Hi Team! We
hope that your training is going well and that you are out there enjoying the
beautiful weather. Summer is almost here and that can only mean one thing, the
2013 race season is in full swing! May has been an exciting and fun-filled
month for the Team so far! Here are some of the incredible things all of you
have been up to!
Run To Home Base
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| Sebastian and Tracie Gallegos at Fenway |
On Saturday May 4th, Warrior Team member Sebastian Gallegos and his wife Tracie represented the Team at the Boston Red Sox Fenway Park in Boston, MA for the Run-Walk to Home Base. The run was hosted by the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program to help and educate the community about combat stress and/or traumatic brain injury as we seek to mitigate the stigma and encourage veterans and their families to get the support and care they deserve.
Dick’s Sporting Goods
Pittsburgh Half and Full Marathon
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| Warrior Team members Chris Claude, Len Lacina and Dean Suthard are ready to start the race. |
On May 5, the
Team hit the streets for the 2013 Pittsburgh Marathon weekend. Both runners and
handcyclists participated in the races. Warrior Team member Len Lacina finished
his first ever full marathon along with Warrior Team member Steve Siwulec who
finished his very first half marathon! Chris Claude and Dean Suthard also
handcycled the full marathon while representing the Team on the hilly course.
Way to go, Team!
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| Warrior Team member Steve Siwulec and Team Director Jenlene Nowak pose for a quick picture before running the half. |
TD Five Boro Bike
Tour
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| Incredible Warrior Team and Community Team members at the finish. |
While Team
members were racing around Pittsburgh, more Team members were cycling the
streets for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour! Both Community Team and Warrior Team
members rode together during this 40 mile tour of the five boros of New York
City. Edgardo Comulada, Freddie DeLosSantos and Nathan Cruz were among the
Warrior Team members participating. A BIG thank you and congratulations to our
Top Fundraisers Thomas Morales and Phil Knittel!
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| The Warrior Team heads to the start line. |
2013 Warrior Games
From May 11 –
May 16, some of our incredible Warrior Team members competed in the 2013
Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, CO.
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| Some Team members reunite during dinner at the 2013 Warrior Games |
More than 200 wounded service members and veterans participated. All five U.S. teams representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Special Operations, as well as one international team from the U.K. participated. Teams competed in seven sports including archery, cycling, shooting, sitting-volleyball, swimming, track and field and wheelchair basketball. Many of Team Hope For The Warriors® Warrior Team members medaled in their events!
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| SOCOM and Warrior Team member David Neumer gets some encouragement from fellow Team member Victor. |
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| SOCOM and Warrior Team member Nathan Cruz is ready to start his race. |
Hope For The
Warriors® is a proud sponsor of the 2013 Warrior Games Family Program.
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| Warrior Team member Michael Politowicz and his wife Suzannah before the cycling competition at the Air Force Academy. |
GORUCK Challenge
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| GORUCK Challenge Class of 576 |
While the
majority of the Team was sleeping soundly this Saturday morning, a brave few of
our Team members were just starting out on their twelve hour GORUCK Challenge
in New York. This intense challenge starting out at 1am, included challenges
such as rucking, pushups and situps with a log! Not to mention, each Team
member was already carrying a rucksack with bricks! To learn more about his
incredible challenge, click here.
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| Team members rocking some pushups on the beach. |
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| Team members taking the challenge into the water. |
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| Team Director Jenlene Nowak and Warrior Team members John and Colleen Rose |
This past
Saturday, the 8th Annual Run For The Warriors® Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and
1-Mile Walk/Run took place in Jacksonville, NC. Through the generosity of
longtime supporter Christian Haerter, a donation of a motorized handcycle was
made. The gift was given to the Marine Corps and will reside in the Wounded
Warrior Regiment for all to enjoy as a part of their Warrior Athlete
Reconditioning Program.
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| Community Team member Scott Sunday completed the half with a weighted vest and elevation mask! |
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| Some Incredible Warrior Team members are ready to get the race started. |
Up
Next
Memorial 100 Run
The fourth
annual Memorial 100 Relay Run will begin early, Saturday May 25, at the Montauk
Point Lighthouse, NY (the tip of Long Island)and ends on May 26 at Ground Zero,
Lower Manhattan, New York.
This 136 mile
relay was organized by three Marines who deployed with 3rd Battalion 25th
Marine Regiment to Iraq in 2005. Their battalion was tasked with training the
Iraqi Security Forces and conducting stability and security operations in and
around the cities of Iraq's Al Anbar province. The unit lost 46 Marines and two
Sailors during the course of the six month deployment, making it one of the
largest unit sacrifices in the war.
To learn more
about this incredible event, please click here.
Running
and Swimming and Biking Oh My!
Have you been looking for triathlon to challenge yourself
this summer? Look no further! Team Hope For The Warriors® has a couple great
ones coming up!
Salute To The
Military Tri
Sunday, May 26 – Warrenton, VA
Sunday, May 26 – Warrenton, VA
All Hope For
The Warriors® family and supporters get 30% off their registration with code:
hfw30! It’s not too late to register for this exciting event. To join in on the
fun, click here.
TriSlip Super Sprint
Triathlon
Sunday June 16 – Bay Shore, NY
To join us
for this super fun event at the beautiful Bay Shore Marina Park, please click here.
2013 Marine Corps
Marathon Bibs
Don’t miss
your opportunity to run with the Team in the Marine Corps Marathon! We have
just a few more bibs/registrations available! Not only will you get the incredible
opportunity to run with the greatest Teammates around, but you will also have
the chance to get to know them during a couple of fun Team festivities that
weekend. There will be our delicious and fun pre-race dinner at Whitlows on
Wilson. Our pre-race Team breakfast at the tent and our post-race pizza party
after you finish! Bibs/registrations are going fast, hurry to grab them while
you can! To register, please click here.
Text To Donate
Hey Team! Got a minute? Did you know that you can support our American heroes with just a simple little text? Text the word WARRIORS to 20222 to donate $10 to Hope For The Warriors®! It’s easy, quick and fun! This is also a fun way to get your friends and family involved.
Community Team Member
Highlight: Megan Schmidt
Hometown:
“I'm originally from Long Island, but live in New York City.”
Occupation:
“I am the Outreach Officer at the International Coalition for the
Responsibility to Protect, which is a network of organizations working to
prevent mass atrocities throughout the world.”
How
Did You Hear About Hope For The Warriors®?
“I first learned about Hope For The Warriors® through the New York
Road Runners. NYRR sent an email about organizations to run with, and
Hope For The Warriors® was listed. I clicked the link, learned about this
great organization, and now proudly wear a Hope for the Warriors jersey when I
race!”
What
Made You Want To Join The Team?
“I find the mission and work of Hope For The Warriors® to be amazing
because they are dedicated to providing support and assistance to our brave men
and women in the armed forces and their families. This is personal for me
because my brother has been in the Marines Corps for 12+ years (he's a Gunnery
Sergeant). My family has felt both the pride and the worry that comes
with having a member in the military, and so I especially appreciate the
amazing work of this organization.”
What
Is Your Favorite Thing About Being A Part Of The Team?
“The feeling that, even if it's just by running, I can do something to
say thank you to our selfless and dedicated servicemen and women by supporting
Hope For The Warriors®.”
What
Races Did You Run Last Year?
“I ran a number of NYRR organized races of varying lengths, anything
from 3 miles to a half-marathon, including: the Pride Run; Japan Day Run;
Brooklyn Half; Bronx 10 miler; and Staten Island Half.”
What
Is On Your Schedule This Year?
“This year I ran my first marathon ever, and on behalf of Hope For The
Warriors®!! This was the Rock ‘n’ Roll DC marathon. While I haven't
signed up for any other races yet (I was focusing so much on the marathon!),
I'm hoping to fill up my calendar with a bunch. I'm looking at the NYRR
Pride Run again, Queens 10k, Staten Island Half, and want to find another
marathon. Also, I'm keeping my eyes open for any NYC based Hope For The
Warriors® runs!”
What
Keeps You Motivated During Long Runs?
“Good music is very helpful for me with long runs if I'm by myself.
I think the best motivator though is a running buddy.”
Do You
Have Any Pre-Race Superstitions?
“I don't think so. The only thing I do is completely prepare
ahead of time by laying out my clothes, putting everything in my short pockets,
preparing my shoes and bib, etc. I can be a forgetful, so I try to be as
ready as possible.”
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| Megan is all smiles during her first marathon, the USA Nation's Capital Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. |
What
Do You Treat Yourself To After A Race?
“If I'm in NYC and run a longer race then I like to go to my favorite
bar and get an order of hot wings and garlic fries to celebrate. I know,
not healthy and totally defeating the purpose of exercising, but it's become a
bit of a tradition after I ran my first half a few years back.”
If You
Could Run With Any Celebrity, Who Would It Be?
“Eddie Izzard! I absolutely love his comedy and he ran over 40
marathons in seven weeks for charity, and has kept up the running since.
Plus, since he's absolutely hilarious, I think would make for a great
running buddy!”
What
Is On Your Running Playlist Right Now?
“I typically run with my iPod on speaker and recently have been
playing Of Monsters and Men, Pearl Jam, Florence and the Machine, and the Black
Keys a lot. There are a few major hills that I have to run towards the
end of my route, and I always blast the remix of 'Let's Get Married' by Jagged
Edge, featuring Run DMC. It gets me pumped. I must admit, though,
that I'll run to the likes of Britney Spears and Carley Rae Jepsen if I have
headphones in my ears.”
Have
You Always Been A Runner?
“No. I started running at the end of high school, but I feel
like saying 'running' is exaggerating what it really was. I think the
first time I ever went out, I ran maybe a half of a mile and then walked for a
bit. It was huge for me when I was able to run a mile all the way
through! And I've stuck with it.”
What
Has Been Your Favorite Race? Why?
“My favorite race was running the Pride Run the day after New York
voted in favor of marriage equality. The mood at the race was just
amazing and it was a historic moment for our state.”
What
Race Is On Your Bucket List?
“I don't have a specific race, but I want more than anything to run a
marathon with my brother on behalf of Hope For The Warriors®.”
What
Do You Think About During Runs Or Workouts? Do You Work Out Problems, Daydream,
Sing Songs, Or Just Zone Out?
“I either totally space out and am just looking around at what's
around me, or I find myself working out things in my head. I have my best
ideas for work or school (I'm working on my MA thesis now!) when I'm running.”
Anything
Else You Would Like To Add?
“I would just really recommend to pick up running for people who
haven't yet. It's such a great way to see your city or town, explore new
places, and challenge yourself. Plus you can go with friends, or get some
'me' time. And you can support Hope for the Warriors by doing it!!”
