Running for Charity

Have any of you ever heard of the iPhone app Charity Miles? It's a great app that you can download for free on your iphone. I downloaded it a couple days ago and just started using it. Each time you use it when you run, walk, or bike it donates money to the charity of your choice.

Every time you run you make money for each mile you complete. 

• 10 cents per mile for bikers
• 25 cents per mile for running and walking

Running is definitely not my favorite activity and trust me I dread doing it almost every time. I have yet to figure out this whole "runner's high" thing or feeling so great during a run...ha! I feel terrible and as soon as I get home I want to eat and sleep. Since it is not my favorite task (maybe it will grow on me more as I keep going) it makes me feel a little more motivated to keep running when I use this app. Right now, my running during the week only adds up to about $1.00, which doesn't seem like much, but when you add that up over the course of a year, it is more than $350, just for running. If you are going to be out there running, you might as well be running for a cause. 

I have a few charities that are near and dear to my heart.

1. Arthritis Foundation--I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in June 2011 and it has made a huge impact on my life. It is a cause that I am just starting to become involved with and hoping to do more with in the future as I am starting to admit to my disease and learn to deal with it. 
2. Multiple Sclerosis Society--My father was diagnosed with MS when I was 12. That diagnosis changed my life almost as much as my own. My father's health and happiness quickly went downhill after his diagnosis, with the loss of his job, divorce, and moving away. I've been involved in helping to find a cure since I was in middle school
3. Autism Awareness--Being a special education teacher, working specifically with students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), I hope to support students and parents affect by this baffling disease. I work with my students all day, but send them home to very brave and patient (for the most part) parents who have to deal with autism 24/7 in their lives. 

Charity Miles doesn't have an endless list of charities, but it does have a lot to choose from...AND you can choose a different charity each time you run. That way you have the option to spread your heart even more. Moral of the story is get your phone, download this app, and start running. While you do that, I will keep trying to convince myself to do the running part. 

I know that no one is really reading this or following it for that much, but I was really using it to help me stay motivated. Just the idea of someone out there possibly reading it, forced me to keep running. However, I guess that just wasn't strong enough. I've been on a bit of a running hiatus, or flakey schedule, lately. You would think with an 8K in, oh what, 4 DAYS?!!? I would get my butt into gear. I'll keep y'all updated and if I can manage to move Saturday afternoon, I'll post about it. 

Recap on what has been happening:

Everyone bakes a dog a
birthday cake right?

• My younger sister, M, came to visit from college this past weekend with a friend. Unfortunetly it wasn't great beach weather around here, but it was still fun. 

• Zeus turned 1! My baby is growing up. It is so hard to believe that we picked him up a year ago in May and he was just a little baby, now he is my big chunky bubba.  

• I started taking an online class for work. Not that it requires much work, but it is still just an extra thing to work on. 

• I spent a lot of time before M got here trying to finish up some decorating projects. Even though I feel like I feel like I got a lot done at the time, I look back and everything still seems half finished. When I finally get things done, I'll update the blog world. Until then it stays an unfinished secret.

• I had a heart to heart with myself and came to terms (a little bit) with my RA and my medication. I have to give myself an injection every other week and I avoid it like the plague (it sucks and hurts like a you know what). There have been some weekends I avoided it, even though I know I shouldn't have. I got all my medication straight again and I'm starting to feel a little better. 

On a positive running note, I did manage to get myself to run yesterday. It was gorgeous outside, a little windy, but warm...finally! I haven't run outside since training with my running group in December. Bottom line--I'm a wimp and I hate the cold, plus I enjoy watching TV while I run haha. My time is better running outside, but let me tell you, running into the wind sucks! I was able to suffer through 2 miles. 2 miles, ummm, hello you are running 5 on Saturday. Yeah, I know. I'll figure that out when I get there. Tomorrow is my last day I intend to run before my race, hoping to do at least 2.5 miles, but it's always a surprise.