Run for Munda!

Spectacular End to the Run for Munda Campaign

2009-11-29T20:48:00.004-05:00

Without further delay, here's the Run for Munda video of the 2009 JFK 50-mile race!

Please also see this really good piece in the Hanover (Penna.) Evening Sun - click here - about Munda and the community support around him and Shauna, including a bit about the Run for Munda. (Thank you, Tim Stonesifer and all of the Evening Sun folks!) And look for this week's Johnsonburg Press for a description of race day. I'll post the Press' story here on Wednesday, December 2, as well as a copy of Ray's and my engagement announcement!

Preliminary Results

2009-11-22T10:08:00.000-05:00

We did it! Here are our preliminary results, from the JFK 50 web page:

Krista Shaffer - 10:23:10
Ray Rogers - 9:53:44

What to write? The thing that comes first to mind is that the support of my family, Ray, Ray's family, and our friends kept me going. I can't say enough about that. Mile 27 and 38 were the best, most wonderful miles I have ever run. I felt like I was in heaven. I feel truly blessed and loved.

The next thing that I have to write is that Ray had a beautiful little box in the bottom corner of his bag, and unbeknownst to me he had been waiting for the "right" time all weekend. Last night after the race, when we were kind of getting back to feeling like ourselves - at least as much as we were going to that night - Ray unpacked the bottle of champaigne he had brought to celebrate our victory. And then he took out the box, and inside was a beautiful diamond ring. It gave what had already been a perfect day a new sparkle, and cast everything in a new light.

More to come.

It's 5 am on Race Day

2009-11-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

Good morning! Ray and I are on the way to Boonsboro High School for the pre-race briefing. It's sooooo dark outside. But at 47 degrees, it's warmer than forecasted, and so maybe I'll revise my race attire. I've got my Run for Munda t-shirt and sweater on (for now). With the hood pulled up - and I kind of feel like a boxer getting ready to enter the ring. A really, reallt BIG ring. ... I asked Ray to say something for the blog; he's driving, and drawing a complete blank. "Whoops - we were just speeding big time," he said. He wants to get us there and get everything squared away. Good man. Well, more to come! Oh, hey - I just saw a sign that said, "CAUTION: Runners on the road!" The road beyond - Route 40 - has cones down the middle. We're almost to the start!

Pre-Start

2009-11-20T08:20:00.008-05:00

As I write, I am in a commuter bus on the way from my home in Annapolis to my workplace in downtown Washington, DC, about an hour's drive. I make this trip every weekday - but today feels very different! When I left home this morning, I left it for the last time before the race. From work today I will make my way via commuter bus to Frederick, where Ray will pick me up. We'll spend the night at Ray's parents' home in Frederick (thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Rogers)! Then, it's on to Boonsboro, and the start of the race tomorrow morning.

In any case, I FEEL like I'm on my way to the race! First thing this morning, I walked two miles to the bus stop. I felt the miles counting down. Just keep going and they'll keep counting down, I thought. It's just a matter of time! We can do this; just put one foot in front of the other.

It's going to be a beautiful day tomorrow - good for running and "spectating"! Not many members of my family can come to the race, but it's so far for them to come - it's okay. I'll keep blogging - I can do it on my phone, I just figured out! - and we'll get as much as we can on camera and post it here after the race.

Just the other day I received a comment on our Steamtown marathon video. It was from a guy who has run it and also worked the finish line. He wrote that he had never seen a video like ours, and it reminded him of how he loves to watch people finish the race. Neat! I've gotten comments from fellow runners on all three race videos, and they've been viewed hundreds of times on YouTube. It's good to know - and I hope that it's more broadly true - that people enjoy our perspective.

No matter what happens tomorrow, we'll have great footage and great memories! But I really think that if we run carefully, we'll finish, with no problem. It's like the card Ray sent me this week:

Well, I'm almost to work. It's time to really get the day underway. It's all just a matter of time!

P.S. - That reminds me that I must thank my boss Bill and my colleague Amy for their support! Not only are they contributors, but they're a huge help in more ways than they realize. Amy offers the best moral support I can imagine, and Bill is very kind and supportive, too - especially by not saying anything at all when he gets a Run for Munda update in the middle of a workday, or he hears me in my office ending a phone call with, "Hey, Shauna, I love you! Talk to you later!"

But Bill offers not just passive support. He has told me - and it means so much for me to know - that my work for Run for Munda is many ways connected to our work at Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal. Bill and I spend our professional lives talking about the virtues of small organizations and the bond between people helping people, and their importance for solving difficult social problems in America - for example in a speech he gave to the Ridley Park Ministerium prayer breakfast a little while back. You know, cancer might not be one of those problems that we normal, everyday people can cure, not without the help of trained medical professionals and lots of money. But there are related social problems that we everyday people must solve, because only we can - like helping the elderly remain independent, helping sick people hold on to their dignity, and helping their family members stay afloat in every way. These are not medical problems. These are everyday problems, our problems. And helping to solve them is being part of a community, and it's the best feeling. Click here to read Bill's speech.

By the way, Shauna has told me stories of the doctors who have supported her in ways both medical and otherwise - with phone calls and referrals and anything else they can think of. There are some really, really good-hearted, civic-minded, and just darn good doctors out there. And nurses are angels!

So... I'm going to get back to that, and then I've gotta run. (Okay, baaaaad pun.)

More to come!

What It's Like III

2009-11-18T11:18:00.006-05:00

We're fast approaching race day - this Saturday, November 21! And it's time to get a little philosophical - please bear with me. Since I started posting on this blog back in August, Ray and I have tried to give a sense of what it's like to run a marathon, and to prepare for and run a fifty-mile race. But the truth is, we don't know what it's like to run a fifty-mile race. When I think ahead to Saturday, race day, it's just a big unknown we're sharing with you.

So I've done what Lance Armstrong tried to do when he first faced cancer - I hold onto numbers. I can tell you the number of miles I've run in my training, and how fast. I can tell you about my heart rate and average pace. I can even tell you how I expect to do on Saturday based on past performance and what I know about the race course and its elevation changes. I've done my research and I know my numbers.

I just don't know... what will happen.

Cancer patients and those who support them have a lot of unknowns - the biggest ones possible - and also a lot of numbers they can crunch. I've been thinking about some of the numbers Shauna has told me in our phone conversations. She is struggling with insurance companies, and she has become an expert in the number of doctor's visits and co-pays they've had, and the number of treatment sessions, and the numbers in dollar amounts that the doctors charge and the insurance companies offer (or refuse) to pay.

There are numbers I shudder to think about, like the number of times cancer patients get stuck with needles; the number of times their bodies have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation; the number of hours they spend waiting - for doctors, for results, for the nausea to go away; and the numbers that determine whether a treatment can go forward, and whether or not it is working - blood cell counts, for example.

And then, there are the numbers about Munda that I find myself writing as I describe him. He passed away on September 25, 2009. He was 52. At Munda's funeral, Keith Malonosky said that the numbers on a headstone aren't really important; what's important is the dash in between them, the life.

I can be proud of my numbers (some of them), but they're not what matters. Numbers are just a way of keeping track of what we think we know so that we don't think so much about what we really don't know. Numbers help us to not be so scared. But not really! People help us not to be so scared. What really counts are people, and helping people, and remembering people, and taking or having heart from those encounters and relationships. What's the value of 1 if it's just 1 person? Maybe a whole lot. Brad Paisley sings, "To the world, you're just another girl, but to me, you are the world."

I got to talk to my mom yesterday morning on the phone for the first time in weeks, and she asked me about the race. I haven't had a chance to talk with her much since she started a new job, and there's so much going on in her life and mine, as always. It was just great to hear that we were on the same page, even though we hadn't been in touch.

I talked with my sister Becky in Alaska, my dad, and two of my aunts, Shauna and Luck, too. Their questions and comments, and the questions and comments they pass on to me from other relatives and friends, show me that I do not face the unknown alone.

I think of Heavan, and Munda there ahead of us - maybe looking down and thinking that I am crazy to be doing this.

And fellow runners. The videos Ray and I created have gotten several supportive comments from fellow runners on Facebook; they remind me how supportive runners are of each other. Everyone has a story they run with. Here's someone whose story jumped out at me, for example (mainly because Ray sent it to me - thanks, Ray): This week the newspaper in Hagerstown, the Herald-Mail, is profiling JFK-50 runners; on Sunday their featured runner was 49-year-old local dairy farmer Dale Rhoderick, who has completed the race twenty-two times and will go for his 23rd this Saturday. Cancer took away his wife nineteen years ago, and he dedicated that year's race to her. This year, he'll run for the first time as a former dairy farmer; he just lost his farm. Click here to read the story.

And Ray - I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Ray. And I wouldn't be able to do it, either.

We're crazy runners! Through it all, we just keep running. In today's Wall Street Journal there is an article about people who have run hundreds and hundreds of marathons. "Three Germans, a Finn and a Japanese woman are known to have clocked more than 1,000 marathons apiece -- that is 26,200 miles, about 1,300 miles more than the circumference of the earth. The record holder, 74-year-old Horst Preisler, has run 1,636 marathons," the article says. Click here to read. (For the record, Ray has run 14 marathons in 5 states, and I've run 6 marathons in 4 states.)

One multi-marathon runner's personal doctor called him a "nut job" and a "marvel." But the truth is, runners are pretty neat people, and they're a great, supportive group to have around. I don't want to put it into numbers - you can't - but I have to include this quote: Larry Macon, a lawyer who will soon complete his 600th marathon, told the Wall Street Journal, "The jerk percentage among marathoners is just so much lower than the jerk percentage among lawyers."

And then there's the advice people who run ultra-marathons (any distance over 26.2 miles) give and get - that you must make "relentless forward progress no matter what." You just have to keep going, even when every fiber of you wants to stop.

The fact is, runners are a ready-made support group; they have to find a way to deal with that. And in life you really, really need that!

As for numbers? They're just what gets you into the club, what allows you to enjoy the camaraderie of people who know what they really mean.

What It's Like II

2009-11-14T17:30:00.001-05:00

If you've watched the video of the JFK 50 by Steve Hilmy (see below), maybe you've noticed that the course goes over some pretty rough trails:

Ray and I practiced that part of the course (on the Appalachian Trail) back in July, and once in September, too. Parts that look like the picture above require a kind of fast-stepping walk instead of a run - it takes some practice! For the entire race course, we plan to run 11:00- or 11:30-minute miles. For this part of the race course (about 11 miles of the race), we think we'll run/walk 14:00- or 15:00-minute miles.

The course of the JFK 50 also has a lot of elevation in it; in the first 5 miles, we'll climb over 1,000 feet! I guess the organizers really want you to feel like you've accomplished something when you're done! Runners say that the trail is the most interesting section, and the rest of the race can be rather boring.

Here's a mile-by-mile description, in case you're curious:

0 – START in downtown Boonsboro on Alternate U.S. Rt. 40 at 66, adjacent to the Boonsboro Educational Complex, elev. 570. Run 2.5 miles East on Alternate Rt. 40.
2.5– Get on Appalachian Trail at Turner’s Gap, elev. 1071. We run 13 mileson the AT (but really only 11, because we get off onto a paved road fortwo miles of that).
3.5 – Here we get on paved road for two miles, says the packet – you can see it on the MapMyRun map.
5.5 – Back on trail.
6.1(roughly) – Lamb’s Knoll, highest point of race at elev. 1750 or so. Wehave climbed 1,172 feet! White Rocks overlook. Then we have a steadydescent back down to …
9.5 (roughly) – Crampton Gap Shelter (elev. 1000) in Gathland State Park, where there will be an aid station and a crew meeting place. After a further dip to 905, we’ll have 130- to 200-foot climb and then small ups and downs until…
13.6 (roughly) – Ed Garvey Shelter (a.k.a. Rocky Run Shelter, elev. 1100). Then we drop from 1100 to 290 ft, a loss of 810 ft.
15.5 – Aid station no. 3 and crew meeting place,and then the AT meets the C&O Canal Towpath (near mile-marker 58),elev. 290. We run 26.3 miles on the towpath, climbing roughly 74 ft.Regular aid stations – seven over this next section.
27.1 – Antietam Aqueduct, crew meeting place.
38 – Taylor’s Landing, crew meeting place.
41.8– Dam #4 Road (just past towpath mile-marker 84). Elev. 364. Get readyto climb – but not much (about 90 ft.) Two aid stations on this stretch.
46 – Right turn onto Spielman Road (MD Rt. 63). Aid station, crew meeting place.
48.7 – Junction with MD Rt. 68. Aid station nearby. Follow Rt. 68 for 0.9 miles.
49.6 – Right at Sunset Ave. Continue 0.5 miles to...
50 – FINISH in front of Springfield Middle School on Sunset Ave., elev. 452.

JFK 50 Race Course and Support Crew Information

2009-11-14T13:29:00.004-05:00

As promised, here is more information on next Saturday's JFK 50-mile race - specifically, a course map! Below, find a BIG map with the course in the lower left, in red, just for orientation for everyone up there in Littlestown!

Below is a more detailed map (but still not GREAT - for that, click here). The places indicated with dark red circles and text are where race support crews can interact with runners. There are pretty strict rules about this - I've pasted them in at the bottom of this posting.

Here's when we expect to be at the crew meeting places (in best and not-best scenarious):

7:00 a.m. – START in downtown Boonsboro on Alternate U.S. Rt. 40 at 66, adjacent to the Boonsboro Educational Complex
~9:08 a.m. (best) to 9:22 a.m. (not best) - Gathland Gap, mile 9.3
~10:29 to 10:52 - Weverton Cliffs, mile 15.5 (SHOE CHANGE, please!)
~12:34 p.m. to 1:12 p.m. - Antietam Aqueduct, mile 27.1
~2:36 to 3:32 - Taylor’s Landing, mile 38 (moral support, please!)
~4:09 to 5:30 - Downsville, turn onto Spielman Road (MD Rt. 63), mile 46
~4:53 to 6:28 - FINISH in front of Springfield Middle School on Sunset Ave.

Click here to download official directions to the crew meeting places.
Note: There are really only two places where Ray and I will need help, we think. They're in bold above. The first is mile 15.5, Weverton Cliffs, where we'd like to change our shoes. (This is really only important for the person who will be carrying our extra shoes - THANKS, Nate!) The second is mile 38, Taylor's Landing, where we're probably going to need some moral support! The rest of the crew meeting places are totally optional; Ray and I don't know if we'll spend much time there (except, of course, for the start and finish)!

Support Crew Rules (from race documents):
"Support crew members are 'tolerated' at points designated by race organizers on the course. These locations are: Gathland Gap (9.3 miles), Weverton Cliffs exit (15.0 miles), Antietam Aqueduct (27.1 miles), Taylor’s Landing (38.0 miles) and Downsville (46.0 miles). If you do decide to use a support crew, make sure they only meet you at the aforementioned race designated points and that they are instructed to yield 'right-of-way' at all times to Park Service Personnel, officials, volunteers, participants, vehicles and pedestrians on the course. SPECIAL NOTE TO SUPPORT CREW: Vehicle traffic on the JFK 50 Mile’s final 8.4 mile road section will be limited to only race organizers, law enforcement vehicles, and local traffic between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on November 21, 2009. Support crew members in automobiles or on bicycles will not be allowed access to the final 8.4 mile section of the JFK 50 Mile course. Violators of this request will subject their participants to disqualification."

NEXT I'll post a mile-by-mile course description.

What It's Like - the JFK 50

2009-11-14T12:28:00.000-05:00

In exactly one week, Ray and I will be runnning for ten hours! In anticipation, we spent this morning watching YouTube videos and reading what people have posted online about the JFK 50 - and guess what? We're NOT totally discouraged! Actually, we're very excited.

We think this video captures what we know about the race course (part of which we've run a few times) and running in general - thanks for posting it, DC-based Scottish composer and runner Steve Hilmy! We agree with you about the ice bath: necessary but AAAAAAHHHHHHHH! (It's what we'll be doing after the race, too!)

Getting to the JFK 50 - How We Did It

2009-11-13T18:18:00.127-05:00

It is ENTIRELY possible to train for and run fifty miles - er... well, if it isn't we're in big trouble! But in any case, if you're wondering how Ray and I trained, here's the short version: We got Mondays off. We ran shorter runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We got Friday off. We ran long runs on Saturdays and Sundays.

How short is "shorter" - and how long is "long"?  During our first week of training back in June, our short runs were 4 to 7 miles, and our long runs were 7 and 14 miles.  After ups and downs in our training, we ran our hardest week at the beginning of October, with short runs of 4 to 6 miles (but it was supposed to be 10) and long runs of 26 miles (two back-to-back marathons on October 10 and 11).

And here's the long version, in case you were wondering. We compared the training plans we found online from the magazine Runner's World, runner Hal Higdon, and a web site called UltRunR. We decided on a combination of them, but built our plan on Hal Higdon's, for the most part.

So, what does that mean?  Below you can find a chart of what we planned to do over 23 weeks (although it changed slightly in practice).

NOTE: While we didn't plan speekwork, we often tried to run the middle weekday run at a faster pace. Otherwise, we stuck to 9:00 to 11:00 minute miles for all of our training, and we tried to incorporate fast walking, too.

Week 1:   4, 7, 4, off, 7, 14, off = 36 miles
Week 2:   4, 7, 4, off, 7, 15, off = 37
Week 3:   4, 5, 4, off, 7, 11, off = 31
Week 4: 4, 8, 4, off, 7, 17, off = 40
Week 5: 5, 8, 5, off, 8, 18, off = 44
Week 6:    5, 5, 5, off, 8, 13, off = 36
Week 7:    6, 3, 6, off, 6, 20, off = 41
Week 8:    7, 3, 6, off, 7, 23, off = 46
Week 9:    7, 3, 6, off, 7, 24, off = 47
Week 10: 7, 4, 6, off, 10, 16, off = 43
Week 11: 4, 6, 6, off, 10, 18, off = 44
Week 12: 4, 6, 8, off, 10, 20, off = 48
Week 13: 4, 8, 6, off, 8, 10, off = 36
Week 14: 4, 8, 8, off, 20, 14, off = 54
Week 15: 4, 10, 8, off, 20, 16, off = 58
Week 16: 4, 10, 8, off, 18, 10, off = 50
Week 17: 4, 10, 6, off, 26, 26, off = 72
Week 18: 4, 4, 8, off, 10, 8, off = 34
Week 19: 4, 4, 8, off, 18, 16, off = 50
Week 20: 4, 7, 8, off, 10, 26, off = 53
Week 21: 4, 10, 8, off, 16, 10, off = 48
Week 22: off, 4, 6, 6, off, off, 10 = 26
Week 23: 6, 4, 3, 2, off = 15 and then 50!
Total planned miles: 991 plus 50
Total actual miles: about 850 plus (hopefully) 50

Lots of Spirits and $6,022 Raised at Aero Benefit Dance for Munda!

2009-11-11T13:10:00.020-05:00

On Friday, November 6, Aero Energy, Inc. (http://www.aeroenergy.com/) held a benefit dance in honor of Munda. What a GREAT TIME! The dance was attended by nearly 300 people and raised over $6,000!

You can find a detailed description of the dance in an article published in the Johnsonburg Press - click here to download (PDF format, 2 pages, published on November 18.)

And you can see for yourself what a great time it was - scroll down for a few pictures and, further below, a slideshow!

Shauna DiIulio (in blue, center) with the Aero Energy employees who organized Friday's

benefit dance. On the far right are Aero Energy CEO Tom Washburn and his wife Melanie

Left to right: Aero human resources' Joyce Miller, Shauna, and Aero customer service's Missy Ford

Memories of Munda

Fifty-two gift baskets were raffled off. The event also featured door prizes as well as a 50-50 prize

Line dancing was a big hit at the Aero Energy benefit dance for Munda

SLIDESHOW (100 images):

Manchester City Marathon

2009-11-02T17:42:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Ray and I ran the Manchester City Marathon! Ray finished in 4:25:50, and I crossed the line in 4:31:06. The race was hilly, but the weather was perfect. And today we feel pretty darn good, we're really pleased to say. Anyway, without further ado, here's the race video!

Next Friday - The Dance!

2009-10-30T12:55:00.001-04:00

Next Friday we celebrate Munda's life in a BIG way. Come - and bring your friends, neighbors, and folks you meet along the way! Here are the details.

WHAT:
Benefit Dance in Memory of Munda DiIulio, organized by Aero Energy

WHEN:
Friday, November 6, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.

WHERE:
New Oxford Social & Athletic Club Pavilion
200 West Golden Lane
New Oxford, PA
Tel. 717-624-8321
Click below for a Google map and directions:

View Larger Map

TICKETS:
$10 each, available for purchase at the door. RSVP (suggested, not required) to Joyce Miller.

OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION:
If you get lost on the way, contact the club at 717-624-8321, or me (I'll try to help) at 202-550-6583 (cell).
Other things you might like to know:

DJ:
There will be a DJ playing a variety of music; bring your requests!

FOOD:
There will be food: BBQ & Hot Dog sandwiches, pasta salad, cheese & bologna, veggie tray, chips & pretzels. Beer & soda also included. There is no cost for the food, it is included in the $10.00 ticket cost. For an extra buck, however, you can purchase a double Jello shooter!

RAFFLE:
The dance will coincide with raffle that already includes 45 items, among them:
2 Penn State baskets
Steeler Basket
Texas hold ‘em Poker set
Wine basket
Christmas basket
Numerous “Mary Kay” baskets
Wal-Mart gift certificates (5)
Gift certificates to area restaurant
2 rounds of golf at the Bridges
Nice watch
Designer sun glasses

50/50, "13" JARS, and DOOR PRIZE:
The ticket to the dance enters you in a drawing for a “Tail Gate” grill valued at $200.00.

ATTIRE:
Some asked me, so I have to write that for you, it's black tie.
For everyone else, John Deere green, Penn State colors, or Steelers colors are a plus, and cowboy boots and denim are always in fashion, but you can just come as you are.

Clouds and Sun

2009-10-27T07:38:00.036-04:00

It has been a rainy time in so many ways, these past few weeks! But there are glimpses of sun. Shauna's sister, Luck, has been spending her weekends with Shauna to help ease the loneliness. Sisters! (See below.)

This past weekend my sister Shannon and cousin Taylor joined them, and they had a great time. What's that about Taylor dressing up as a chicken?!

Meanwhile, Ray and I spent the weekend training hard for the upcoming races - a marathon on November 1 and the big 50-mile race on November 21. On Saturday we ran 18 miles, and on Sunday we ran 16. For some reason, 6 and 1/2 hours of running really fills up a weekend, mainly because it also requires a lot of eating and sleeping!

It also requires a bit of putting ourselves back together; Ray and I are both nursing minor injuries from the wear and tear of training - Ray's knee and my ankle. It's just what happens when you push yourself for so long. We do a lot of stretching, soaking, rubbing, icing, heating, and popping Advil - and a little whining (mostly me).

This coming weekend we will run a full marathon - 26.2 miles - in Manchester, New Hampshire. It will be the last run we do over twenty miles before our big race, and the 12th such run we've done this year. An even dozen - woo hoo!

For those of you who are doing the math, that's over 240 miles. Combined with all of the other training runs, we've run over 1,600 miles this year - the equivalent of running from Washington, DC to Denver, Colorado.

I just hope that we can make it through the weekend without making our injuries worse. From here on out, we only need to run another 125 miles before the big race! We're so close.

More to come!

Bittersweet Disneyworld

2009-10-25T11:26:00.000-04:00

In mid-October, Munda's wife Shauna and their kids and grandkids took the trip to Disneyworld that they had all planned together. The idea of the trip gave Munda hope when times were tough. It was hard for Shauna and everyone to take the trip without him. But after looking at the pictures - below are a few - how can you say that Munda wasn't with them? He was in their hearts, and in the faces of his sons, daughter, and grandkids - in their eyes and their smiles.

Run With Us - Two Marathons in Fifteen Minutes

2009-10-13T13:27:00.005-04:00

No. 1: Baltimore Marathon, October 10, 2009

No. 2: Steamtown Marathon in and around Scranton, PA, October 11, 2009

Initial Results

2009-10-12T12:44:00.003-04:00

Thank you so much for the encouragement, Shauna, Luck, and everyone! We did it - we ran two marathons back to back, or as they say among crazy marathon runners, we "doubled." I'll soon post here the photographs and video we took of the Baltimore and the Steamtown (Scranton, PA) marathons, held on Oct. 10 and 11, 2009, respectively. For now, here are our results:

Ray Rogers
Baltimore, 26.2 miles: 4 hours, 26 minutes, and 17 seconds; finished 194th out of 310 in age group (37th percentile)
Steamtown, 26.2 miles: 4 hours, 27 minutes, 19 seconds; finished 80th out of 95 in age group (16th percentile)

Krista Shaffer
Baltimore, 26.2 miles: 4 hours, 35 minutes, 21 seconds; finished 85th out of 161 in age group (47th percentile)
Steamtown, 26.2 miles: 4 hours, 35 minutes, 40 seconds; finished 108th out of 141 in age group (23rd percentile)

Ray and I paced ourselves much slower than our best marathon times so that we could be sure to complete the back-to-back marathons. (Ray's best time is 3 hours, 8 minutes, and 22 seconds; and mine is 3 hours, 39 minutes, 25 seconds.) Our pace for the 50-mile race in November will be even slower - probably 12- or 13-minute miles.

An initial observation about these two races is that they couldn't have been more different. The Baltimore Marathon was huge, very urban, and very crowded. It drew a lot of people for whom it will be their first and only marathon. The course is designed to showcase the city's downtown - and probably also to not cause TOO much traffic disruption. Most of the onlookers were friends and relatives of people running the race.

The Steamtown Marathon was small and rural. The course is designed to be fast - overall, it's downhill. It attracts a lot of regular marathon runners as well as younger runners who are trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon - generally a very fast group. (You can see that Steamtown people are a lot faster if you look at how Ray and I placed in our age groups in the two races.) The onlookers were townspeople who made signs, decorated their yards, and handed out orange slices or lollipops or whatever else they thought runners might like.

I think you can imagine which one Ray and I liked better! I can't wait to show you the videos. More on the ASAP.

One Down, One To Go

2009-10-10T21:18:00.000-04:00

As I write, I'm propped up on three pillows in a hotel room in Scranton, relaxing after 26.2 pretty hard miles of running through Baltimore followed by a 200-mile-drive. Ray is sprawled on the floor, trying to stretch out some hard-to-reach leg muscle. After I finish this note, we're going to switch tasks and places.

What a day! But we did it! But I'm too tired to write much, and we have to get up at 5 tomorrow to get the starting line of our next marathon here in Scranton. So for now, I'll just write: Ray's time was 4:25ish, and mine was 4:35ish, more or less as planned. Ray and I documented this race very well; we each carried cameras and took pictures and videos. As soon as I am able, I'll post them. For now, here's a photo each from before, during, and after the 2009 Baltimore Marathon:

The run was harder than we expected; Ray and I both had pains in knees and ankles. But after stretching a few times throughout the day, we feel pretty good tonight - ready to run another one. So on that note, good night. More tomorrow, okay?

A Mile Is a Mile Is a Mile

2009-10-09T12:30:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I drove to Ravens Stadium in Baltimore to pick up Ray's and my race packets and numbers for tomorrow's Baltimore Marathon.

Wow!

Everywhere you looked, there were reminders of how huge this event is. The stadium is huge; it will serve and the starting and finish line. As I stood in line there to pick up our packets, I was flanked by thousands of other runners; over 20,000 will race on Saturday. When I got to the front of the line, I met with one of thousands of volunteers, who reached over to one of thousands and thousands of boxes and pulled out packets for Ray and me. And all of those thousands and thousands of people were eager, excited, and full of nerves. It was intense!

I got a huge knot in my gut. This is so different from how I usually run, I thought. Will I be able to focus on my goals for this race? Will I be able to relax, shut out all of the overstimulation, and make it a good run?

Then I remembered the 1986 basketball movie Hoosiers. It's about a small town Indiana basketball team that makes it to the state championships - remember? (The team's Coach Dale is played by Gene Hackman.) When the team arrives at the imposing sports complex where the championship will be held, Coach Dale gets out a tape measure and has them measure the basketball court to show them that it's the exact same size as the one back home.

Munda lived that way; he was the same in every situation, and everyone "knew the same Munda." And he did well in everything. He had that kind of integrity.

So instead of thinking about all of those runners, I'm going to think of Munda's example.

Ray's Marathon Packing List

2009-10-08T07:23:00.005-04:00

The list speaks for itself. (It says, MAN, this is going to hurt.)

Paperwork Related
Hotel Confirmation
Active.com registration
Maps / Expo / Hotel
Navigation GPS

Run Gear
Running Shoes
Running Shorts
Short Sleeve Shirts
Long Sleeve Shirts
UnderArmour heat gear (top)
UnderArmour heat gear (bottom)
UnderArmour undies (w/ heat gear)
Running Socks
Running Gloves
Wind Pants
Watch (or GPS)
Old Tube Socks (for arms)
Winter Hat
Running Cap

Random Running
Bag Balm
water bottles
cheap "drop" bag
Gallon H20
Body Glide
Trash Bag
Protein Drinks
Goo (4+)
extra "drop" bags
Duck Tape
Sharpie marker

Food Stuff
Cooler/Ice
Milk
Yogurt
Protein powder
Oatmeal
Blender
Fruit
Coffeemaker
Coffee Beans
Coffee Grinder
Cups??
Sugar
Creamer/Milk
bagel / eng muffin
peanut butter / jelly
Tea
Honey

First Aid Stuff
Vitamins
Aleve
Safety Pins
Toilet Paper
band aids
Tums
baby wipes
super glue
moleskin
Swiss Army knife
sun screen
first aid kit
drink powder
electrolyte caps

Shower Stuff (if need)
towel
wash cloth
brush
shampoo
deodorant
soap

Marathon Preparation

2009-10-07T07:46:00.004-04:00

This weekend Ray and I will run two marathons as a part of our training: the Baltimore Marathon and the Steamtown Marathon (in Scranton, PA). We've been training a long time for these back-to-back marathons, and I think we're prepared - for the running, that is. The scarier part of this weekend might just be navigating our way around - and between - two cities hobbled by converging runners (over 20,000 will come to Baltimore) and road closures. Yikes! I won't bore you with the details, save these two: (1) I just printed out over 20 pages of maps, directions, parking instructions, and race course information! And (2) here's a rough schedule:

Friday afternoon, October 9
- Ray drives from Virginia, we meet in Baltimore and pick up our registration packets, numbers, and timing chips at the Race Expo.
- Return to my home in Annapolis.

Saturday, October 10
- Get up at 5 a.m. or so so that we can drive 30 miles to Baltimore before they close roads. Yawn. Well, maybe 5:30.
- Bang! The gun goes off at 8:00 a.m. in downtown Baltimore. The race starts and ends at Camden Yards, where Orioles play.
- Ray and I hope to be finished by 12:30. Then we'll jump in my car and get on the road, headed to Scranton, 200 miles away.
- Race packet pick-up in Scranton ends at 5 p.m. We hope to get there in time!
- For dinner, Ray and I have been looking forward to a steaming plate of "Killarney pasta" at the Banshee Irish Pub in downtown Scranton. MMMMmmmm-MMMM. Ray ran the Steamtown Marathon last year, and we found this place and this dish, which tastes like a reuben sandwich. Afterwards, we wasted a lot of good sauerkraut trying to figure out the recipe over the course of several months. This time, we're just going to ask 'em for it, gosh darn it.

Sunday, October 11
- Up and at 'em at 5:00 a.m. again. Well, maybe 5:30. This marathon is not a loop, but rather point-to-point, so we have to catch a bus to the start of the race.
- BOOOOM! They fire an actual cannon to start this race at 8:00 a.m. I bet the neighbors love it. Here's a picture from last year:

- Hopefully we'll finish by 12:30. Then we get in the car and drive 230 miles back to Annapolis, and then sleep REALLY GOOD.

Tomorrow I'll post Ray's marathon packing list. When I first saw it, I wondered what the heck we need all that stuff for. Now I regret to say I know.

Why?

2009-10-06T08:00:00.004-04:00

"Why would anyone want to run 50 miles?" This is a question many people have asked me - and now they're starting to ask Shauna and other relatives of mine. Well, it's a good question!

Two days ago I told Shauna, "I guess you can tell people that I want to run 50 miles because I think I can, and I want to find out." I was sitting on comfortable sofa with my feet propped up on a coffee table, having just completed a weekend's worth of long runs, and looking forward to 36 hours of not having to run, and it seemed like a good answer. But it was also kind of a selfish answer. I, I, I...

This morning my training resumed, and as I hurtled myself out into the pre-dawn darkness, the question didn't seem so easy to answer. "Why?" "Do I really want this?"

Ray loves to read biographies of world-class athletes (which we definitely are not). We've read a few of them together, and it struck me that many of these athletes also ask "What does it mean?" and struggle to make their extraordinary talent meaningful. Transatlantic rowers Julie and Colin Angus used their experience to further our understanding of the ocean and our impact on it. Swimmer Lynne Cox decided to use her natural swimming talent to further international relations and intercultural understanding; in 1987 she swam, for example, across the Bering Strait between what was then the Soviet Union and the United States. Ultrarunner Dean Karnazes was touched by a little girl with cancer, and he ran a race for her.

We all know Lance Armstrong, whose cause found him. I'm reading his book now. Its title is It's Not About the Bike. I love the title! Because it's not about the bike, the boat, the swim, or the run.

So what is it about?

Well, I do want to see if I can run 50 miles. WE - Ray and I - want to. If we stopped wanting it, no one else would say, "Awwww, c'mon!" Maybe it is selfish. Because of running, I take time away from other people - my friends, my work, etc. I spend money on shoes and entry fees. Just because I want to see if I can.

But the experience of running (like lots of experiences, really) can be a great teacher about life. You learn that you can do more than you think. You learn that can't do everything. You learn that there are things you can control. You learn that there are things you can't control. You learn, in sum, what it does and doesn't mean to be a human soul in a human body.

I think that's why sports pursuits and disease awareness/research fundraising seem to go hand in hand. Race for the Cure. AIDS Walk. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. At these events, survivors reclaim their bodies from disease, loved ones remember those who died, and everyone shares in the physical pursuit of a goal that is, really, celebrating and honoring human souls that (for a while) occupy human bodies, as best we can.

At the beginning of his book, Lance Armstrong writes:

Good, strong people get cancer, and they do all the right things to beat it, and they still die. That is the essential truth that you learn. People die. And after you learn it, all other matters seem irrelevant. They just seem small....

People die. That truth is so disheartening that at times I can't bear to articulate it. ....But there is another truth, too. People live. It's an equal and opposing truth. People live, and in the most remarkable ways. When I was sick, I saw more beauty and triumph and truth in a single day than I ever did in a bike race - but they were human moments, not miraculous ones....

I still don't completely understand it. (pp. 3-5)

So, why? Because we (humans) can (rise above our bodies, and our spirits can triumph even in pain, suffering, and defeat, and looking back we will say that it's worth it).

Trail Running = Ouch

2009-10-04T18:21:00.002-04:00

Today Ray and I ran 10 miles on the dirt trails at Beaverdam Park, bringing our running to a total of 28 miles this weekend. About 22 of those miles were on dirt trails through woods. This kind of training is risky because there are roots and rocks and lots of fallen leaves. Ray nearly turned his ankle last weekend on a dirt trail, and today I nearly turned mine. But 11 miles of the JFK 50 is on dirt trails, and it's good to train for those conditions and strengthen our ankles.

Here's a picture from mile 6.5:

We're nearing the finish of the second - and hardest - cycle of our training. The first cycle of our training began on June 15 with a 27-mile week. The first cycle of training is to build mileage, and when we finished that cycle on September 6, we were up to 48-mile weeks (and 24 miles at a time). Then we got an "easy" week of "only" 34 miles. The second cycle of our training started on September 15 with a 55-mile week. The second cycle is for even higher mileage, and also building strength and speed. That cycle ends next week, when we'll run a total of 68 miles - the most I've ever run in a week! Then we get a week of "rest," during which get another "light" week of 34 miles.

Beginning on October 20, we're back up to 50- and 55-mile weeks for three more weeks - our final race preparation, when we focus on technique and work out any aches, pains, and other worries. Then we "taper" our training starting on November 2. We run less and less, until the week before the race, when we run only 25 miles.

It may sound funny, but during the taper, your legs really miss running. They tingle and tickle. They want to be USED. Your legs fill with energy. When you finally set them on the race course you've prepared for, they are at peak energy levels, peak strength, peak everything. They want to run. And when you start the race, your legs just carry you away, doing everything you've trained them to do. You may not want to run 50 miles, but your legs DO!

Well, that's what we hope for! Munda provides inspiration for our minds; training provides the rest.

Oh - and lots of food and water. Here's a water stop (which we set up in the back of Ray's truck, and circle back to it as needed):

We stock the cooler with water and protein shakes, and we also keep on hand pretzels, bananas, a delightful sports food called "goo" (more on that later), protein bars, and more - gummi bears, peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches, peppermint patties, and anything else that strikes us as yummi!

Run for Munda Continues...

2009-10-03T22:16:00.004-04:00

Today, Ray and I ran 18 miles in preparation for the JFK 50-mile race. It was a beautiful run through the First Landing State Park at Virginia Beach, and on the beach itself. (Ray lives about an hour from Virginia Beach, and so sometimes we do our long runs there.)

Here's a map of our run:

And here's a photo of us after our run:

Training to run 50 miles is HARD WORK! No, really!

Shauna tells me that the DiIulio family will enjoy a much-needed, long-planned Florida trip in a few weeks. (Maybe I'll get some pictures to post here?) It was hoped that Munda would be able to join them on the trip - and he will, in spirit.

Tomorrow, we'll run an easy 10 miles through Beaverdam Park in Gloucester, Va. More on that later! And next week we'll run the Baltimore Marathon on Saturday, and the marathon in Scranton, PA on Sunday - the dreaded back-to-back marathons that all of the 50-mile-race training plans recommend as a benchmark. Those races will be a very good indication of how well prepared we are for November 21. Gulp!

Memories, Thank You's, and Upcoming Events

2009-10-01T09:58:00.002-04:00

I spoke with Shauna yesterday evening, and she couldn't say enough about how awed she is by the support she has received. And very, very grateful! The church was packed for Munda's funeral on Tuesday - with not only friends and family, but also most of the staff of Munda's former employer, Aero Energy, including CEO Tom Washburn. And the Aero vehicle fleet - some of which had been washed and shined up very, very early that morning, I heard - made up the bulk of the procession to the cemetery. (Pictures and a video below.)

Several of those who attended requested the addresses of Mr. Washburn and Rev. Ruddy, who led the service. They are:

Tom Washburn, CEO
Aero Energy
230 Lincoln Way East
New Oxford, PA 17350

Pastor James Ruddy
Bethel Assembly of God
2075 Fish & Game Road
Littlestown, PA 17340
churchoffice@bethelag.com

Shauna and I also discussed the upcoming Aero benefit dance in memory of Munda. "It'll be a celebration of Munda's life," she said. It will also be another chance for the many communities that were touched by Munda's life to come together - and I really look forward to that, too. They/you are wonderful people!

The dance will be held on November 6 from 7:00 pm until 11:00 p.m. at the New Oxford Social Club Pavilion in New Oxford, PA. (Click here for location and directions.) There will also be a raffle. Contact Joyce Miller in the Aero Payroll/H.R. Dept for tickets to the dance, or to donate items for the raffle - email her (click here) or call 717-624-5810. Be sure to ask all your family and friends!

In the coming weeks, I'll post here a list of items for the raffle. Rumor has it that they include a pair of designer sunglasses and a quite expensive Raymond Weil Swiss-made ladies' wristwatch. Homemade crafts (maybe yours?) and gift certificates will also likely be among the raffle items!

Finally, I'd also like to write and thank everyone who has "bought" miles for the Run for Munda campaign. You've been - and you continue to be - a HUGE help! So this campaign, too, will continue through November 21, the date of the JFK 50-Mile Race. I'll post more information on the actual race later - but if you're interested now, you can find a map of the course online - click here.

Thank you, again, everyone! See you on November 6?

Munda's Last Mile - Audio/Video

2009-09-30T18:22:00.002-04:00

Good-bye, Munda - Photographs

2009-09-30T13:11:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday We Celebrate a Life

2009-09-28T09:07:00.001-04:00

Munda DiIulio passed away on Friday, September 25, surrounded by family. Shauna sent along this information over the weekend:

The viewing is on Monday at Bethel Assembly of God from 4 pm to 8 pm.
The funeral is on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
There will be a dinner to follow, everyone is invitied.

If you are staying at the hotel, Country Inns and Suites 717-337-9518, tell them you are here for the DiIulio funeral and the cost will be $75.00.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Shauna and the kids.

Keep Praying

2009-09-25T10:18:00.002-04:00

I just talked to Munda's wife, my Aunt Shauna, to tell her that our cousins, the Muck "kids" out in Ohio, just bought five and a half miles, bringing our fundraising total to $925. "That's really great news!" she said.

Shauna sounded exhausted. When I visited them on Wednesday, Munda was aware that I was there, and even asked me for help adjusting his bed, at one point. We watched television. Shauna asked him questions and gave him medication. He had a little rattle in his breath toward the end of the evening, we noticed.

Yesterday, Munda fought really hard. He's getting weaker and weaker. He is no longer alert, although the nurses say he can still hear. His breathing was very quick last night, and they changed his medication dosage. Shauna told me that she is constantly listening for his breathing - "like when you have a baby in the house."

"He's really brave," I observed on Wednesday. Shauna replied, "You know, through all of this he has never complained, not once."

Today at 11 their favorite preacher will stop by, as will the nurses.

Let's all pray for Munda today.

Please Keep Munda in Your Prayers!

2009-09-23T11:36:00.002-04:00

I just talked to Shauna, who is at home with Munda; they have a hospital bed for him there, and everyone drops by when they can. He's a little more alert today, she said. But his situation is very dire at this point, the nurses and doctors underscore.

"Are you coming to the Nov. 6 dance?" Shauna asked. (See my Sept. 22 posting for more information.) It turns out that my parents might drive down from Johnsonburg to attend, she told me! It's a funny thing about our family that I have to call other relatives to find out the latest about my parents. (Right?) We've laughed about that before! But it's a good network, and it works - in a roundabout way.

Which brings me to my reason for writing: Munda really needs your prayers this week! Pick up the phone, pick up a pen, send an e-mail, say a prayer, or whatever way you choose - directly or indirectly - to let Munda and Shauna know you're thinking of them. Thank you for your support! And mark your calendars for the November 6 Aero benefit dance in New Oxford! If you can't come, please consider donating an item to be raffled off. Rumor has it that the items to be raffled now include:

- a pair of designer sunglasses
- a stylish handbag
- a garnet necklace
- a velvet and satin shawl/wrap, and
- "Run for Munda" t-shirts.

OH - and this web site has now raised over $250 for Munda and Shauna! Thank you VERY much! I'll probably be selling t-shirts in Johnsonburg this weekend (at the Alumni & Friends gathering at the fire hall - and before that at the car show). And Ray and I are going to run a total of 35 miles this weekend as a part of our training for the JFK 50. Let's keep all of those numbers rising, okay?

November 6 Aero Energy Benefit Dance

2009-09-22T09:06:00.001-04:00

Joyce Miller has the following updates about the November 6 Aero benefit dance:
7:00 pm until 11:00 pm
New Oxford Social Club Pavilion
New Oxford, PA
Click here for location and directions.

Tickets are now available! Contact Joyce Miller in the Aero Payroll/H.R. Dept for tickets, or call 717-624-5810. Be sure to ask all your family & friends… We want to make this dance a success!

If anyone would like to donate food or anything for the raffle prizes, please see Joyce or Rhonda. (e. g. crafts, gift certificates, etc.) or contact Krista, who can put you in touch with Joyce or Rhonda.

Hanover Texas Roadhouse Benefit

2009-09-18T15:17:00.002-04:00

On Monday, Sept 21st, Texas Roadhouse in Hanover held a fundraiser for Munda. Texas Roadhouse donated 10% of total food purchases to Munda. Thank you to everyone who participated!

This Little Light of Mine

2009-09-14T17:22:00.001-04:00

Dawn doesn't come as quickly as it used to - have you noticed, too? So my morning running equipment these days includes a nifty headlamp to help me see in the dark.

I hear that Munda needs our prayers. So, how about we "shine a light," okay? Like in the Book of Matthew (5:14-16), and even the words of Elton John - you know the song, right? (Okay, Sir Elton is singing about the good ol' USA shining a light out to the world. I'm talking about saying a prayer to shine a light out for Munda!)

One last thing for today: There are 7 days left in the first Run for Munda drive, and we're WAAAAY short of our goal. Click here or contact me to donate today!

Worth a Thousand Words...

2009-09-11T12:48:00.001-04:00

These new family portraits are beautiful - I'm speechless! Munda, Shauna, and the next two generations:

and just one more:

Hanover Home & Garden, Nov. 6 Dance Update

2009-09-06T12:51:00.006-04:00

On Saturday evening, September 5, Munda's wife Shauna wrote:

"Munda is doing so much better. Not ready to run, but he's up and about! The steroids are doing their job. He hates them but he wants to be moving. He wasn't up to attending the fundraiser at Hanover Home and Garden, but Rachel, Edie (our 91-year-old who I talk about all the time to you guys), and I went for lunch. It was truly amazing, the effort and support that everyone was giving - their time, talents, and money. Even in these tough times people still have the heart and care enough to dig down deep and give. It was just over whelming. Joanne and John came tonight with lots of goodies that were left over. We will have eats for a long time. I told the kids to come help all week.

I really wish all you could have been here to share in the joy of caring. Dennis and Karen who own the store were so pleased to have met so many of our friends and co-workers. As you all know we don't have family close by, so we have made everyone our family and they have welcomed us with open arms. We are really blessed to have such great friends.

Next event - a dance - is being held by Aero Oil on November 6, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. I hope it will be a celebration of how much better Munda will feel, and that he will be able to attend.

Keep Munda in your prayers and know that we love you all.

Shauna"

In Run for Munda news:

Ray and I ran twenty miles Saturday. Ray lives in Hampton, Virginia, and we ran on the nearby battlefields at Yorktown, where the British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered to then-General George Washington in the last major land battle of the Revolutionary War, on October 19, 1781. (To read more on this battle, click here.) Part of our run was on "Surrender Road":

As I was telling Ray, it felt strange to be going for a leisurely jog around battlefields - where so many people gave their lives and where our country was born. "But maybe the soldiers who sacrificed so much would be pleased to know that in 2009 people go jogging around the battlefield, enjoying peace, prosperity, and the leading place of the United States in the world that their sacrifice made possible," I added. So maybe they would appreciate our modern-day use of a cannon?

Ray pointed out: "This isn't exactly a leisurely jog, you know?"

In any case, it was a beautiful day for a run. After we finished, we drove to the York River and took a quick dip - ahhhh!

Shauna, thanks so much for your update. You and Munda are in our thoughts and prayers.

Love, Krista

Wish Upon A Star, Okay?

2009-09-04T17:46:00.001-04:00

Today Shauna sent this update on Munda:

"Munda was in a wheel chair for three days. Could not stand on his own. Yesterday late morning he was able to stand and move slowly to get around. He has been sleeping around half of the day. Late afternoon or early evening he comes around and wants to sit on the deck. The doctors put him on mega doses of steroids. It seems to help. The new cat scan showed no new tumor growth but masses of swelling. Hopefully the steroids will take care of that.

The doctors goal is to get him to Florida and back. Right now there is no way he could go. It would be great for him to see his brother George and sister Kate. All he talks about is seeing the little ones' faces when they see the Disney castle, just like our kids did. So with the Lord willing and Munda able to, we'll be able to do that. Keep him in your prayers and we still have that miracle waiting to happen. It did before. Thanks for caring and sharing. Even though Munda can not talk it makes him feel good when people call and show they care. Love to all Shauna"

Up and Around with Munda!

2009-09-03T14:19:00.003-04:00

Munda's wife, my Aunt Shauna, just wrote:

"We had Munda in a wheel chair for a few days, but today he is up and moving a little. He has had a lot of swelling in the brain, and that's what is causing his problems; it paralyzes his right side. So the steroids were increased by lots - from 4mg to 16mg. Even though we hate the side effects, they seems to have really helped with the swelling. Now we'll try and decrease the amount he takes."

On the fundraising side of things, this weekend Hanover Home and Garden is donating 10% of the sales of folks who bring in the coupon (see last posting, below). They're also have a big bake sale - they've received lots of donations! Stop by if you're in the area!

And mark your calendars! On November 6, Munda's employer Aero Oil Co. will have a benefit dance from 7 to 11 p.m. in New Oxford. Details to come!

The great folks at Hanover Home & Garden...

2009-08-31T16:28:00.000-04:00

The folks at Hanover Home & Garden in Hanover, PA are donating 10% of all purchases made on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3-6, to the Munda DiIulio family!

Simply show the invitation (image below) during any or all of these four days, and 10% of customer’s purchases will be given to Munda and Shauna. The store is located at 1169 Eichelberger Street behind the North Hanover Mall next to Faloon’s Family Fun Center/Dairy Queen - click here for directions. Store hours are Thursday and Friday 9-8, Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 11-4. (Faloon’s has graciously given us permission to use their lot for overflow parking.)

There will also be a bake sale and a food stand with all proceeds also going to Munda and Shauna. Times for the bake sale and food stand will be Thursday and Friday 11-7, and Saturday 10-4 (Sunday only if still have items to sell). The food stand will feature pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, macaroni salad, baked beans and more! If you would like to donate bake goods and/or help man the food stand, please call the store (633-7883) and they will let you know when to bring items in or schedule pick up if needed and also let you know times available to help at the food stand.

If you're in the Hanover area this weekend, please stop by to show your support!

On Your Marks, Get Set, GO!

2009-08-26T15:08:00.002-04:00

In preparation for the JFK 50-mile ultramarathon on November 21, I'm planning to run about 1,000 miles. That's a lot, but it's nothing compared to my Uncle Munda's race against brain cancer. With this web site, I hope to update you on both races, hear about your running, and do some fundraising for Munda. Will you join me?

Today, in addition to running six miles, I am kicking off a fundraising campaign. Please help me help Munda and his family by "buying" a portion of the JFK 50. I'm selling them for $100 each! For contributions of $25 or more, you can get a free t-shirt - see image in the right-hand column of this page. To make a contribution, contact me at kristaslynnshaffer@gmail.com. I'll keep track of the miles I've sold on this page. I will also post training news and updates here.

I'd also like to let you know about this July 9, 2009 article in the New York Times on a famous ultrarunner who struggles with a brain injury. She and Munda struggle with similar problems. Fascinating!

Well, I hope you'll join me! Happy Running!