Tag Archives: Medals4Mettle

I’m Swagtastic and I’ve Got the Swag to Prove It!

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I don’t know if you’ve noticed but races these days are all about going paperless. The expos are about getting your shirt, your bib, and that’s about it. Gone are the days of race bags, filled with goodies to try and freebies. And while I’m all for being environmentally friendly, I really LOVE trying things before I buy a case, or at the very least, a box!

So I was pretty stoked when the Swagtastic Race benefitting Medals4Mettle reached out to see if we wanted to check out their virtual race. Yes and please! The race took place this past weekend and I was thrilled when I found the (heavy) box of swag on the doorstep.

My swag partner in running, Gemma.

My swag partner in running, Gemma.

I decided that the swag would wait until after our 5k. After all, I needed to work for my prizes! On Friday, while the kiddos were in school, Gemma and I took to the streets in our neighborhood and accomplished our 5k. It was a gorgeous day and we actually held a pretty good pace, going off my Fitbit calculations. (You know, when she wasn’t trying to trip me.)

Racer number 22 and her trusty sidekick!

Racer number 22 and her trusty sidekick!

After a busy weekend, I finally got the chance to check out the SWAG and I was NOT disappointed. Stalking the Swagtastic Races website gave me a pretty good indication of what was awaiting in the box but still, there’s something about opening a box of goodies that makes you feel like a kid on your birthday!

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To give you an idea of just a FEW things in here that I’m super duper excited for… on with the pictures.

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Using these right now – stupid cough! Good Ricola!

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A few of these are tried and true, but most are new to me! And a few things I can even share with my running partner (okay, maybe a kernel or two of popcorn).

I have the Hershey Half coming up this weekend and the 5k at “race pace” definitely gave me some recently lacking confidence!

Did you do the Swagtastic Race or any other virtual races recently? I want to hear about it! Link me to a blog post in the comments or just talk at me. 😉

Thank you to Swagtastic Races for the awesome opportunity.

Swagtastic Virtual Races for Medals4Mettle

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Man, I love the running community.

As many of you know already, I’m a latecomer to the idea of running (Ah, Adult Onset Running), however in the past few years I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up the addictive habit that I just can’t quit.

I’ve traveled much of the country to participate in a variety of events.

I’ve woken up to run when some people are just coming home from a night out (I think I might have been one of those people, once upon a time).

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I’ve worn adorable costumes (that other people have made for me) (because they’re awesome).

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I’ve run a 10k and a half the following day. On purpose! With a smile on my face!

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I logged miles with Team Scoot a Doot for our #journey2amillion team.

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And I’ve followed along as many of my friends have done the same, cheering the entire way. I’ve volunteered at races and handed out medals. I’ve texted my friends during their legs at Ragnar and I’ve woken up far earlier than I’ve had to, to cheer virtually. Because as you and I both know, the community that comes along with running isn’t mutually exclusive to proximity.

Surprisingly, one of the things that I haven’t done is participate in a virtual race. But when Swagtastic Races contacted us and asked if we’d like to jump aboard, I raised my hand with no hesitation. This virtual race benefits Medals4Mettle and that’s a cause that I can get behind!

I first learned about Medals4Mettle when Scoot a Doot was only a few months old and the unthinkable happened at the Boston Marathon. While searching for a way to make a difference and give back, I learned more about the Medals4Mettle program.

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Medals4Mettle is a non-profit organization that delivers endurance athlete’s medals to raise people up who are fighting life-threatening illnesses. While the medals are donated, it costs approximately $60 to deliver the medal.

Each registration with Swagtastic Virtual Races assists in offsetting the cost of the Medals4Mettle ribbons that are placed on each of the donated medals. Good stuff, right?

And what do you get in return, besides the satisfaction in knowing that you’ve done good in the world?

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SWAG, my friends. S-W-A-G. Check out the race sponsors that have contributed to the boxes:

Ricola
Trading Phrases
Manitoba Harvest
Vous Vitamins
BiPro
Shave Secret
Road ID
Bondi Band
Nordic Naturals
Mariani
EVL Nutrition
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Dream Water
Acli-Mate Natural Sports Drink
Wholesome!
Volovitamins
Sqwincher
Celsius
Simple Squares
Cosmos Creations
Evo Hemp
SoyJoy

Additionally, Health Your Way is the online media sponsor and I’m a big fan of their Monday Twitter chats. Plus, there are raffle prizes that will randomly be selected and go out with the swag boxes; much like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. Thanks for that, Forrest Gump.

Yeah, I’m pretty stoked! Given that my foot has been less of a pain and more reasonable lately, my plan is to run my 5k but the option to walk is also available.

You can register for anything from a 5k to a full marathon. The sky’s the limit, or at least the marathon’s the limit. But if you want to run more, you go ahead. BE FREE!

October 9th to the 12th we’ll all get out there (or stay inside on the treadmill – your choice) and get it done. There’s about 4 and a half weeks until the virtual event, so don’t delay! I’m not really sure what happened to 2015 but it’s on super warped speed and it’s not slowing down. Hopefully our times will reflect the super warped speed effect too – you submit those once you’ve completed your race through the website.

So hey, sign up and let’s get PUMPED together for the Swagtastic Virtual Race benefitting Medals4Mettle. You can save $5 with the code SCOOTADOOT on the $35 registration.

Thank you to Swagtastic Virtual Race for including me in this awesome event. I’ll be following up after my 5k in October and once the swag box arrives.  

Talk to me! Have you ever participated in a virtual race? What are some of the draws for you?

Runners giving back: Medals4Mettle

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The running community is a strong and rowdy bunch. There’s a certain level of insanity the comes along with runners, people who choose to spend much of their free time running long distances for the love of the sport and achieving the impossible (with a side of bragging rights and medals sometimes thrown in for good measure).

After an event like the one at the Boston Marathon, there’s a certain sense of helplessness that hits us. We are doers, movers and shakers, so to do nothing is not an option.

Since Monday’s tragedy, we’ve participated in reflection runs; we’ve worn the Boston Marathon colors of blue and gold; we’ve donned race shirts from any and all events; we’ve prayed for the victims, first responders, runners and the city of Boston.

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And we’re still left asking, What else is there? What more can we do to show support, solidity and love?

Well, friends, might I offer up Medals4Mettle?

met·tle  /ˈmetl/ Noun
A person’s ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way.

In May 2005, Dr. Steven Isenberg gave his own Chicago Marathon medal to his patient, Les Taylor, who was battling prostate cancer. Before his death, Taylor told Dr. Isenberg just how much the medal meant to him.

From that seed Medals4Mettle blossomed. I first heard about Medals4Mettle, or M4M, last year when I began running races.

Currently M4M is collecting Boston Marathon medals from any year to give to Monday’s victims and first responders.

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For those who haven’t run the Boston Marathon, M4M will gratefully accept all donations of hard-earned half marathon, full marathon or triathlon medals to those battling life-threatening illnesses and severe disabilities.

“Think about when you are out on a course, and you have dozens to hundreds of people you don’t know who are cheering you on, and want to see you succeed and get to the finish line,” said Andrea Herrmann of M4M.  “This is our chance to return this encouragement to others, and to celebrate their strength in dealing with their health struggles, cheering them to their personal finish lines.”

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Directors and chapter coordinators are all volunteers at M4M. I reached out to my local chapter coordinator, Reed Costello, who said that his responsibilities include local awareness and collecting/passing medals along to the area coordinator who then distributes them to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The children love receiving the medals and the runDisney medals are among the favorites; many wear the donated medals to chemo treatment or hang them from their IV pole.

A selfless way to lift someone’s spirits and give back, Medals4Mettle is a non-profit organization that assists runners and athletes in doing just that.

Have you ever given your race medal to someone else? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!