,360 or or something with with latching. 169 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,360 We tried, tried everything with that and it wasn't until she was 170 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,640 four months old. That she ended up hospitalized 171 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,960 and they did a lot more extensive testing and they found 172 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:50,280 out that she actually had a heart defect and it's so it is 173 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,800 called a vascular ring. So basically her aorta wrapped 174 00:09:54,800 --> 00:10:01,520 around her esophagus. So it was no very little milk or 175 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:03,880 formula or anything could could get through it all it. 176 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,800 She would exhaust herself sucking on a bottle because she 177 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:15,440 couldn't swallow any of that. And we ended up we got we it 178 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:18,680 wasn't an emergency situation. So there's two types of vascular 179 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:22,040 rings. So in one case it's around both 180 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,280 their esophagus and their trachea and so they can't 181 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:28,080 breathe and that's an emergency surgery with her. 182 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,120 It was only around her esophagus. 183 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,360 So what? We didn't have to rush into 184 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,960 surgery. They recommended that she was so 185 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:40,400 little that we wait a little bit because as she got bigger that 186 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:44,920 the wrists were were smaller. And we got AG tube put in so 187 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,240 that she was able to safely gain weight. 188 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,720 You know, we could bypass her esophagus all all around and 189 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:55,600 just give her her formula directly so she was able to gain 190 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,400 weight. And we eventually we we 191 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,640 scheduled her heart surgery and this was last June, so June of 192 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:08,240 2022 when she was 15 months old. And at that point, she wasn't 193 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,640 eating solid. She wasn't walking. 194 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:12,480 She didn't have teeth like it was. 195 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,600 She was very much delayed in a lot of those things. 196 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,280 And we had, we had our heart surgery. 197 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,880 We had an awesome team here at the Children's Hospital, San 198 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:24,200 Antonio. They were fantastic. 199 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:29,240 They were able to successfully. Fix the the vascular ring, 200 00:11:29,560 --> 00:11:33,320 reroute her aorta re implant it where it's supposed to go so 201 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,000 that there's no longer the constriction. 202 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,520 And by the time that we we left the hospital, she was she was 203 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:44,680 already eating solid food and it was not long after that it was 204 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:48,040 about a week that she she started walking. 205 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,800 So it was, I mean everything all at once. 206 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:57,080 And so it was it was a very traumatic 15 months. 207 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,440 And then you know that the few months after that taking care of 208 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:05,000 the the, the incision wound, eventually we were able to get 209 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,160 the the G tube out, make sure that all of that healed 210 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,880 everything. And it was, it was definitely, 211 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:16,960 it was scary, it was a a terrifying experience. 212 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:21,880 But she made a a full recovery. You know, she sees a 213 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:25,520 cardiologist twice a year and that is all like just for 214 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,800 monitoring. And we we got off so lucky, so 215 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:36,560 incredibly lucky. And so that was what what my my 216 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:40,400 main motivation for being a charity runner was. 217 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,200 That's pretty mind blowing. I didn't even know that. 218 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:49,640 Yeah, yeah, I I I try to keep my kids off of of social media as 219 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,760 much as possible. I actually use fake names for 220 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:57,200 them on my on my public profile. So my son, I call him Miles and 221 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,120 my daughter, I call her Cadence. Those aren't their real names 222 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,040 but they're they're they're they're running related fake 223 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,920 names. And so I don't post about it all 224 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:10,360 that that often and you know at the same time, not just for 225 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,600 privacy but it's also it's a it's a pretty emotional thing. 226 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,880 So I I don't talk about it all that much. 227 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,000 But when? When it's appropriate, I I 228 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,240 definitely like to share her story. 229 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:28,840 And so I I didn't start my public running Instagram until 230 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,160 January. And I started connecting with 231 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,640 different runners from around, mostly around North America, 232 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,760 some people overseas. And one of the people I 233 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,360 connected with, his name's Scott, and he was running. 234 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,520 He was in the middle of raising money for Boston. 235 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:51,640 So I asked him, I'm like, how did you get involved with this? 236 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,920 What are your tips? He sent me lengthy information 237 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:01,440 on everything he did, and I thought in my mind, I'm going to 238 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,160 run the 2024 Boston Marathon. I'm going to find a heart 239 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:06,560 charity. I'm going to run for my 240 00:14:06,560 --> 00:14:09,640 daughter, and that's that's what I'm going to do. 241 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,440 So I started researching charities. 242 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:19,520 And I found the Joseph Middlemiss big Heart Foundation. 243 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:27,280 And so Joseph was a little boy who had had cardiomyopathy and 244 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:33,560 he he ended up passing away about 10 years ago at the age of 245 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,240 6. And his his little brother has 246 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,720 the same condition. He's he's doing well now. 247 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,400 He. Their parents ended up founding 248 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:49,240 the foundation in his honor. So to keep his legacy alive, 249 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:57,600 spread positivity and then also support families who are also 250 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,680 dealing with with heart conditions in their in their 251 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:03,480 children. And as soon as I found that 252 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:07,160 charity, I knew this is the charity I want to run for and 253 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:11,680 they had a page there on their website for. 254 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:17,360 It it was for the 2023, the 2023 Boston Marathon. 255 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:21,400 And at the time this was March. So this was a month before 256 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,480 Boston. And I I was like, oh, well, I'm 257 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:28,240 sure they're full. I'm just going to submit this 258 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:31,040 and get a head start on everybody else for 2024. 259 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:35,880 So I wrote in. I told them Cadence's story, 260 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:40,520 everything. And about maybe, like. 261 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:45,160 An hour later I got an e-mail back from somebody from charity 262 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:51,960 teams, Susan, who's fantastic, and she said, Oh yeah, I think 263 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:55,040 he'd be a great four. Let's definitely keep in touch. 264 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:59,600 I asked how I could help for 2023 and I'm, I'm not local to 265 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:01,720 the area so there wasn't really a whole lot I could do. 266 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:06,120 But the the plan was essentially you know the next 13 months stay 267 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,920 in touch and then? One day after that I get a call 268 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:16,120 from Susan and somehow stars aligned exactly perfectly and 269 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:18,320 she said hey, I have an extra bib. 270 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:23,840 I know this is crazy. Can you raise $8500 in 32 days 271 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,200 and figure out the logistics and come to Boston? 272 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,360 Wow. So that's not just. 273 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,600 I mean, you're saying it like it's only two things. 274 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,000 But the other thing is also, you got to be ready to run this 275 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,040 race, right? You got to cram the. 276 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,240 Training. So yeah, luckily with that, So I 277 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,840 had just run the Austin marathon about a month, less than a 278 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,600 month. Before I I I got the news so I 279 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:54,960 was in in decent marathon shape. I you know, I could have 280 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,480 probably used a couple more long runs, but I I wasn't wasn't 281 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,280 starting from from Ground Zero there. 282 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:02,880 So then that you got one out of three. 283 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,920 The other thing is logistics, right, Finding an affordable 284 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,480 ticket and of course the place to stay. 285 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,079 So let's touch on that briefly before we hop into the crazy 286 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:16,079 fundraising goal. Yeah, that was that was that was 287 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:18,240 a lot. So we actually, I was able to 288 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:22,599 get a flight home from Boston, but I could not get one to 289 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:26,160 Boston. So my fiance and I, we ended up 290 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:31,920 flying into Newark and we spent a day in New York City, and then 291 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:35,440 we took the Amtrak up to to Boston. 292 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:40,120 OK. So that's the second hurdle 293 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:42,720 that's I mean it looks like. You can make it into a great 294 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,840 trip, especially if you have sitters at home and you didn't 295 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,280 have to bring the kids along, right? 296 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,480 Yeah, and it was, it was good. We hadn't been on a trip alone. 297 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,000 We tried to do one about once a year and we hadn't been on one 298 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:58,040 for for a while and so that that was really nice. 299 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,840 It was also my birthday, so that kind of worked out, you know, my 300 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:06,360 parents were were. More more willing to watch the 301 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:07,800 kids. It was it was also my birthday 302 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,840 present so that that worked out. And plus I mean they they also 303 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:12,880 kind of, you know they understood what a big deal 304 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:17,440 everything was and somehow we ended up finding an Airbnb less 305 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,160 than a mile from the finish line. 306 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,960 I have no idea how, but we lucked out. 307 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,280 I think maybe it was because we didn't actually get there until 308 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,760 Sunday. So it was only for Sunday and 309 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,880 Monday night. So we pretty much we got into 310 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:37,560 Boston off the train immediately went to the very last hour of 311 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,720 packet pickup and the Expo like if you know if we had gotten 312 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,000 there any later. I don't logistically, I don't 313 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,240 even know how I would picked up everything. 314 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:48,320 Oh wow. And you got lucky with the 315 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,880 Airbnb too, because we hear these horror stories of Airbnb 316 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:56,440 owners canceling their Boston stays of runners because they 317 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:58,200 find better prices and all that stuff. 318 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,800 So we usually tell people stay away from Airbnb's just in case. 319 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,520 But you lucked out. That's amazing. 320 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,560 Are you looking for the perfect apparel that mirrors your love 321 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,400 for running? Look no further than Run swag, 322 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,040 the go to store by Runners, Forerunners. 323 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:19,600 From witty Tees to hoodies that commemorate your Marathon Majors 324 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,160 to crops that get you motivated, run swags got you covered. 325 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,240 Discover the perfect blend of comfort and style. 326 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:32,080 Visit www.runswag.com Run swag. There's something for every 327 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:36,720 runner. You know you made it to the Expo 328 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,720 on time. And then let's talk about the 329 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,320 big elephant. Let's talk about the fact that 330 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,960 raising $8500 is already a big job for. 331 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,080 I think it's a big job for two years. 332 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:53,000 People do it in a year, but you had a month, so let's talk about 333 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:58,360 that. So that was that was very scary. 334 00:19:58,360 --> 00:20:00,880 And a lot of people don't understand that this is not a 335 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,480 fundraising goal, it's a fundraising commitment. 336 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:08,360 So what I don't raise that that is going on my credit card and I 337 00:20:08,360 --> 00:20:10,880 I don't even know how long it would take me to to pay off 338 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:12,560 $8500. It'd be a while. 339 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:19,600 And so I you know that's the scary part of it it's it's there 340 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:24,400 isn't an option to fail And so I pretty much I hit the ground 341 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:28,320 running from the the moment that I I realized it was it was 342 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:32,320 happening. I'm I'm part of a a running club 343 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,240 here in San Antonio it's the San Antonio Rd. 344 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,600 Runners and it's the it's the biggest one in in town and that 345 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:41,320 was that was helpful because did have a good network of of 346 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,840 runners. I think we have maybe 1500 347 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,480 members something like that and we were in the middle of of 348 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:51,280 spring training so we have regular meet ups and and 349 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,000 everything where you know I'm around I'm around these people 350 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:00,560 everybody knows what what a big deal the the races and people 351 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:08,080 were very happy to to support. I also pretty much talked to 352 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,520 everyone I've ever met because it was, I mean it was a big goal 353 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:20,040 and I didn't want to have to rely on any anyone donation. 354 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,520 I know sometimes people get corporate donations and get a 355 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:26,720 big chunk all at once and I didn't have time to to to do any 356 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:28,640 of that. So they they have all sorts of 357 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:36,200 things to hurdles to jump over and and things for for that. 358 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,200 So I didn't go that route with any sort of local businesses or 359 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,040 sponsorships or anything like that. 360 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:53,880 I I did a few in person things so I my my son and I we we got a 361 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:59,640 ton of Donuts and gels and liquid IV and we posted up at 362 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,640 one of the trail heads in town. So I I run there a lot and I 363 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,520 know it's a very popular place on on Saturday morning for 364 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,040 people to to run, walk, bike, all of that. 365 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,760 And so we set up and and we didn't sell anything. 366 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:17,640 We did it just by donation. It's like hey y'all take this, 367 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,720 it's free. But scan this, at least read my 368 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,040 daughter's story. If you don't end up donating 369 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:29,040 that's fine, but you know here it is and we got, we got a lot 370 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,400 of donations from that. You know people took a donut and 371 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:38,320 they ended up sending me $20.00. So a lot, a lot better than I 372 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,480 think if we did a bake sale with set prices. 373 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:44,400 I think that was something that worked out pretty well. 374 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,440 That's a really good approach. I'm glad you're kind of going 375 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,040 into these, because I think that's the scary part about 376 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,560 being a fundraising person for a charity, right? 377 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,800 Because not only do you have to train, you also have to make the 378 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,200 time to put in an effort and host events like that. 379 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,480 So I guess I'm going to start by asking you what kind of 380 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:07,120 assistance or tips did your charity give you when it comes 381 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:08,760 to fundraising? And then I'm going to ask you 382 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:11,160 about some other. Methods of how you were able to 383 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:15,440 raise these funds Sir. I didn't actually ask them for 384 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:21,640 for any tips at this point. I I'm sure that they would have 385 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,080 been been supportive. They were they were awesome and 386 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,000 everything that I was emailing them about logistics, but I 387 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,880 actually didn't the the topic of a fundraising I didn't really 388 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:37,880 ask them for for any of that. I I more relied on other other 389 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,040 charity runners. That was a big part of it where 390 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,000 I I learned a lot. So Scott, who I mentioned 391 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,840 before, he added me to a Facebook group that was for 392 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,080 Boston Marathon specific charity runners. 393 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:52,480 So, you know, we all had the same deadline for for raising 394 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:57,320 money and a lot of the fundraising tips I got from that 395 00:23:57,320 --> 00:23:58,680 group. OK, perfect. 396 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,080 So. I like your idea of having a 397 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:04,720 stand at a trailhead and kind of like what you said. 398 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:08,680 It makes a lot more sense to not be selling an item for a certain 399 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,560 dollar amount, but rather having your story and getting a bigger 400 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,440 donation. Because I can see myself just 401 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,880 donating 20 bucks rather than having that dollar available 402 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,400 when you're running anyway. So that was a great idea. 403 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,720 And then, but you know, you're still looking at $8500, you're 404 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:29,720 not looking at a. Chicago fundraiser for $1700 So 405 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,120 what other things did you do? How did you approach it and how 406 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:38,360 easy or hard was it to reach out to your non running friends or 407 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:42,720 Facebook family friends and all that to tell them I want to run 408 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,400 a marathon, I want to raise money. 409 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:52,360 So one of the one of the things that I did I I got a bunch of of 410 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,720 running items. So I'm a I'm an ambassador for 411 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,120 for a few different running companies. 412 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:01,560 And so I had some some products around and so I decided to sell 413 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,520 raffle tickets. That was a that was a pretty 414 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,760 easy thing. I had points for for one of them 415 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,680 where I could I could trade in my points and get free items, 416 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:16,000 and so I raffled those off. I had some stuff already at home 417 00:25:17,120 --> 00:25:20,480 that I had never used that I decided to use this as raffle. 418 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:24,280 Raffle items. So I sold raffle tickets. 419 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:26,760 I can't remember, I think they were $10 each. 420 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,640 So I had a huge spreadsheet going with with everybody who 421 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,680 bought raffle tickets. You know, even people who if 422 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:35,960 they just donated, I would give them some raffle tickets even if 423 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:37,840 they didn't know about the raffle going on. 424 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:40,640 That was that was a really good one. 425 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:46,000 A couple of the things that I got from the charity Facebook 426 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,440 group, some tips there that I ended up using. 427 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:57,080 So one of them, I had people buy songs for my Spotify playlist 428 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:00,160 that I was going to listen to during during the race. 429 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,960 And so, you know, I spun that I'm like, you know, make me 430 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,080 listen to the most obnoxious things in the world, You know, 431 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,760 something that inspires you or something that you think is 432 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,360 funny. One of my, one of my friends, my 433 00:26:13,360 --> 00:26:18,240 local running running buddies, she has a grandson who's he's 434 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,880 maybe three or four and and so we talked a lot about about 435 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,720 Bluey. And so she had a few different 436 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,240 Bluey remixes that she ended up putting on there. 437 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,120 So that was it. That was a fun. 438 00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:35,880 That was a fun one. And then I had, I had one where 439 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:39,920 people would sponsor a mile within the within the race. 440 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:44,120 So you know mile one is for this person, mile two is for this 441 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:47,480 person. And so that was that was a cool 442 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:52,360 thing. And then I also had people guess 443 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:56,400 my my finishing time and so some of them were were crazy. 444 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:00,360 Some of them were like you know people, a lot of them like on 445 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:05,560 Facebook, people who didn't know me personally like 3O2 that is 446 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:10,160 not within range for for me but I I was flattered And then on 447 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:13,920 the opposite end of the spectrum, you know six O 8 and 448 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:19,520 I'm like I sure hope not but but you know you you bought the you 449 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:24,920 bought the the time so so I'll write it down South big spectrum 450 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:30,200 there. And then a lot of the the 451 00:27:30,360 --> 00:27:32,840 donations were just from reaching out to people 452 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,840 individually. So, you know, Facebook posts, 453 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:40,760 all that stuff is great. But sending sending a text to, 454 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:45,800 you know, my, my, my friends, my my aunts, uncles, cousins, and 455 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,480 just saying, hey, y'all remember when Cadence was going through 456 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:53,440 all of this? I got this opportunity to run 457 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:57,840 the Boston Marathon in her honor, raising money for kids in 458 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,960 similar situations. Would you mind donating? 459 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:04,200 You know, I didn't ask for a dollar amount, and those 460 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,560 donations ranged from from $10 all the way up to. 461 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,360 My grandma ended up donating 300, and that was my that was my 462 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:15,560 largest donation. Wow, that's pretty cool. 463 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,520 And I think you kind of are answering a question that I 464 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:22,640 didn't ask you, but in the back of my head always had, because I 465 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,920 asked you earlier, how difficult was it for you to reach out? 466 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,720 Because I can see myself having a really hard time reaching out 467 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,680 to people. But I think you solved that by 468 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:35,880 having a charity that has something that is very personal 469 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:39,640 to you and your daughter that you identify with. 470 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:44,000 So when you are. Asking basically for a donation, 471 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:48,440 you have a greater cost than if you don't have a 'cause that 472 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:50,560 you're truly behind. You're kind of feel like you're 473 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:54,000 just asking for money to run a marathon versus you're actually 474 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,040 asking for a donation to help out in something that's personal 475 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,360 to you. Yeah I think that that's key and 476 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,560 that's that's definitely that's that's one of the things that 477 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,400 before I even started thinking about that what what my friend 478 00:29:07,400 --> 00:29:10,960 Scott had said was find something that is is close to 479 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:12,560 your heart. And you know at the time he 480 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:14,080 didn't he didn't know about about my daughter. 481 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:17,520 I I hadn't posted anything about about her on my my public page 482 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,880 or anything. But it was immediately, as soon 483 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:25,200 as he said that I I just knew that if I was going to do this, 484 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:27,920 it was going to be for a for a children's heart charity. 485 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,400 That there was there was nothing closer to me than than that. 486 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,440 That's awesome. So did you end up raising all 487 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,760 $8500? I did. 488 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,200 I hit my goal. Took me 22 days. 489 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,040 Wow, so all that what you did, you had packed it into 22 days. 490 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:50,200 That's a that's a full time job. It was it was definitely a a 491 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:53,720 lot. I mean I I exhausted everything 492 00:29:53,720 --> 00:30:00,240 every I, I both of my kids, schools, you know talking to to 493 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:06,760 other parents there, talking to every relative I have you know 494 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:11,160 lots of people I went to to college with lots of of Co 495 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:16,240 workers and you know, not everybody donated. 496 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,720 You know this was not every single person I talked to 497 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:24,400 donated, but I think it was a lot more than if it was just a 498 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,800 blanket. Hey you know if if y'all want to 499 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:30,200 donate here's my link. So I think that individually 500 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:34,520 asking people, I think that's that's huge and it is, it is 501 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,520 uncomfortable. You know, I don't, I don't, I 502 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:40,120 don't like asking for money and I think also people 503 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:41,880 understanding where the money is going. 504 00:30:41,880 --> 00:30:47,800 Like I think a lot of people were under the impression that 505 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:51,880 yes this goes to charity but y'all are also funding my my 506 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:56,960 race registration or whatever and and that is not part of it. 507 00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:01,720 So I on top of of all of of that I also, you know I paid the full 508 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,560 registration, all the logistics, all of that was out of out of 509 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:11,160 pocket and so it was not a you know, y'all y'all get me to 510 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,640 Boston and also some of this goes to charity. 511 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:16,960 It was 100%. This is all going to to charity. 512 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:26,760 And do you do that for a job? Is fundraising part of your job 513 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,120 or is this the first time you ever had to fundraise anything? 514 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,080 So it's not part of my job. I was in a sisterhood group in 515 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,600 in college and so we did a lot of philanthropy things. 516 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:40,920 We we we would have philanthropy events, we would ask for 517 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:44,080 sponsorships. So I had some experience with 518 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,120 that but again that was much lower stakes because when we 519 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:51,040 would have a fundraising goal it was great to meet it but if we 520 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:55,600 didn't if we didn't hit our fundraising goal it you know we 521 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:58,720 weren't liable for anything else there wasn't there there wasn't 522 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:05,240 a credit card on the on the line and and and I also I went to a 523 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:09,720 really big school so that the network with you know the the 524 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:13,040 the groups that I went to University of Texas at Austin. 525 00:32:13,040 --> 00:32:17,920 So with the groups at UT asking for for local businesses to to 526 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:19,960 sponsor them and stuff they were kind of used to it. 527 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,720 It was it was kind of a established sort of thing. 528 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,440 So it was I I had fundraised before, but not at the same 529 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,480 scope and definitely not on my own. 530 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:32,240 That's pretty amazing. I wish I would have known you 531 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,920 before that, because I would have loved to see all these fun 532 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:37,400 events. Because it sounds like you. 533 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,440 Kind of. Made it really fun. 534 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,960 So with that said, let's hear about how it was running a 535 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:45,960 marathon. As a charity runner, obviously 536 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,360 you've run a marathon before, so you can kind of compare the two 537 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,560 of them. But specifically Boston. 538 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,120 I know you guys get your own wave. 539 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:54,440 Can you tell? Us about the good and the bad 540 00:32:54,440 --> 00:33:00,560 stuff. Yeah, so it was overall, it was 541 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,760 amazing. Just hands down one of the the 542 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:08,440 coolest experience experiences of my life, it was also it was 543 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,800 my 31st birthday. So that also made things even 544 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,080 even more exciting over over the years. 545 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:18,720 Boston has fallen on my birthday multiple times or you know it's 546 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:22,080 always close to my birthday and it's always been something that 547 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,120 I'll I'll watch on on TV and and follow along. 548 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,840 So you know first and foremost it was amazing. 549 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:36,720 The logistics were were tough and I I was super intimidated. 550 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,800 Like very, very intimidated. I knew that there was a six hour 551 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:46,720 time limit, but I truly didn't understand the the range of 552 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:48,920 charity runners. I I thought that I was going to 553 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:53,680 be the last person to finish. I I wasn't worried about the six 554 00:33:53,680 --> 00:34:00,320 hour time limit, but I thought that was more of a you know like 555 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,520 formality. I didn't think that that that 556 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:07,520 people were were from all sorts of running backgrounds running 557 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,600 for for charity. I I thought that this was going 558 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:16,280 to be mostly people who were super close to to BQ standards 559 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:24,199 and you know much faster much faster than me and and so that 560 00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:27,320 was that was one of the the things that I was worried going 561 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:28,360 in. You know I was super 562 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:30,560 intimidated. I I took the bus, we got to 563 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:35,280 athletes village and I was super intimidated and I was there 564 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:38,800 hours before I had to start. So all the Super fast waves were 565 00:34:38,800 --> 00:34:41,080 there, not the not the professionals they had. 566 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:44,480 They had taken off before I even got to to athletes Village but 567 00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:49,159 the the second and third waves they were all there and I was 568 00:34:49,159 --> 00:34:51,560 just like I I did not feel like I belonged there. 569 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:58,120 I you know, I I kind of felt it was definitely it was definitely 570 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:00,720 a a big case of imposter syndrome. 571 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:03,880 Like I do not I don't belong here. 572 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,840 I got a chance to to meet my friend Scott in person before 573 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,360 the race and that that was awesome. 574 00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:14,600 You know, we walked to the start line and all of that. 575 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:20,320 That was really nice. And then right before starting, 576 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:24,920 I actually found the other two runners that were running for 577 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:28,680 for team Big Heart, and I'd never met them person. 578 00:35:28,680 --> 00:35:31,920 I'd never met any of these people in person, but that was 579 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:33,680 really cool. Like I got to connect with them 580 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:41,880 right before we actually started the race and running the race 581 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:45,600 itself. Once I once I started it was it 582 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:50,920 was incredible like the crowds every single step of the way 583 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:55,760 were amazing. The the volunteers everything I 584 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:59,720 had. I had a a custom bib that had my 585 00:35:59,720 --> 00:36:01,320 name and said that it was my birthday. 586 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:05,160 So I had so many people yelling go Hillary or Happy Birthday and 587 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:07,720 and so that was huge. You know, I I don't think I 588 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:11,400 stopped smiling like at any point during that. 589 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:15,080 And I definitely cannot say that about any other race I've ever 590 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,320 run. I'm definitely not smiling for 591 00:36:17,320 --> 00:36:19,680 most of those. But it was just such a happy, 592 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:23,880 happy occasion. One of the really, really cool 593 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:25,200 things. So heartbreak. 594 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:31,200 Heartbreak Hill is at about 21 miles and that's actually where 595 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:33,640 the team Big Heart tent was set up. 596 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:36,720 So you know toughest part of the race. 597 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:41,040 I've I've already been been running for 3 1/2 hours at this 598 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:47,400 point and I'm running up the longest hill of of the entire 599 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,640 race. It's not particularly steep, but 600 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,760 it goes on and on and on. It just keeps going. 601 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:59,040 And so I during that time, that's when I ended up seeing 602 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,880 the tent for Team Big Heart and they, you know, they they saw 603 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,760 my, my, my singlet that they had sent me. 604 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:10,680 So they they recognized that I was on their team gave them gave 605 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:12,480 them a hug. And that was the that was the 606 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:14,600 time that I started crying during the during the race that 607 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:19,080 was, that was when I I teared up and that was such an emotional 608 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:23,800 moment like everything came together the the fundraising, 609 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:28,160 the, the the people, the race everything just just at that 610 00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:31,920 moment it just was it was it was just amazing. 611 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,840 And then you know I had another had another hour of running left 612 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:45,920 and I I never hit a wall. I I started hoping for it to end 613 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:50,360 soon around mile 24. You know that was the point 614 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:52,000 where I was like OK this has been great. 615 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:56,880 Let's get to the finish line and then when I made that that last 616 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:03,200 turn on on Boylston and I could see the the finish line, it was 617 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,760 just surreal. I mean I felt like I was running 618 00:38:06,760 --> 00:38:10,080 incredibly fast. I I don't think I was running 619 00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:14,680 all that fast. I think I think I was probably 620 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:19,680 what my my last point too was was probably somewhere in the in 621 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:23,960 the 8 or 9 minute minute range. So it was not an incredible 622 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:28,280 Sprint, but it it felt like it. And then when I I crossed that 623 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:32,200 finish line, it was, it was it was just amazing and there were 624 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,360 so many people who finished ahead of me. 625 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:37,920 There were so many people still on the course like it was it, 626 00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:41,800 you know, at that point it I felt like I'd earned my spot and 627 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:46,520 I I deserve to be there as much as as anybody, anybody else on 628 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,120 that course. I love this. 629 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:52,120 You made me tear up with this, especially with, you know, 630 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,360 meeting the charity tent and then crossing that finish line. 631 00:38:55,360 --> 00:38:59,080 Because everybody that is there deserves to be there, especially 632 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:02,040 the charity runners, because they do so much more than what 633 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:05,000 we do, focusing on our own race. You actually make a big 634 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:10,320 difference in people's lives. So I I love all of this and I'm 635 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:14,360 really grateful for you sharing your story with us and looking 636 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,520 forward to you. Running more marathons following 637 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,400 your amazing Instagram and I want to tell our listeners how 638 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,600 they can find you because you always have great stories and 639 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:26,480 great posts. Thank you. 640 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:30,600 So I'm on I'm on Instagram my my handle it's it's running up 641 00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:36,280 running up that Hillary there's some underscores between the the 642 00:39:36,280 --> 00:39:40,400 words. But yeah I post post all sorts 643 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,880 of stuff I mean Monday and stuff like hey I went running and then 644 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:50,040 I try to do inspirational stuff occasionally when when the mood 645 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:52,640 strikes. I I had a had a post recently 646 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:56,520 just about charity runner misconceptions. 647 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:01,760 There was some backlash over the the 529 cut off with Boston 648 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:06,600 recently and a lot of comments about how charity runners were 649 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:12,200 taking up spaces that should have been going to to qualifiers 650 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:18,040 and so I. I posted my my response to that. 651 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:20,600 That was a that was a big, big part of it. 652 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,640 You know, product reviews, books, all sorts of everything 653 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:27,120 running. Perfect. 654 00:40:27,120 --> 00:40:29,800 And we will link that in our description. 655 00:40:30,320 --> 00:40:32,240 And thank you so much for coming on. 656 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:34,960 I really appreciate it. Yeah. 657 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:40,560 Thanks so much Letty. Thank you, Hillary. 658 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:44,000 And again, Congrats on running Boston and being an amazing 659 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:47,640 fundraiser. And we will put your handle at 660 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:50,400 the bottom of our show notes so everyone can find you too. 661 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:54,200 So Ryan, let's hop into some fundraising ideas that we've 662 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:56,160 looked up. I know that a lot of the 663 00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:59,240 charities that you fundraise for give you ideas and they give you 664 00:40:59,240 --> 00:41:02,800 platforms, but let's talk about a few unconventional ways and 665 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:05,200 then some traditional fundraising ideas. 666 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:07,720 So first of. All. 667 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:10,320 Don't be afraid to ask for big amounts. 668 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:14,760 It's OK to ask for larger amounts because if you don't ask 669 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:18,400 you will never know. Another tip is to be personal, 670 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,040 so let people know about your story. 671 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:25,760 Tell them why the cause is big to you so that way they can 672 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:27,600 connect with you better than you know. 673 00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:31,360 You're just asking for money. Another tip is to start early. 674 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,600 You have a year, normally between the time that you sign 675 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:36,800 up for the race to raise the funds. 676 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:40,320 So what might be some fundraising ideas? 677 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:43,800 So the charity of your choice will probably provide you with a 678 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:45,880 website that you can personalize. 679 00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:50,200 So I would say make sure that you do that, put some pictures 680 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:54,520 in it, put in your reason and your why, and then you need to 681 00:41:54,520 --> 00:41:58,120 start asking for donations. That would be the easiest way 682 00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:01,000 because then you just e-mail that to your friends. 683 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:02,920 You can share that on social media. 684 00:42:03,440 --> 00:42:06,400 And everyone will be able to read your story, why you're 685 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:08,760 running and how much do you need to raise. 686 00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:11,400 But after you've done that, there's some other things that 687 00:42:11,400 --> 00:42:15,280 you should be doing in order to get money from other sources. 688 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:19,160 Some people work for, you know, large corporations or big 689 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:22,160 businesses or even even smaller businesses, and sometimes maybe 690 00:42:22,160 --> 00:42:25,840 they would be willing to sponsor you for a race if you wore like 691 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:28,640 AT shirt with their brand name on it or something like that. 692 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:30,760 You know, that's that's always an idea. 693 00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:34,280 Ask your place of employment if they match donations as well, 694 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:36,280 because a lot of them have the funds for that. 695 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:40,640 So you could potentially have events that raise money. 696 00:42:40,640 --> 00:42:43,280 They don't necessarily have to be directly related to your 697 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:45,920 running, but you're still raising money that will then go 698 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:48,920 to the charity, which would fulfill your requirement. 699 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:51,120 Yeah, I think that's a good idea. 700 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:54,560 I also think it's a good idea what Hillary did, which was 701 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:58,280 putting up an aid station for runners on an area where people 702 00:42:58,280 --> 00:43:00,360 run. And then instead of selling 703 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:04,160 something for a dollar, she would just give them the 704 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:06,160 information on how to donate to her. 705 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,240 Because if you're selling something for a dollar, like 706 00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:11,920 you're selling a water for a dollar, then you're going to get 707 00:43:11,920 --> 00:43:13,920 a lot less. Well, first of all, runners 708 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:15,520 don't carry money while they're running. 709 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:18,680 But second, if they later on go back, you're much more likely to 710 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:20,640 get a higher amount. Nobody's going to give you a 711 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:22,600 dollar. They're going to donate, 712 00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:25,280 probably, I don't know, $1020.00 for your cause. 713 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:27,760 But like if you can give if you give a. 714 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:33,160 Detailed like history and timeline of the process of your 715 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,280 training, it might get people more interested. 716 00:43:36,920 --> 00:43:40,320 You know, nowadays with YouTube and other stuff, you could 717 00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:47,080 create a story of your goal to run the marathon or to do the 718 00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:51,840 even a goal to raise the money. And you can document that on, 719 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,160 you know, the whole process and people might be interested in 720 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:56,760 that and donate just because of that. 721 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:00,000 Yeah. You can always reach out to your 722 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:02,480 local running club and tell them what they are doing. 723 00:44:02,720 --> 00:44:05,280 I think a lot of runners are very supportive of each other 724 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:09,360 and we know how hard it is to fundraise and your friends will 725 00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:12,240 always be behind you with that. We're going to include some 726 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:16,120 links in this podcast about various platforms, including 727 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:18,520 Saint Jude. They have a lot of tips on how 728 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:23,600 to fundraise, so just know that it's been done before and you're 729 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:25,640 not alone. There's tons of ideas. 730 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:30,200 There are also Facebook groups. That teach you how to raise 731 00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:34,120 funds for your charity event. So actually if you just look and 732 00:44:34,120 --> 00:44:38,640 you research a bit, you can find just ways to fundraise. 733 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:41,400 It doesn't necessarily have to be related to running, but just 734 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:45,200 any type of fundraising. And you know a lot of times one 735 00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:47,920 of the most prominent we we already alluded, we already 736 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:51,760 talked about some of them but like crowd for crowdfunding 737 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:54,200 campaign. You know you can encourage 738 00:44:54,200 --> 00:44:56,880 matching donations. Corporate donations are always 739 00:44:56,880 --> 00:44:59,960 good, so like either your place or work or another place of work 740 00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:04,640 and you can sell stuff, you can sell products, you can sell 741 00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:09,320 another race or walk or 5K or anything like that. 742 00:45:09,880 --> 00:45:12,800 You can also one that we didn't say, I don't think is you can 743 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:18,120 try to encourage other people to raise money for you so you can 744 00:45:18,120 --> 00:45:21,480 have other people going around and asking if they would also. 745 00:45:23,400 --> 00:45:25,120 Like to contribute to your cause so. 746 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:28,160 Yeah, put your kids to work, give them some candy, and go 747 00:45:28,160 --> 00:45:29,360 through the neighborhood. I'm kidding. 748 00:45:30,880 --> 00:45:33,840 I think one of the biggest things is if you just sit down 749 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:37,240 and and come up with like a game plan and do your research, it'll 750 00:45:37,240 --> 00:45:40,520 help you organize and figure out what the best way to approach or 751 00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:45,120 tackle the the problem of raising in The Boston Marathon 752 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:48,520 Case $8000. Yeah, it's a lot. 753 00:45:49,240 --> 00:45:52,560 But you also can do, and this is not online, is go to your local 754 00:45:52,560 --> 00:45:55,640 stores that you frequent and ask them for products like Ryan 755 00:45:55,640 --> 00:45:58,640 said, and then later on sell them or do some sort of silent 756 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:01,880 auction where you can get funds for that. 757 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:05,080 If you tell them that you're doing it for a cause, the local 758 00:46:05,080 --> 00:46:08,960 shops might have some money set apart for things like that and 759 00:46:08,960 --> 00:46:11,200 will contribute because they're also getting their name out 760 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:13,000 there if you do something that's local. 761 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,880 So yeah, I always think that people seem to be more willing 762 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:19,400 to give if they get something in return. 763 00:46:19,680 --> 00:46:23,520 Or even if you did something simple, like just made T-shirts 764 00:46:23,520 --> 00:46:27,320 about your run or your charity or your your process and 765 00:46:27,320 --> 00:46:31,240 everything else and and sold, those people might be more 766 00:46:31,240 --> 00:46:33,480 willing to actually buy AT shirt 'cause they get something out of 767 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:35,480 it. And then any of the profits from 768 00:46:35,480 --> 00:46:37,200 that go to your race. Exactly. 769 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:38,760 And they know it goes to a good cause. 770 00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:41,040 And yeah, what you said about the local shops is. 771 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:44,240 They're not just doing something for a good cause, but they also 772 00:46:44,520 --> 00:46:50,000 get more publicity about their store and people will probably 773 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:52,440 then know about their store and come shop there in return. 774 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:56,440 So we're just coming up with these from our little research, 775 00:46:56,440 --> 00:46:58,680 but also do your own research, 'cause there's tons of 776 00:46:58,680 --> 00:47:01,800 information out there now and probably some better ideas even 777 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:03,280 out there that you can figure out. 778 00:47:03,640 --> 00:47:05,000 And if you find some, let us know. 779 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:08,080 Exactly. So. 780 00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,960 So that concludes our episode on charity running. 781 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:13,360 Thank you again Hillary. We hope that you liked her 782 00:47:13,360 --> 00:47:16,160 story. Stay tuned for next week when we 783 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:18,600 will have a recap of the New York City Marathon. 784 00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:21,560 Since this was my first time running it, I'm very excited to 785 00:47:21,560 --> 00:47:24,840 share that with you. Follow us on Instagram. 786 00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:28,360 We are at Running Podcast where we posted stories all weekend 787 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:30,400 long about the New York City Marathon. 788 00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:34,120 So if you want to see what it looked like, that's where it 789 00:47:34,120 --> 00:47:36,200 will be. Anything else from you, Ryan? 790 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:39,560 And hopefully this will encourage some people to step 791 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:43,160 out of their comfort zone and and go raise funds to run a 792 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:46,400 marathon that maybe they dreamed about but hadn't done. 793 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:49,760 Exactly, because you do make a difference, and maybe it'll also 794 00:47:49,760 --> 00:47:53,000 fuel your why and you'll be a stronger runner just from doing 795 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:54,280 that. And with that? 796 00:47:54,800 --> 00:48:01,400 Have a great week of running. Thanks for tuning in. 797 00:48:01,720 --> 00:48:04,520 For more information Ant Marathon running news, please 798 00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:08,360 head to www.marathonrunningpodcast.com 799 00:48:08,440 --> 00:48:10,200 and we'll be back next week.