Miles For Meals-Runnin' Down The Hunger
 

I'm sure alot of you saw the recent interview in which Shania indicated she is a power walker. Running and walking (power or otherwise) for exercise and for charity has seen a resurgence in this country in the last few years. I have been running seriously for the last year or so and have competed in 4 marathons over that time. I love the challenge and the committment that endurance running entails and I highly recommend it to everyone with any interest in it. The reason for this post though is this. Over the last year of running marathons I have seen many folks in the race, either running the distance or walking the distance, who are doing the race in a manner as to benefit some "charity". Be it for "breast cancer", or "leukemia", or some other well deserving goal. It got me thinking about starting a group or club of runners/walker who are willing to do their thing to put in some "Miles For Meals" and work toward "Runnin' Down The Hunger" of all kinds. One part of the running/walking club that I'd like to see considered and perhaps supported by this site would be a wing that works toward ending childhood hunger. I think funds raised toward this end could easily be funneled toward the charities supported by Shania Twain per this issue that we all have become so familiar with and that we individually and as a group have supported. I have superficially addressed this with Spock and he seemed interested in the possibilities. I have not carried this plan down to specifics to this point but have a lot of thoughts as to how it could be done effectively and to a great benefit toward helping to end childhood hunger. I am posting this first of all to see how many folks on this site would be interested in running/walking for such a benefit in the future, if any of you had suggestions as to how this could be developed in a way so as to directly support Shania's charity interests without making illegal or unreasoneable use of her name in the attempt, if any of you had ideas as to a name for this wing- "Bless The Child" is obvious to me but again it may cross some invisible line re: Shania, and finally if any of you had any other thoughts or suggestion that might help this come together in a good way. If you have any thoughts please feel free to post them here but if you would like to email me at NCMC@MSN.COM please feel free. Thanks-DOC

I think this is a fantastic idea DOC!! Real Cool I have never run a marathon....but I decided that it is about time I start considering it...with training though...lol..anyways, I am IN to help you...to get the word out, put up a website maybe...and anything else..I am also thinking about running, but will not be able to do it before fall 2006...need to work on my training first....I'll put it up on the news page too...to get other Shania fans involved..

Email me to let me know what you want me to do to help out.... :SN
fv@shaniafans.com

:BL

and I can set something up on Shania's Place as well.


-Chris

I'm an avid walker - not a runner- so can and would love to participate in that way.. Would there ever be any chance of somehow joining forces with the FAN CONVENTION to organize something like this? Not necessarily a function of the convention but either before of after? :)

Thanks for responding. You know you can do basically anything with a club like this that you want. Certainly the club itself can develope a walk or run at any event such as the Fan Convention but it would need alot of cooperation from the local organizations and goverment. That being said, I think the 1st annual Timmins 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon, or Marathon to benefit needy children being tied into the Convention would find alot of support from the folks in Timmins. Running events like this draw alot of folks to the towns for several days around the events so the community benefits. FV, I don't think there is anything as rewarding as finishing a marathon, either by running, walking, or both. There is no question before anyone should attempt to try it though there needs to be a significant period of preparation. No one should do a marathon unless they have been training for at least 6 months. One nice thing a running club like this could do is to become a resource for and supporter of the runners/walkers in the club. I have some great web sites and books that are well worth using to get baseline knowledge. Check out jeffgalloway.com, runnersworld.com for a start and you can't beat "Running For Dummies" as a starter book. Jeff Galloway is a big supporter of the walk/run technique for training and running these events. Remember, any event, be it a 5K, 10K, 1/2 Marathon, or a Marathon can be used to raise money for charity. I would also love, if there is interest, to put together a club running shirt for events to draw attention to the club's purpose and maybe get others to want to join in. Lots of cool stuff you can do with it and I have no question running is on the upswing now and will get more popular over time. The web site ideas are a great Idea if there is enough interest in the club. DOC

Interesting thread DOC. I will admit I'm a little old for marathons, but I do walk a lot. I try to walk at least 4 miles every other day. I try to include a few stints of brief jogging within my walks. So, I'm pretty into that. The days I don't walk, I do stretching and light weight exercises for my back. I have a chronic sacro-something injury from my army days and go to a chiropractor about every 6 weeks for adjustment. But as long as I'm careful, things go pretty well. As I've grown older, I've learned my limits. I enjoy walking very much. :) If there was something of that nature going on here in my area, maybe I could find a way to get involved, but I'll have to wait and see if it does. Our credit union had an open-house before Christmas and sold food for a charity here that feeds the needy. I inquired if Kid's Cafe or 2nd Harvest was involved, but they weren't sure.

Steve

I'm an avid walker, myself. Cody has walked 2 miles with me on many occasions, not sure he could handle 5, but we'd give it a try (we'd probably have to take breaks for him, so no speed records broken from here. :D)

Trust me Sheri and Steve it ain't about speed! It's about slow progressive persistence. I see many folks running/walking for benefits who walk the entire race and have a blast.
On the club issue, I have a marathon in Phoenix this next weekend but I'd really love to start the club UP! before my next marathon in late April. That's the "Country Music Marathon" in Nashville! I'm gona start the fund raising part of it myself if there's no interest in the club per say thru bringing the issue to the attention of my patients and drug reps in the office who have an interest in getting involved by donating some money to the charity for the miles I'm gona be putting in at that race. If nothing else I'll be wearing a tee shirt with Shania on it for that race-that'll get em riled UP! in Nashville. DOC

Just got back from the "Rock and Roll Marathon" in Phoenix AZ-it was pretty awesome. There was alot of fund raising going on as part of the event. If your interested in the concept check out "Team in Training". This is a group that has raised hundreds of millions for their charity (www.teamintraining.org). This group obviously is well developed and has been around for a while but let me tell these folks have a blast. They travel all over and meet up, have a great time, and support a great cause. I'd sure like to see a "Team Shania" come to be. The web site for the Country Music Marathon in Nashville in April is www.cmmarathon.com if you wanna check it out. DOC

Cool!

Steve

So how can we move forward with this idea DOC? I just love the thought of this. Can we outline some steps toward making this a reality? Would that be the best way to start? Any chance of scheduling a time or a marathon- short one to start with :)--sometime later this year and see who could make it?

Thanks for the links DOC! I'll spend some time reading them this weekend...and then we can find maybe a 5K I can approach as my first run....in a couple of months.. :)

SAS
I'd like to start the club here, on this site, develope it, then extend it to other sites including the official site. I'd like to have a core group of folks who have an interest in putting this thing together-and they don't have to be runners or walkers as everyone has a role in this kinda club. I'd love to pic a name for the club-I like "Team Shania" Miles for Meals Club but whatever folks want and whatever would encourage participation and support of the effort is fine with me. Using a name like "Team Shania" obviously would need to be approved by Shania or someone with that right of approval. I'd love to develope a team running/walking shirt with a team logo to wear in the events (Dax could be a great help here-I see Shania in a jogging suit holding a small childs hand as she Power walks or something like that. There would need to be a plan or mechanism for the actual fund raising itself as well as a method of donating the money to the charities (after a fan con running/walking event in Timmins would be a great time as far as I'm concerned). I'm wide open for ideas at this point-that's why I started the thread. I'm gonna do this myself one way or another but I thought it would be so much more valuable and productive if done by this site. DOC

My idea is, that you could start it with a connection to Second Harvest, afterall, I guess, that's where the money would go. They may could provide you all the help you need to lift a thing like that, and they have offices all over the country. It doesn't mean your charity would not be independent, but they already have some proved logistics.

They also may be a connection to Shania, though I think, it would be better to reach her or through the STC or through her menagement for this cause. I don't think there should be any problem from Shania side, and she likes Dax's cartoons. But I think, you should ask her only when most of the ends were tided up, for her to be sure this is a serious thing.

As for the name, I think if you want Shania's name being a part of it, then you may give a couple of choices for her to choose with which she's the most comfortable.

Good luck, I am with you in my soul, because boy, I hate running.

LOL, How about walking Jud? I would also favor focusing the fund raising toward second harvest and I agree using their already established protocols might be a good idea-I'll see if I can get some info re that. Bill