The Boston Boost (And a Giveaway)
Is there any athlete outside of a Boston Marathon corral right now who isn’t again vowing to be a better runner and plotting how to someday join this crowd? I admit I’m one that thinks this particular marathon is overrated, but it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate its historical significance or the hard training the majority of runners endure to get there.
I’m up extra early to catch at least the beginning of the race on the Internet since West Coast folks are three hours behind in live coverage. And I’m rooting for a lot of people, but I’m singling out my former Cape Cod training partner Trish, who has been through some serious health issues in the past and, despite missing portions of her organs, still managed today to make it to the start line for the second time. Do us proud, girl.
Which brings me to the giveaway.
When Trish first became ill, she had three young children, a demanding job and a widow mother who relied often on her only daughter. We all privately wondered what would happen after her major surgeries with so many people depending on her, but she managed and she even made a phenomenal comeback in a new career and in her running.
GE is encouraging women to take an active role in their own health and the health of their loved ones through its Healthymagination campaign and Pledge for Better Health initiative. It culminates during National Women’s Health Week (May 9-15). Women remain the primary caregivers in most families, and women my age often are responsible for both their children and, increasingly, their elderly parents. It can be easy to forget that part of good care giving is staying healthy yourself.
I kind of like the public declarations via this initiative to at least get us all thinking about what small change we can make that will have a big impact down the road. I’ve gone to the site several times now and there’s definitely an uptake in pledges, so promoters’ strategy to help spread the word through social media is definitely gaining legs.
Someone in the campaign offered a giveaway specifically for Run DMZ readers, so I selected a $20 gift card to Whole Foods since longtime readers know I advocate eating “real food” and a splurge on some exotic produce or pricey organic deli lunch sounds like a nice reward. Unfortunately, a stipulation of the giveaway is it’s limited to U.S. residents.
So, to qualify for a random drawing on May 8, you can make/take the pledge and then let me know in a comment on this post (which I’ll also place in the sidebar) by May 7 that you did and maybe I’ll draw your name/number from random.org. Let everyone know you made a pledge on your blog too.
Just so you know, there’s apparently a big prize for whoever gets the most people to pledge. I mention this because it’s ethical, not because I want to win. In fact, I didn’t realize there was a competition until I went back to review the gift card giveaway rules. If we all vow to make a difference, and keep to those promises, that’s reward enough for me.
I’m up extra early to catch at least the beginning of the race on the Internet since West Coast folks are three hours behind in live coverage. And I’m rooting for a lot of people, but I’m singling out my former Cape Cod training partner Trish, who has been through some serious health issues in the past and, despite missing portions of her organs, still managed today to make it to the start line for the second time. Do us proud, girl.
Which brings me to the giveaway.
When Trish first became ill, she had three young children, a demanding job and a widow mother who relied often on her only daughter. We all privately wondered what would happen after her major surgeries with so many people depending on her, but she managed and she even made a phenomenal comeback in a new career and in her running.
GE is encouraging women to take an active role in their own health and the health of their loved ones through its Healthymagination campaign and Pledge for Better Health initiative. It culminates during National Women’s Health Week (May 9-15). Women remain the primary caregivers in most families, and women my age often are responsible for both their children and, increasingly, their elderly parents. It can be easy to forget that part of good care giving is staying healthy yourself.
I kind of like the public declarations via this initiative to at least get us all thinking about what small change we can make that will have a big impact down the road. I’ve gone to the site several times now and there’s definitely an uptake in pledges, so promoters’ strategy to help spread the word through social media is definitely gaining legs.
Someone in the campaign offered a giveaway specifically for Run DMZ readers, so I selected a $20 gift card to Whole Foods since longtime readers know I advocate eating “real food” and a splurge on some exotic produce or pricey organic deli lunch sounds like a nice reward. Unfortunately, a stipulation of the giveaway is it’s limited to U.S. residents.
So, to qualify for a random drawing on May 8, you can make/take the pledge and then let me know in a comment on this post (which I’ll also place in the sidebar) by May 7 that you did and maybe I’ll draw your name/number from random.org. Let everyone know you made a pledge on your blog too.
Just so you know, there’s apparently a big prize for whoever gets the most people to pledge. I mention this because it’s ethical, not because I want to win. In fact, I didn’t realize there was a competition until I went back to review the gift card giveaway rules. If we all vow to make a difference, and keep to those promises, that’s reward enough for me.
