A very expensive trip.

I made a very expensive mistake on Sunday night. My laptop was sitting on the coffee table in our living room, plugged in and charging.  I tripped over the cord and sent it sliding off the edge of the table, in what seemed like slow motion.

It landed on soft carpet forcryingoutloud! but still it looked a little bit like this (only worse) when I picked up it's sad little broken body.

Poor guy.

So I spent some time with an old little bitty red laptop I've had for forever trying to revive and make it work for what I need.  No dice.  It was slow and outdated and sad.  

Ugh.

Lately I've been traveling more for 100 Mile Club. Not having a portable something on which to edit newsletters and blogs and projects and presentations and whatnot isn't really an option anymore...so I did the inevitable and drove out to the Apple Store and bought a new stupid laptop.  It sucked and I complained the whole time I was buying it and surrendering the mostly dead PC to have it guts removed and placed into this new and pricey replacement made me sick to my stomach.  

Poor sales guy.

If only I would have not gotten up right then!

If only I wouldn't have taken that dumb old laptop into the living room!

I should have been more careful!

I tend to beat myself up worse than anyone else ever could...sometimes I think I do it to keep others from doing to me what I've already done to myself.  It's some form of self-protection or something.  Once I realize I'm actually doing this to myself, I stop and remember that it really is ok to mess up sometimes.  I remember to keep my eye on my mission and that I am ok. 

Someone very wise once told me that if you work hard, listen to the little voice inside your heart, and keep your eye on your goals, everything always works out the way it is supposed to.  

Step back and look at it differently and even bad days are good ones if you look at the big picture. 

The Analysis of a Tee.

You can tell a lot about a kid by looking at their 100 Mile Club shirt. This glorious garment belongs to the Fabulous Isak.  It's a perfect example of a child taking control of his goals and making them happen...and how he tells the world about them using his 100 Mile Club tee. 

This photo was taken on January 31, 2013. Isak has somewhere between 300 and 325 miles right now.  His goal is 500 miles. 

How do we know this?  Look at his shirt. 

• The 3 diamonds on his collar represent 300 miles.  This is a tradition that has been going on at his school for at least 8 years.  Every 100 miles earns a diamond (a Swarovski crystal to be exact) on the back collar of the 100 Mile Club Tee.  
• There are 3 rows of check boxes on the left, each representing 100 miles in increments of 25.  The first row is what is printed on the shirt when it is earned.  Isak has carefully added 2 more rows of check boxes on the left, which are all checked off.  300 miles. done.
• There are 2 more rows of check boxes added to the right side.  Looks like he has 200 more miles to go.  None are checked on the right, so that's where we figure that he is somewhere between 300 and 325 miles.  

I have no doubt in my mind that Isak will achieve his goal. 

His goal. 

HIS goal. 

This is all him. 

And it is awesome. 

We can't wait to see you with your medal, Isak...but more importantly, we can't wait to see what you will do next.  You are a star.

Run4Kids 2013 (R4K24): The Evolution of a Buckle & Medal

Every year, planning Run4Kids is so much fun!  This year, with the triumphant return of our 24 hour ULTRAmarathon and Team Relay option, we had the daunting task of designing a relay medal for teams who finish a collective 100 miles, and solo belt buckle for our incredible ultra-endurance athletes who finish their 100 miles SOLO.  

(Yes, I said solo.  You should come see them...awesome!) 

March 16-17, 2013. 24 hours. 100 miles. All for our kids and for 100 Mile Club.  

We started with this adorable sketch...We found this drawing posted on our 100 Mile Club Facebook Page and a few other places too.  To save our lives, we can't figure out where it originated, but recall vaguely that it was from a little guy who was about to make his 100 miles.  We love the claw hands and the surprised/excited face.  We love the stick-up hair and the backwards 100 Mile Club Tee.  We just love it.  

If you know anything about the rockstar who drew this, PLEASEplease contact us...  

The fame of this little sketch grew.

It reminded us of a pretty famous painting.

The Scream by Edvard Munch

...and of the random drawings of one of our favorite running friends in the whole wide world, Pat Sweeney. 

(You can meet him at Run4Kids, too!)

The little pirate guy by Patrick Sweeney

 This funny little drawing took on a life of its own, showing up on profile pictures of some of the best ultrarunners out there.  There were lobbies for a 100 Mile Club shirt featuring this little guy, and we decided to do that and one (TWO!) better... 

It would be the center of our Run4Kids 24 hour ultra and relay.  We would use it on the tee and feature him on the buckle and medal for this epic event. Full-on kid-designed and inspired!

The sketching began.  We knew we wanted color on this buckle, so we just tossed it out there. Color. Ummm, how 'bout green?  Like the tees this year? 

aaaand purple.  Yea, purple.  Purple sounds good.

It was a total fail.  

The little drawing looked like he was suffering from oxygen deprivation.  The green was boogery and 100% no. I can't even provide a picture because I think I deleted it out of fear that it would get out in the world.  

It was bad. Back to the lab.

Colors?  How about the 100 Mile Club Logo colors?  

Scribble scribble... We decided to make the 3 colors look like a road or a track with the little runner running RIGHT up to you to tell you he made his 100th mile. 

The kid-drawing?  No color!  Just leave him alone.  He's perfect.  

(Though my rendering below does not do him justice.)

We sent it off and crossed our fingers. What came back was perfect.  

Above is our SOLO finisher buckle.  It's big, colorful, meaningful,  kid-drawn and kid-inspired.  

THIS is our relay team medal.  We liked the idea of separating the actual METAL colors but keeping the design similar.   We hope you love it.  We sure do. :)

Next up: THE R4K24 TEE!  Stay tuned!  Remember, the first 500 kids who register fo.r R4K24 get a FREE tee.  It will feature this little guy, too!  You don't want to miss it.  Click below to visit the Run4Kids website and sign up today!  See you there!

www.r4k24.com 

10 things about 100 Mile Club® that you may or may not know...

1. 100 Mile Club® now has over 140 schools in 10 states and 2 countries!!  Japan is our new country. YAY! We are working directly with the DoD schools to implement a program in which both families and deployed family members can participate.
2. We work on a very tight budget...our staff is small and mighty (just 2 1/2 of us)! Volunteers are the heart and soul of 100 Mile Club® and we love them dearly. We could not do what we do without our amazing volunteer base. 
3. As I type, our website is being redone to better serve you and your kids.  We are so excited!
4. Your school can host a 100 Mile Club® Family Night and open it to other schools and families.  It doesn't have to be fancy. Visit our calendar for ideas and send in YOUR event.  
5. We have 100 Mile Club® SPIRIT WEAR! Hoodies, hats, tanks, backpacks, bling...for kids and grownups too! When our website is done, you will be able to go online to purchase goodies for you, your kids, and your school!  For now though, just call us and we will get you what you need.  OR stop in.  Which brings us to...
6. OUR OFFICE HOURS: We are open M-Th from 7:30 am - 6:00 pm. Fridays we regroup our brains so that we will be fresh for our Saturday events.  
7. 100 Mile Club® is federally a trademarked name, and we protect our brand (and you) with everything we have. In everything we do, say, send, or participate, we convey an image of who we are and what we believe. The 100 Mile Club® name and logo are synonymous with these beliefs.We must always maintain a clear vision of who we are and where we want to go. Our schools and groups all exist around these same values…we have all come together only because we believe in the mission of this organization. It is what drives us all, and it really makes a statement when we all stand together. 
8. We encourage communities to use what they have to create meaningful events unique o them where our kids can earn miles.  Local hikes, mountain trail walks, park runs, and beach pier to pier runs are all encouraged by 100 Mile Club®.  As long as they are open to all,  hosted by a school-based volunteer, and measured accurately we think these events are GREAT! 
9. Our new tee color will be voted on and chosen by YOU!! Online voting will begin mid-November.  Make your voice heard and help us pick the new tee color!!
10. RUN4Kids is now a 24 HOUR EVENT for everyone and will include an ultramarathon option for adults!!  SAVE THE DATE!  March 16, 2013.

100 Mile Club® and Hanes Make Life Easier!

A few things that come along are just way cool.  This is one of them...

If you are participating in Box Tops for Education AND 100 Mile Club®, your life just got easier.  If you are doing one and not the other, time to do both!  

Now, you can earn Box Tops with every Incentive Package you order for your kids.  No need to worry, everything you need will be right on your invoice from us. See below. 

CNUSD wins national competition with 100 Mile Club!!

On May 22 ChildObesity180 announced 11 winners of their nationwide innovation contest, including The 100 Mile Club® and Corona-Norco Unified School District.

The competition was designed to identify and reward the most creative, impactful, and scalable school-based programs and technologies to promote children’s physical activity.

100 Mile Club® was one of two west regional winners in the school programs category. Other winners were schools and districts from Los Angeles, Texas, South Carolina, Minnesota, Florida, New York/New Jersey, Massachusetts and Colorado.

The Active Schools Acceleration Project, a ChildObesity180 initiative, launched the competition in February 2012 in a commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America. First Lady MichelleObama encouraged participation in the competition with a call for applications via a video message.

Teachers, schools, and school districts submitted their school-based physical activity programs to the “School Programs” category, while the “Technology Innovation” category invited developers, inventors, and entrepreneurs to demonstrate how existing or emerging technologies could be used to inspire kids to be physically active. A panel of experts representing various fields judged the entries.

Twain Elementary (Bullfrogs) Tees

Each of the regional “School Programs” category winners will receive $25,000 to further advance health and wellness programming in their school or district. On June 13, in Washington, D.C., two of these nine winners will be chosen as National Winners and their award will increase to $100,000 each.

Working closely with leading researchers and expert staff at Tufts University and ChildObesity180, National “School Programs” and “Technology Innovation” winners will participate in pilot studies to expand their programs and technologies to schools of different types, sizes, and geographies across the country.

Peter Dolan, chair of ChildObesity180 says, “The competition’s winning programs and technologies are models that can help us reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. We are grateful for the support of thirteen of America’s leading health plans for this competition. With them as our partners, we are recognizing innovation champions and identifying opportunities to bring solutions to scale.”

Information: www.childobesity180.org

Start Line at Raincross Kids Run! 5

Great job, everyone! Special thanks to Cheryl and Kim for holding down the fort!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Run4Kids: Incredible Prizes in 2012!



R4K12 t-shirt design base!  More to come!

Registration for Run4Kids 2012 is just $5.  The first 500 registrants receive a cool re-useable 100 Mile Club® water bottle courtesy of Altura Credit Union!

Register now for just $5.

Register now.  Click here.

Each 100 Mile Club participant is asked to collect pledges for their participation in the RUN 4 Kids.*Though all registered individuals will be able to participate in R4K11 regardless of pledges collected, prizes will be awarded to those who…

Raise $25 in Pledges. Receive our Commemorative 2011 RUN4Kids T-Shirt. These are printed once each cycle, in limited numbers. This year, we have an awesome NEW design! It's a must-have!

Embroidered 100 Mile Club®beanie.  Raise $50 in pledges!!

Raise $50. Receive all of the above, PLUS the NEW 100 Mile Club® Embroidered Beanie! 

Custom 100 Mile Club® running sleeves.  Raise $75 in pledges!

Raise $75 or more. Receive all of the above, PLUS an exclusive 100 Mile Club® running sleeves.*

NEW Custom Hoodie: Athletic grey and black.  Probably the coolest hoodie we've ever made!
Raise $100 or more in pledges...

Raise $100 or more. Receive all of the above, PLUS our NEW 100 Mile Club® hoodie! WOO-HOO!

Made it to your $100 goal?  Keep going, because...



...Our top fundraiser will receive this ONE OF A KIND 100 Mile Club® QUILT! 

YES!! Your miles will count! Walk (or run) as much as you want!! RUN 4 Kids 2011 offers unlimited miles for registered participants. Collect pledges for the Walk and join us for a day of family, friends, food, community spirit, and FUN!!

Letters from the mailbox: OH NO!! They are finishing!!

Dear Kara,

I teach second grade and I want to know if there is anything special that I can do or give one of my students who reached his 100 miles at the end of 1st trimester. He is well on his way towards 150-200 miles for this year. Last year he reached 149 miles so I know that he is really pushing himself. Please let me know what I should and can do for him. ~ Ms. R, Teacher

Dear Ms. R, What a great accomplishment!! Your school rocks and so do you! You must be a fabulous coach to have him so motivated and wanting to reach new heights! You can do any or all of the following things to recognize your student and still keep with our mission and vision...

1. Send in a digital picture and a little story about him. We will feature him in our upcoming newsletter. We do that often. :)

2. Put a special mark on his tee. Make sure that you check the 100 box, but then do something special. (At McKinley, birthplace of 100 Mile Club®, we had TONS of kids hitting 100 early. We would glue a diamond on the back collar of the shirt, and if they hit 200, we'd put another one on, and so on, and so on...). You can get those at www.crystalz.com. The kids LOVE that!!

3. Announce his name at an upcoming assembly. It doesn't have to be anything huge...just a mention and a cheer.

4. Do a special cheer when kids hit 100 early. Some classes have a special cheer for kids that is only done when a student reaches his/her 25, 50, 75, 0r 100 mile goal.

Here are a few fun and silly chants: SUCCESS!

s-u-c-c-e-s-s
That's the way we spell success
We wish you luck and all the rest
With s-u-c-c-e-s-s!
GO (runner name)!!
CLAP & STOMP

Clap your hands (clap clap clap)
stomp your feet (stomp stomp stomp)
(runner's full name) can't be beat
Go (name) go (name)!!
Goooooooo (runner name)!!

Make a human tunnel for students to run through as they cross 100 miles. The kids in the photo below did this without prompting. They were so proud of their classmate that they made a tunnel for him. He came through the other end with tears of joy!

Make him a MENTOR, which is a huge honor. Assign him the job of helping other kids reach 100...all the while earning miles for himself. He is a ROCKSTAR!! Make sure that he knows that his medal is coming, BUT not to stop. That BIG mile number will make people gasp! at Medal Ceremonies at the end of the year. That will be the best award of all. Please call us if you want to discuss any or all of these, or if you have other ideas! We are all in this together.

Love,

Kara~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is a bit more with regard to reaching 100 miles early…

(It’s a good thing! Don’t worry.)

You need to know that... The 100 Mile Club® does not publicly identify or announce individuals who hit 100 miles until the end of the year awards presentation. Some individuals make 100 miles by mid-January…even earlier! We let these individuals savor the inner rewards that come from humility, poise, confidence and friendship as they help others reach their goals, too. We ask that these individuals reach inside themselves and set new personal goals in order to reach their true level of competitive greatness.
Now that some kids are reaching 100 miles...

They should keep running. They oviously ran their 100 miles with ease, and so they need to strive to hit THEIR personal best...whatever that may be. It may be 120, 150, or even 200 or more! That is something the child needs to decide for him/herself. We want them to practice the life skills of poise and confidence. Feel that pride and refrain from boasting. We will celebrate their personal best at the medal ceremony. We promise.

They should set a new personal goal. Kids that hit 100 early are in need of a new goal. Help them set a reasonable one. Then, help them reach it.

They should help their friends. They are now a true role model. Others will look to them and seek their assistance, right along with you as HEAD COACH. Students who reach 100 miles become MENTORS themselves, running with and guiding their peers and friends, all the while earning more and more miles for themselves. It is a classic win-win situation.

They can pull together a group to run together as a team...Kids who reach 100 miles have the opportunity to show true friendship, cooperation, and team spirit as they bring their classmates along so may all reach their personal best...TOGETHER!

All individuals wait until the year-end medal ceremony to receive their certificates (and medals if they hit 100 miles).

All individuals receive certificates celebrating their miles run, but only those who hit 100 miles or more receive a medal.

Most of all...HAVE FUN!! 

Great Sign. Gone. :(

I am so sad.  On my way up Mt. Rubidoux, I always look for this sign.  It was in a backyard adjacent to the trail and I loved it. 

Maybe they are moving?  Maybe the economy got the best of them.  Maybe they got sick of it.  Either way, I miss this sign. 

:(