2011 Lopez Elementary Rocks

Had our first after school running program day at Lopez Elementary in Fort Collins. Had 14 awesome kids show up and we had a blast! The kids are 3-5 graders and we are taking the time to teach them not only about running, but about nutrition and making positive steps at school and at home. Many thanks to Jennifer, Mandy and Spencer my co-instructors, they each offer the kids something unique and personal about themselves. We will be training for a 5 or 10 K in May so we are off to a great start with 1.5 miles under our belts today.

Thank you all for a great 1st year!!

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of our friends, volunteers, donors and sponsors that made our 1st year a fantastic success! In 2010 we helped over 100 children start enjoying a healthier and more active life through a gift of running shoes. Our goal when we started was to get shoes to 50 children our first year, so thanks to all of you we doubled our goal! It has been wonderful having Nikki beside me on this undertaking. Her energy and organization in helping get us set up was the key to a great year.
In 2011 we will embark on the second phase of our mission, by rolling out after school running programs to elementary schools in Fort Collins. Our 1st session starts January 4 th so stay tuned as our kids start running for their lives!

CSU Homecoming 2010

Looks like tomorrow is going to be another great day to run in the Fort! Most of the Run For Your Life team will be out flashing the gold tees for CSU green and gold day! if you get a chance try to stop by and visit as we continue to get kids in need up and active through our running shoe program.

Girls on the Run

So, you might ask yourself, how much pull can a 1st year non profit have in the community? Well not to blow our own horn, but I will! Putnam Elementary in fort Collins had 9 girls that wanted to run in the Girls on the Run event Veterans Day weekend but couldn't find a way to cover costs to travel out of town. RFYLC has stepped in and gotten the girls and their coach free registrations to the CSU Veterans Day 5K on November13. Not quite Denver, but a great race experience for the girls!! We will also be outfitting any of the girls in need with running shoes for training and the race itself. It truly is these small gestures that make up the heart of want we want to accomplish at RFYLC. Stay well

Nighttime is the right time

Turns out, if you want to get running shoes to kids in need, sometimes you have to go off schedule. Friday evening, instead of tucking my awesome boys into bed and reading some stories, it was time to deliver more shoes. A long ride out to the farthest reaches of Loveland left us disappointed as a little boy that had been waiting for his running shoes, had moved with no forwarding info. Numerous attempts via e-mail and phone to reach his mom were unanswered. So we have our first little one in danger of dropping out of our system. It's disheartening. I am sure there are more important priorities rather than notifying us of their move, which makes you wish you could do more. Let's hope tomorrow is a brighter day for all kids.

Running against the wind

You know that feeling. You're out on a run and no matter which direction you seem to be going, you always seem to be running against wind. You push through, dig deep, maybe bear down a little hard to get to the finish. Well that's a lot like running a non profit organization. I keep hoping for a little more tail wind, to get me through the decline letters from potential grant funding. They say when one door closes another opens, so we'll all keep looking for that open door, right? If you see it let me know! After some discussions with numerous folks (even a race expert!!), RFYLC is looking into hosting a BIG event next summer!! Wait for it... a HALF MARATHON!!! If you thought I was nuts before, wait while I explain.

Rather than always asking to be a beneficiary to a race, we can do our own benefit race for RFYLC. A nice little 13.1, hopefully from Wellington to Fort Collins. A nice June Saturday, some cold beer at the end, a snazzy technical shirt, and a medal to sweeten the deal. Who's with me now?

So follow the planning, join in the planning, run the race, raise money for RFYLC by running. Be a part of the next big thing in Northern Colorado running events!! WE NEED YOU! Not that person or this person, YOU!

Fundraiser Update

The tally from our CB & Potts fundraiser night will bring in around $130 of much needed revenue. CB & Potts were very gracious hosts and the food is always delicious, just ask Nikki!
We continue to get great feedback on the article that featured us in the CSU Rocky Mountain Collegian on 8/31.

Don't forget that the Colorado Run is this Monday September 6th at the CSU oval. RFYLC will be there talking about childhood obesity and our ongoing plan to get kids in Northern Colorado up and active.