Run Life's Course: To Whom Much is Given

Friday, May 17, 2013

To Whom Much is Given

THE ULTIMATE GIFT FOR GIVERS

No matter the education, athleticism, fame, fortune, or political presence, you have not made it until you reach back and give to others. Unfortunately a hint of success makes some entrepreneurs, executive leaders, entertainers, politicians, and athletes forget that reaching one person makes for a better community.   Eventually they recognize that money, power, and respect will ebb and flow based on economics, popularity, athletic prowess, and presence but the gratitude of those that are helped is lasting.

If you are among the fortunate that has built a brand and stayed the course of creating an excellent present and exciting future, it is your job to give back to those less fortunate. Whether it is for an area of expertise or a cause that has very strong personal purpose, it is better to give than to take. After all, you have taken deals, contracts, favors, and opportunities to be where you are so why not create a level playing field or give someone else an edge to overcome a challenge?

This is one of the reasons I decided my company, The RLC Group, would be a Hosting Sponsor of the Ray Lewis Family Foundation.   Clearly my twitter (@temekoruns) pictures show that this NYer is a Ravens fan. More importantly, Ray Lewis' focus on the health and fitness of the youth is aligned with the motivational arm, Run Life's Course, which encourages fitness (specifically running) as a means to change the mindset that a challenge can be overcome.

It started out as sponsorship for kids from New York City to attend the Baltimore Youth Fitness Clinic and awarding a host of technology prizes to the best participants in terms of effort and athleticism. Two weeks later, it propelled into a conversation with the organizers of the Ray's Summer Days events which turned into gifting the Ray's Kids of Character with high technology prizes. And justifiably so! The Kids of Character definitely embody everything the youth should strive to be - involved in the community, excelling academically, leading community and spiritual efforts, and having a true spiritual relationship.

How much will the laptops help the entering college students that graduated from the Kids of Character? What educational technology gifts can help give more leverage to some of the other kids? What will these children look like 10 years from now in their community, church, school, or employment? I don't know the immediate answers. So the sponsorship package grew tremendously but hopefully it makes an even greater impact than the dollars for some well-deserving youth.

Marathon Results and Snippets

Too Many More To Add
05.15.11 - Pasadena (5:30:27) - The ultimate challenge is to run another marathon the day after a PR. But in the rain? It rained the first 11 miles. (I thought it did not rain in Southern California.) I should have returned to the car and driven back to the hotel. Here we go again with the half marathoners and the marathoners running together until mile 10. I was running but my legs couldn't sustain it after mile 10. I walked for 2.5 miles and ran every 3 minutes for the race during the hills. No electrolyte drinks for almost 5 mile stretches. No pretzels, salt, or other "push you through" food. Shout out to the neighborhood family that gave us Vanilla Wafers and Jolly Ranchers in a Ziploc bag. Nothing like running with a Vanilla Wafers bag but this was my "electrolyte". I had to stop at a local store to get a Mountain Dew to finish the race. The nerve of one of the race coordinators to ask where I got my Mountain Dew when they had no Gatorade on the course. Paramedics were plentiful and not Kaiser Permanente. Thank goodness. Overall not well organized.
05.14.11 - Palos Verdes (4:33:31 PR) - Community marathon it is but for a great charitable cause. You can register the morning of the race. The views of the Pacific Ocean are the only high point outside of the HILLS HILLS HILLS and more HILLS. A little drizzle during the marathon was bearable. Mental toughness is required as you past the finish line three times before it is actually your finish. Running back through the original starting line is no fun. It felt more like a long run around some neighborhoods rather than a marathon. Water stops has minimal water and even less electrolyte drinks. They use the old school chips. Less than 1 foot after crossing the finish line, you are expected to stop suddenly so they can collect the chips. A practice long run at best.
03.26.11 - National (4:46:05) - The marathon that couldn't end soon enough! Cheap bootleg expo across from RFK Stadium. 29 degrees at the start and 33 at the finish. The host hotel offered one shuttle to the start every hour. Half marathoners started the same time as the marathoners and there was NO split. The first mile marker we saw was at mile 10. The streets could not hold the number of runners with the parked cars. Get this! Half marathoners were being encouraged that they only had 100 feet to go to the finish as we had to a) run past their finish line, b) run around RFK stadium as they are going to their parked cars, and c) run back through the original starting line. THE WORST!!! I am not into crowd support but if you are, don't run this marathon. They did have water and electrolyte stops at every mile after mile 15. Lo and behold, there were mile markers too after mile 15. I can't forget the loop around the bucket at mile 22. There was a long stretch to the finish that had no "glory" that you were anywhere near the finish line - no signage, no cheers, no "you're almost there", no NOTHING! After experiencing the longest marathon ever, I had no way of getting back to the hotel. The police said "take a subway". REALLY? NOT! S I waited 20 minutes to hail the only taxi to go to the hotel. I had the taxi stop to pick up three other marathoners to take them to their cars. Disgusted!
03.20.11 - Georgia (4:54:49) - A great challenge for a flat course runner with 18 miles of hills and 6 miles of near flat terrain. Half marathoners started at the same time but split at mile 6. Plenty of room in the streets to handle the crowds. If you're into crowd support, don't be! I must have been delusional to think Atlanta was flat in all my business travel. The last hill ended around mile 25. The finish was the best. Within 20 feet of the medal was the photo area and the post-race food and two blocks to the hotel. Perfectly organized non-major marathon with volunteers exemplifying the best Southern Hospitality.

Run Life's Course

Friday, May 17, 2013

To Whom Much is Given

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