Found Endurance Sports Bar

and thought, "yummy another nutrition bar to try!" But no, its just a place to go and chit chat and learn and share about Endurance Sports and it totally rocks, not "on the rocks" like the bars most of us are used to. ShirleyPerley set up this Awesome blog and I not only wanted to share it with you but I entered a very cool contest (or two).

1) Improve yourself through endurance sports (lose weight, quit some bad habit, overcome limitations/fears, meet some big goal, etc)

2) Help or inspire others through endurance sports (raise funds for a cause, start a training group, organize some event, etc)

To participate in challenges #1 or #2, email the Bar a short paragraph (100 words or less) detailing what you are doing/did along with a photo or two and a link to your blog, if you have one. All submissions must be received by 11/30/08, midnight Pacific time. Six finalists will be chosen for each challenge. The top two winners will be chosen by a poll in December.

So I started writing and I figured maybe Shirley would forgive me if I combined them both and figured I write about 200 (umm more like 500) words. Here is what I wrote.

This is going to be about 400 words too long.... I'll probably be
disqualified but oh well. (lol)

#1 & #2. I ran Track and Field
in high school. I wasn't great but I won some races and was one of only three
girls to qualify for Varsity Track my Freshman year. I loved to run through the
hills of our Bay Area home town but a diagnosis of Stage II Malignant Melanoma
put a near halt to all I had achieved that year. I finished the year but hung up
my hat in outdoor sports for fear of a recurrence.

In 2003 my
Mother-in-law was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and in my hope of finding
something to support her I found the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I
decided that although I was protecting myself by staying indoors I wasn't really
doing anything for my health or for something I believed in by hiding from the
sun. Out came the sunscreen and the walking shoes.I raised all of my $1800 plus
some of my now ex-sister in laws and walked 13.1 miles on Saturday then again on
Sunday in 2004 for the cause. I did it again in 2006 with my mom and my
best friend, then I upped the ante and walked 26.2 miles on Saturday and 13.1
miles on Sunday in my 2007 season.

This year I plan to walk in two
AWBC walks. My friends and family helped me raise over $3,200 of my needed
$3,600 this year and have only received 1 $10 private donation so far. I am
walking with my neighbor who's grandmother died of BC and 3 of her Aunts are
survivors (one currently undergoing treatment). I will walk my other walk with
my BF in a new city this year and will walk another 39.3 miles for breast
cancer.

That's my story. I know it ran too long but I just couldn't
fit it into 100 words. I hope to motivate others to walk, run, bike or whatever
they can do to bring awareness to something they care about. Its fun to race,
its meaningful to do it for someone less fortunate than yourself. My hope is to
find a cure for some if not all cancers and as long as my feet and my body are
able to carry me I will continue to walk.

Hopes and Prayers for a Cancer Free Tomorrow,

Tina Mickelson
http://gottagrubnrun.blogspot.com/

AWBC SF 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008

AWBC LA 2008