Saturday, February 28, 2015

14 Days to 26.2!

The excitement is building!  We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.... It has been a long training season and after completing our 20 mile training run last Saturday, 14 today was a piece of cake!  The girls (and alumni boys, Kiefer, Armando and Jacob) are prepared and now it is time to taper and get all of our ducks in a row for a successful race day.  Jacob made us some awesome new J-Town Running Club posters which will be featured in our next pictures and today we fitted for our race singlets.  Just need to book the vans, get the dinner menu, First Aid kits, race day food and course support station goodies.... and... everything else I am forgetting. ;) it will be a busy 14 days.   

Kiefer is another one of our alumni joining us this year.  This will be Keifer's third marathon.  He is calm and cool out there on the course and well, everyday.  It is great to have Kiefer out with us.  As we were waiting for the start of the 18 mile race a few weeks ago I asked Keifer what he goal for the race was and he said, in true Kiefer fashion, "whatever is fine, I just want to have fun."  I love it!  
Below is Kiefer's response to the "Why I joined Running Club" question.
              
My name is Kiefer; I am currently going to Cerritos College for the second year and want to be a Physical Education teacher by taking Kinesiology Major. I am taking this major because I love to move, learn various sports, and spread the importance of exercising in our lives. I am in the third year of running with Jordan Running Club and we are currently training for Los Angeles Marathon. The reason why I joined the running club is that wanted to gain friends, lose weight, and I am just intrigued why people run such long distance. Jordan Running Club is very important to me. They help me to be more discipline, and make good choices. For instance, eating vegetables and fruits instead of buying fast foods. Most importantly, we became family that supports and respects each other. I run because running brings me joy, made me feel that I am alive, it became my stress reliever, and I just love competing against myself by improving my personal record every race. When I get my degree as a Physical Education teacher, I want to make an impact, help the young generation to gain a healthy lifestyle by educating them on the importance of eating fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly.

Below are pictures from the 18 Mile Friendship Run courtesy of Disney and the film McFarland.  
 Arisbeth
 Armando
 Carla
 Ms. Del Cid
 Kiefer and Jackie finish
 Jackie
 Jackie and Kiefer
 Kiefer
 Maoleng
 Maria A and Maria D
 Priscilla
 Sam
 Sam
 Sam
 Sreyroth
Vicky
Sreyroth and Kim
Thanks for checking us out and for the support.
Donations can still be made and are much appreciated.
It can be mailed to:
Whitney Gomes
Jordan High School
6500 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90805

My dear friend Mr. John Bruna has set up a donation page on his Way of Compassion website.  Below is the link to the page.  Please check out Way of Compassion, it is a wonderful foundation.


All donations are tax deductible and receipts will be mailed.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

J-Town Back Again!

It has sure been awhile since last update.  It is hard to believe the LA Marathon is a short 5 weeks away. WOW!  Where does time go.  I have not updated this season and because of that I am beginning this blog with an introduction to the J-Town Running Club for those who are just joining us.  A little lengthy, but thank you for checking out what J-Town Running Club has going on and if you are able, please donate.  Everything helps and is sincerely appreciated.

The J-Town Running Club began with a feeling.  A feeling that I am not sure can be explained; I know I can’t describe it. Over ten years ago I ran my first marathon. From that day on I wanted to share the sense of accomplishment and that inexplicable “feeling” with others.  Seven years ago the J-Town Running Club at Jordan High School in North Long Beach was born.  Myself and colleague and friend, Sandra Del Cid, work with students to train to run the 26.2-mile Los Angeles Marathon.  When others said we'd be lucky if we got 1 kid out running, we kept pushing.  Over the past seven years we have run with countless students, 54 of which have completed the 26.2 mile Los Angeles Marathon; some multiple times.  Over 80 have run a half marathon (13.1 miles) and many have trained with us just for fun.  It has been an amazing ride.  If there are students interested in running just for the "health of it", we will continue to provide them the opportunity.  We run each Monday and Wednesday after school and Saturday mornings.  Dedication, determination, tenacity, focus, sacrifice.  A marathon is no small feat, and for a teenager, incredible.  These young men and women put in a considerable amount of work to get across the finish line and emerge from the experience with lessons and a “feeling” that will be with them the rest of their lives.

So many people have been amazing supports the past seven years.  I would like to keep you informed about what we have going on and share the many success stories of our runners past and present.  The past few years we have been lucky enough to have some alumni join us on long runs and weekdays when their school schedules permit.  It is wonderful to have them with us motivating new members.  That said, I asked a few alumni to share why they joined Running Club and why they continue to run.  I will share a couple of their stories with you today. 

You may remember Jennifer from a few years back.  Jennifer started running with us her sophomore year in high school.  Jennifer is now a sophomore at UCLA majoring in Political Science.  She ran 3 marathons while in high school and continues to run.
“I first joined the J-Town running club because I wanted to challenge myself in a non-competitive environment. Running club is all about running for your personal benefit because your only competition is yourself and to strive to do your best with the help of two amazing coaches. Previously in middle school I ran track and cross-country, but I wanted to grow as a runner and this club gave me the opportunity to do so. Before joining this club I was only capable of running 3 miles, but soon I was not only challenged physically but mentally as well. I have ran in 4 marathons and will be going for number 5 this coming March. Every year the training for the 26.2 miles that make up a marathon is no easy task and it’s even harder having to train on my own now that I’m no longer living in Long Beach. This club means everything to me; when I go back home for breaks I always look forward to running with the club and love to cheer on the new and old members as they take on the journey from the stadium to the sea.”  Jennifer is an incredible young lady and   a joy to be around.  She is humble and kind and leads by example. 

The perks of this job are the truly amazing young people we get to know and grow with.  Another phenomenal young man is Armando. Armando joined Running Club his senior year and still routinely runs with us.
My name is Armando; I graduated from Jordan High School, June 2013. Currently I attend Cal State Long Beach, second year, pursuing a Bachelors degree in Engineering Technology potentially in the field of computers or electronics.
             I joined the running club at Jordan during my senior year. The main reason for such decision was to challenge myself and do something unique: finish the Los Angeles Marathon. The thought of it seemed thrilling yet possible. It took about 5 months of training, during which I learned a lot about myself. I consider it one of the most eye opening experiences I have had. Crossing the finish after a 26.2 mile journey is something truly unique because it brings within a heavy sense of accomplishment and at the same time a thirst for more.
           This spring I will be running my 3rd L.A marathon hoping to get a personal record. Running has taught me quite a few lessons, such as: being capable of doing more than we think we can, success comes after hard work and dedication, if we want to achieve something we need to give it our all and eventually we will. These are some of the lessons I treasure the most, along with the feeling you experience when crossing the finish line, is something unique that I seek to experience every time I run a marathon.
            After high school a lot of things change, but one that has not is my appreciation for J-town's Running Club and the family I became part of. I have continued to train on my own and run several Half Marathons as well as the Long Beach Marathon for the past 2 years fund raising money for a Youth Leadership program with a non-profit organization, Leadership Long Beach. As alumni, I have continued to run with J-town.
            J-town's Running Club has definitely had a strong impact in my personal and academic perspectives; I have a deep appreciation of the club and the people in it. We all have become a family that cares for each other and work hard to get everyone to experience what is like to run a marathon.

Your assistance is deeply appreciated.
Warmest regards,
Armando J Cruz

Armando and Jennifer out on the LA river training with J-Town Running Club 
(Dec 2014)







Time and time again, current students alumni, refer to Running Club as a family.  Students come from all walks of life and as we train together and support one another to accomplish a common goal, differences wash away and we cannot help but bond as a family.  



This year we have 9 young ladies, that's right, all girls! who have survived the training season.  The WORST part of a marathon is the training.  It is a long season and takes a dedicated and determined person to stick around.  This weekend we will run the 18-Mile Friendship Run, the farthest we have trained so far.  This will be a great test and preparation for the Marathon.  Five alumni will also be joining us for the race in preparation for the Marathon.

We are in need of donations to get the students registered for the race.  The cost of registration is $200 per student.  We also need to rent vans for upcoming races, racing gear as well as nutrition for training runs and races.  A few of the students are in desperate need of shoes.  Donations of new or gently used running shoes are always appreciated. 

Donations can be sent to
Jordan High School – J-Town Running Club (Gomes)
6500 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90805

My dear friend Mr. John Bruna has set up a donation page on his Way of Compassion website.  Below is the link to the page. Please check out Way of Compassion, a wonderful foundation.


All donations are tax deductible and receipts will be mailed.

The J-Town Running Club would not exist without the support of countless individuals, family and friends who generously donate each year to provide an opportunity for kids they will likely never meet.  Thank each and every one of you for your support.


Run on…or if your John Bingham, and me…waddle on. J

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

5 Days to Showtime

Wow!  Where has the season gone?  It is hard to believe that we will be taking to the streets of Los Angeles in 5 short days!  Tomorrow, Wednesday will be our last official training run together.  It will be a bittersweet day.  As much as it may sometimes seem like a chore at the end of a tired day, we will miss these times running together.  Three weeks ago we made it down to the beach for our 20 mile run.  For many of us, it turned in to 21+ and we were still smiling…or passed out on the grass on the bluff…..Juan. =)  It was a monumental day.  Who would have thought…after never running more than a mile in PE, these champs would finish 20 miles   Amazing!  As Serena finished she became emotional realizing what she had just done, I got emotional too, that feeling is what it is all about.  I love the conversations after the run about how we each felt through the miles, the sights we saw; how we cheered one another on and what we planned to eat as soon as we got home.  A common feeling among “us” runners is the slight annoyance of the chatter of others who down play the mile we run and say, “they could easily do it, too”.  The students shared that frustration of others who just don’t understand.  This is something that many people can do, but few chose to put in the effort and make it happen.  Our runners do not just talk about it, they are about it and we are very proud of them.   We are runners!

After 20 miles, 14 the next weekend was quite relaxing, but we are tired.  This late in the season it takes a lot of focus to keep going.  It was a tough run, but we did it.  The river bike path is not as nice as the beach, but it is home to us.  Last week the weather scared us away and we did our final “long run” on Monday.  With a few grunts and groans, we got out there and muscled it out.  Maoleng snapped some pictures as we ran along.  I have been absent quite a bit this season and cherish each time I get to be out there with the crew.  This will be a tough marathon, but the excitement of the meeting the kids at the finish line will get me through. 












As the season comes to a close we have many people to thank for helping us get across the finish line.  We are very grateful for all who have donated.  Thank you to all who sent in checks or donated via the site that Isaac set up.  He took the initiative to set that up and clearly shows what Running Club means to students who take the opportunity to participate.  Isaac ran with us last year.  His effort and determination left a little…. or a lot, to be desired.  I couldn’t figure him out.  A year ago this time, I asked him if he even wanted to do the race…he shrugged his shoulders!  I was in shock.  Come to find out, like many of us, the thought of running 26.2 miles scared the heck out of him.  As disappointed as I was in the shrug of the shoulders, I could not be more proud of the young man he has become since crossing the finish line of the 2013 LA Marathon.  He has changed his attitude, gained confidence and has really hustled for the team this year.  He is but one example of what doing the seemingly impossible can do for a person.  We are grateful to have Keifer, Alberto, Armando and Isaac training with us again this year.  They are great motivators for the team.  Cindy, Marisol, Armando and many other students have really worked hard to put the word out in the community about the J-Town Running Club and worked hard to get donations to get all students across the finish line.  Their dedication and support means a lot to Ms. Del Cid and I. 
I will check back in on Friday after our trip to the expo and team dinner.  We are blessed to work with incredible students and have the support of our family and friends.
Many Thanks,

Whitney and Sandra
This is the link to the site: ttps://fundrazr.com/campaigns/cgj8a/ab/02izpa
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fundrazr.com

If you are able, we appreciate any and all support. 

Donations can also be sent to:
J-Town Running Club
Jordan High School
6500 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90805

All donations are tax deductible and a receipt can be provided with our tax ID #