Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Good Bye and Good Luck

"A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog." -Jack London

This will be my last ever blog post here at the running site.  I want to start out by saying thank you to everyone I have ever worked with in the charity world and ran along side.  Been many ups and many downs but the bottom line is that we helped make a difference in the lives of families.  I want to thank everyone for all of the good over the years that we did together and I am sorry that I won't be able to help anymore.   As of right now my wife, Jamie Gleason will be the new director at therun4life and I will be working out of town for awhile.  I am still directing along with Jamie, Trick R Trot 2012 at Falcon Park and I hope to see you out there on October 14th.

Here is a list of all that was accomplished since 2007: http://www.therun4life.org/#!past-events

Where Did Charity Start?

My first ever charity gig was a CMN shootout I created for Wal-Mart in 1996 in Syracuse.  After that I just enjoyed the feeling of helping and had always dreamed of being wealthy enough to help the world.  Little did I know that helping CMN from their start would lead to my own son being helped by CMN in 2002.  When I attended grad school at Marylhurst University, I had learned that the system was broken and that it needed fixing.  Too many unethical charities are in it for the wrong reasons.  My constant drive and determination to be on the level is why we won a Gold Award from Guidestar in 2012 for Transparency.  An award that 90% of other charities if not more will never receive.  I put all of our figures, meetings and financials online for all to see because I believe it should be that way.  I will say this pursuit does its damage on you mentally.  Always trying to follow the rules while you watch many others always breaking or bending them.  I truly hope that any of you out there have the best intentions going forward in the charity world.

Bye Bye to Running

My running career I guess you would call it was a great one and one that even I am shocked about.  Having knee surgery at 18, I never thought I would be any good at running.  One day after dealing with my sons surgery and stress, I just let it loose out there.  The first two years hurt like the worst pain I had ever felt.  Then In 2007 I was able to train with two amazing coaches:  Don Miller and Kevin Collins.  I literally went from the back of the pack to winning a race in a matter of months.  I got done with training in the end of July 2007 and won my first race in August of 2007 and Presidential Gold Medalist in 2008.  A feat I never thought possible.  After that I went on to win a couple more, and was in the top 10% for almost 3 years straight.  Near the end of my career I was able to run the Boston Marathon.  A bittersweet day where I partially tore my PCL.  You can read about it in one of the links below.

The Post Article  http://blog.syracuse.com/healthfitness/2009/04/boston_marathon_was_great_feel.html

The Citizen  http://auburnpub.com/sports/article_c3ad6a3e-3ef7-5ca0-b97f-c3ffd6233172.html

I had thought that Boston was the end of my career.  I worked hard trained with a couple wonderful ladies at the YMCA and won a 10k the following September.  In October I was in a major car accident and that was it for me.  I did one race in July of 2010 for a friend of mine who passed with cancer and finished in the top 20 and was done for good.  It was then that I started feeling strange and things changed for ever.   I have since tried to make 2 comebacks and my body shuts me down each time.  Dealing with Tietzes Syndrome and the effects of it are nearly impossible to run.  You may be running good one day and then your chest plate moves and it hurts and you can't breathe.  I ran two 5k trials in 20:03 and 21:08 after 6 weeks of training but I knew it was the end of the road for me.  I am thankful for all those races I ran and all of the thousands of kids I ran for over a 3-4 year period.  It was inspiring and something that I will always carry with me.  So no more running for this guy but I hope that if you are a runner that you go out there and give it your all each day.  Don't get hung up in the fight of the coaches who argue over this and that.  Go out and run and enjoy it.  That's the bottom line.  If you don't, you shouldn't be doing it. 

Where I Go From here?

Well no one ever knows exactly where they will end up.  Heck with my luck I could have a new job one day and downsized the next.  So I don't take anything for granted.  All I know is that I learned a lot since I starting the R4L.  I learned who are truly my friends and who had other ideals in mind.  I learned more importantly the strength I had while overcoming two sick children, two car accidents, bankruptcy, and illness myself this spring.  I am still here and life apparently wasn't strong enough to take me out.  I hope life goes into training because it changed when it met me and my family.  I love you all and I wish you the best for things to come in 2012 and beyond.

-Vin

P.S.  A couple of Photos that inspired me since 2007.





Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas All/ Help the kids with a Vote

I want to wish you all a happy and safe Christmas! I just know that 2012 will be an amazing new year. We have sacrificed so much to help build a new empire for the kids of our community. Thank you all and Merry Christmas!

PLEASE VOTE THROUGH DECEMBER 30TH

NEVER GIVE UP! KEEP VOTING TILL DEC 30th! MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL and to ALL a GOOD NIGHT! (Please VOTE) http://www.refresheverything.com/trickrtrot

Take out 2 mins and text 110134 to 73774


Christmas Day Run/Walk

Where: Family Video Auburn, NY
When: 1pm
Get there early to get coffee and hot chocolate
Bring canned goods for the food pantries as registration!

Course is 2 mile run to and around Hoops Park. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-Vin

Sunday, December 4, 2011

So What If It Hurts?

"There are cases in which it is necessary to inflict pain now to avoid greater pain later on, or to gain future pleasure that is worth the current pain." -SUSAN HUBBARD


So What If It Hurts?

That is exactly how I feel. I sat on those sidelines long enough. I came back with a vengeance and left no stone unturned. I started of on labor day running a 22:47 which is much better than I thought I would do from 15 months of couch sitting. I then gave myself 2 weeks of leeway and then 1o hard weeks on the TW2G plan. So what if it hurts!

So What Is TW2G?

Ten Weeks to Greatness is a plan devised by myself and Jeremy West. This plan also used the teaching of Kevin Collins of the 1st Marathon program in Syracuse which I am a graduate of. This is a plan anyone can try that already has 15-30 minutes of consistent running under their belt. Everyone that has tried the plan has set personal records the week after the program. So how did I do? I customize the plan for the runner and their goals.

So How Did I do?

I started at the classic running a 22:47 which was good for how broken I was then. I really thought if anything I would only be able to improve 1 minute due to the permanent injuries I have sustained. Halfway through the program I was running a 5:50 mile and I was very excited. I set my goal of taking a minute off my time and running 21:47 yesterday. I ended up doing the following:

1 Mile Time: 5:38.37

1.51 Time: 10:02

5k Time: 20:14

Sad thing is I ran with a severe dislocation in my left rib and what feels like a small fracture again for the 4th time over the area of my seat belt. I am proud of how far I came in just 10 weeks and all I have to say is:

DREAM...BELIEVE...ACHIEVE...

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Week 9: The Battling Continues

I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious. -Vince Lombardi


Week 9: The Battle Continues

This is the first week where I literally felt physically and mentally exhausted. Coming off a 32 mile run week which for me is a lot. Also Remember I have only been back to running less than 3 months. The hard part isn't the running it has been dealing with the body. I am now batting my 3rd inner chest infection and something else that I will talk about later in this writing.

Questions

I have been receiving many questions via email and message as to why I was out of running for 15 months. On Dec 1, 2009 I was in a car accident. Broke ribs and it wasn't discovered until later that there was damage to the sternum. I actually ran through town 4-6 weeks after the accident in the snow gathering items shopping for my kids because I had no car. Around March something felt strange but I kept going. A friend of mine passed due to cancer in July of 2010 and I raced for him. After that race I felt like my body was tearing into 4 different directions. I also had a stress fracture in my foot at the time and I was told I needed a rest. So I rested.

Shortly after I felt a change in the positioning of my chest. Sprinting was impossible because it would feel like it was caving in. I rested for almost 15 months until I realized what I have will never fully heal especially if I am running. So what do I do? I get back up and I battle!

Battling Tietzes Syndrome

It isn't a well known condition but multiple doctors have confirmed that they believe this is what I have. I can tell you that if I cough or sneeze you will hear my sternum crack or reposition. It has been a fun night tonight I can say. After that I then have to see Dr. Landers for a procedure that drives a metal rod into my chest for realignment. I normally feel really good after that, but the running wears it back down we have learned in just 2 short weeks.

For more information go to: http://www.tietzessyndrome.com/

So What is next on the docket you ask? Working harder at all costs!

Look Below for my week #9 Workout Plan


Week #9 on TW2G Plan

Sunday- OFF

Monday- 1 Mile 8 x 1 min hard 1 miles 3.5 miles

Tuesday OFF

Wednesday 2.5 mi, 15 minute tempo run, 2.5 min cool (miles) 6.6 total

Thursday 6.2

Friday 3.7 easy shakeout

Saturday 8-Mile Long Run in 60 mins flat


Keep on running!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Week #8 Vin's Training

Week #8 on TW2G

I first of all want to thank everyone for the support in my comeback. It hasn't been perfect and I have had some episodes out there but I have never once wanted to quit. Week #8 was the hardest yet and I put in workouts that would scare the average person. Though none of you reading this are average so you'll be fine!

Week #8 32 Miles Per Week

Sunday- Off

Monday- Off

Tuesday 5 Miles 3 x 2 Min Speed work during

Wednesday 5.50 Miles Added 2nd speed workout. 18 Mins at Tempo Run speed followed by 12 min hard out. Hardest workout I have done in years.

Thursday 7 easy

Friday 5.5 easy

Saturday 9 Miles of running

32 Mile week! Thank you all for the support! I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt bad out there, I just don't know how to quit!

Have a great week ahead!


-Vin

Magic Left In This World













Magic Left In This World


I started this blog with a photo. The last couple years I was starting to think that most of the magic and inspiration in the world had been drained out. Then one day I decided it is time to bring it back one step, one event and one person at a time. All of you who have been out in high numbers voting for us in the Pepsi Contest have shown that there is still magic left in the world. This is the biggest amount of support we have ever seen. I have estimated that nearly 20,000 votes for therun4life have come through by now. For that I thank you!

Click Below for Pepsi Info



Thank you all for your support! Keep it up and keep bringing the magic to this world!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Pepsi Updates/ Vins Training

Pepsi Updates

Well as you know going into right now we are #13 in the country. That is amazing and your support has been nothing short of a miracle. Thank you all for your help!

Text* 109311 to Pepsi (73774) to vote from your cell

Online at http://www.refresheverything.com/therun4life

Pepsi Alliances

As You may know we have formed alliances in the contest with other great places. We are doing this to try and move them up the ladder and they help us move up the ladder. See link below for alliance information.
Response of Suffolk County and Smart Boards for Education have fallen behind. Help them out! Indian Fields is on the verge of the last Spot! North Central Troy is Hanging tough and IMIZE is #3! Thanks Run 4 lifers for helping our partners! Keep it up!
Alliance Link
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Pepsi-Refresh-Update--Tuesday-November-8th.html?soid=1107826974512&aid=kYX7Yt2_a9E

Vin's Last Week Training on Ten Weeks To Greatness Program


Week #6 26-28 Miles per week

Sunday Workout- 7 Miles Total 2 Miles speedwork Extra 600 meters

Monday OFF

Tuesday 4.5 Miles Total 2 Mile Temp Run in between.

Wednesday 4.5 Mile Run easy

Thursday OFF

Friday 5 easy

Saturday Beginning Runners will do a 7-Mile Long Run

Total Run Week. A Shade over 28 Miles Run.

Thank you all see you soon!


-Vin

..M..O..T..I..V..A..T..E.......Y..O..U..R..S..E..L..F..


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