Chicago Marathon!!!

Leading up to the Chicago Marathon was 4.5 months of preparation: 300+ miles and 50+ hours of running, 35,000+ calories burned, 35+ energy gels consumed and the retirement of 1 pair of running shoes.....running a marathon for the Lance Armstrong Foundation; priceless.

Myself and 45,000 of my friends ran the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. It took about 20 minutes to make my way to the starting line after the race officially began (imagine a sea of heads in front of you moving up and down). The race route takes you through 29 Chicago neighborhoods (amazing culturally diverse areas of Chicago) with over 1.5 million spectators cheering you on.


I had such a supportive team cheering me on at multiple points of the race which made it possible to complete the marathon with a smile on my face. A big thank you to my wife, mother-in-law, Carol, Kelly, Sammy, Mom, Dad, John, Paula, Gianna, Marc, Angie and Krupa.

My support squad: Mother-in-Law (Mary), Sister (Samantha), My Wife (Chris), me, Mom (Mary) & Dad (Bob)

One of my best friends from childhood and his family came out to support me. Thanks John, Paul, Gianna and Kyler ( I think you were hiding in the stroller). What a great motivation boost at mile 9.5.

I can not begin to say thank you enough to my wife (Chris) for being so supportive with the training, fundraising and the motivation she provided during the race. Chris jumped in and ran the last 6.2 miles with me. She kept my feet moving and we finished the marathon holding hands as a team (which is what our relationship is all about).


My marathon shirt turned out awesome and the ink did not bleed from my sweat. As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, I went to great lengths to make sure I spelled the names and categorized them correctly. If for some reason I made an error please accept my sincere apology and let me know. The names and stories you provided truly gave me the motivation and focus to train/run the Chicago Marathon. I will be printing a new shirt for the Boston Marathon.

Running the Marathon:
I ran the marathon in 4 hours and 23 minutes. I forgot to turn my iPod Nike Plus off at the end of the race so that is why the image below says 27.76 miles and 4 hours and 32 minutes.


My plan is to keep running on a weekly basis and will officially start training for the Boston Marathon in December/January.


Fundraising:
In two and a half months we have raised over $6,650 (with the pledged donation from a corporate sponsor). I know that I may sound like a broken record but thank you so much everyone for your generous donations, support and inspirational stories. I truly feel blessed.

I was 1 of 30+ Chicago Marathon runners for LAF. As a team we raised over $86,000 (likely to exceed $100k by the end of the month) which will go a long way towards finding a cure in the near future.

Thank You to Everyone! One Marathon Down & One to Go!

Chicago Marathon Time, Race Day Shirt & New Sponsor

The Chicago Marathon is this Sunday and I couldn't be more excited. Family and friends will be cheering me on along the race route which means the world to me. It has been pretty full on the past 2 months with work, fundraising and training....but already this has been one of the most rewarding experiences. I truly have been touched by everyone's support, your personal stories and generosity.

New Corporate Sponsor:
Sun Cupid officially became my lead sponsor as of this week. They are a factory in China that I worked closely with in the past. Kerwin Wong, one of Sun Cupid's employees continues to battle an aggressive form of cancer and they wanted to show him their unified support. With their pledged donation we have raised well over $6,350 for LAF! I want to thank Sun Cupid for their generous donation and continued support/friendship.

Race Day Shirt:
I have finalized the design of my race day shirt and pick it up from the printer on Friday. Below is a rendering I created. I went to great lengths to make sure I spelled the names and categorized them correctly. If for some reason I made an error please accept my sincere apology and let me know.
Training:
Last week I posted that I had only 6 mile long run...my wife reminded me it was 8 miles. :) Needless to say I enjoyed going for a run that didn't take up the better part of a day. Chris and I did a short 3 mile run together which felt good. Next long run is the actual marathon (26.2 miles).



Fundraising:
In just over two months we have raised over $6,350 (with the pledged donation from a corporate sponsor). I will know in December if LAF has selected me for the Boston Marathon team. If I am not, then I will run another marathon and continue fundraising for them.

Less Than 2 Weeks Until Chicago!

Less than two weeks remain until the Chicago Marathon. I'm really excited and ready for the big day. I will be getting my Chicago Marathon race day shirt printed early next week so the deadline is Sunday evening to provide names for me to add. The fundraising continues to go well and as of today we've raised nearly $5,300 (including check donations in transit to LAF).

My hope is to exceed $6,000 in donations before the start gun goes off in Chicago in 12 days with the help of a new corporate sponsor. Looking forward to making an announcement early next week.

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week Tuesday before work with 12 miles. I was in San Jose for a trade show and returned home Sunday evening. I was really tired from the trip so I had to make-up my traditional Sunday long run later in the week than usual. Next week I face an enjoyable long run before the marathon, 6 miles.


Fundraising Update:
In less than 2 months we have raised nearly $5,300 for LAF! We are 21% of the way there to accomplishing the goal of raising $25,000. With the addition of another corporate sponsor we will be that much closer.

20 Mile Run & 3 Weeks Until Chicago

I was able to complete the 20 mile long run yesterday. I've been super busy at work the last couple of weeks so I haven't been able to get my weekly mileage in. It took a bit of self motivation to get Paula Radcliffe (on my Nike+ iPod) to say, "Congratulations this is your longest run yet".

I took a new route and ended my run about 2.5 mile from the train stop and 3.5 miles from home. Thankfully my wife was home and was willing to pick me up at the local Trader Joe's.

With only 3 weeks left until the Chicago Marathon I will begin tapering (can't wait). Next week my long run will be 12 miles and the following week 6 miles. I'm ready to let my muscles recover.

Training:
I completed my long run of the week yesterday afternoon with 20 miles. It took a bit out of me but after consuming about 12-14 ounces of pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner...I'm recovering nicely (thanks to Chris). For the next 3 weeks I begin to taper before the marathon.

Fundraising:
While we didn't top last week's fundraising high of $1,000....things are going great. My hope is to reach over $5,000 in donations by next week.

Currently, 1,500 Americans per day die from cancer.
(Source: American Cancer Society)

Over $4,800 Raised!

In one week we have raised another $1,000 for LAF, with a grand total of nearly $4,900 in donations. I am truly touched and speechless by everyone's generosity and kindness. Enthusiasm is contagious and many of you have emailed friends/family on behalf of me...thank you.

I've been asked by a number of you if there is enough space to print all the names on your race day shirt (I am printing names of people who have either survived cancer, are fighting or in memory of); the answer is yes. The names of your loved ones (who are each amazing and special) is the reason I run for LAF. I just might have to wear a cape. :)

My hope is to be able to share some exciting news within the week regarding a new corporate sponsor. With the help of individuals, companies and upcoming fundraising events raising $25,000 for LAF is becoming more and more a reality.

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week yesterday evening with 14 miles. I felt really good throughout the entire run and excited to take on the Chicago Marathon in less than a month. Next week I face my most challenging long run before the marathon, 20 miles.


Fundraising Update:
In just over a month we have raised nearly $4,900 for LAF! We are 20% of the way there to accomplishing the goal of raising $25,000 for LAF. With the addition of another corporate sponsor we will be that much closer.

Within the next decade, cancer is likely to replace heart disease as the leading cause of death in the U.S. It is already the biggest killer of those under the age of 85.
(Source: American Cancer Society)

$3,800 Raised & 18 Mile Long Run

As of this morning we reached $3,800 in donations in just over a month. My hope is to reach the $4,000 mark by early next week. Thank you to everyone for their continued generosity and support.

I went on my 18 mile long run yesterday. Tropical Storm Hanna rolled through New England the night before with little to no drama, so to my surprise things were drier than expected. I now have an unofficial corporate sponsor to announce. A Mobil gas station in Cambridge saved me at mile 16 with an open restroom. Needless to say Mobil was clutch in me concluding a successful and uneventful run. :)

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week yesterday afternoon with 18 miles. Next week I step down the mileage to 14 miles.



Fundraising Update:
In just over a month we've raised $3,800 for LAF! The minimum I need to raise for each marathon is $3,500 ($7,000 total). Thanks to your generous support I have met my minimum requirement to run in the Chicago Marathon.

Today 65% of adults diagnosed with cancer will be alive five years after diagnosis, up from 50% in the 1970s.

(Source: American Cancer Society)

Over $3,000 Raised!

In less than a month we have been able to raise over $3,000 for the Livestrong Foundation. One of my really good friends hit the fundraising trail with an email blast on my behalf which was greatly appreciated. I guess the movie box office isn't the only ones who benefit from a 3-day holiday weekend (nearly $1,000 raised since Friday).

I was in Houston this past weekend and had to leave early to avoid Hurricane Gustav, which allowed me the opportunity to get my long run in yesterday. It is so much easier to run on the weekend rested compared to after a long day at work in the darkness.

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week yesterday afternoon with 12 miles. Next week will be a challenging run with 18 miles. I'll need to stock up on energy gels.


Fundraising Update:
In less than a month we've raised over $3,000 for LAF! The minimum I need to raise for Livestrong to run each marathon is $3,500 ($7,000 total). With 8 months until the Boston Marathon, reaching the $25,000 fundraising goal is shaping up well. The below numbers include pledged donations.

1.4 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year
(Source: American Cancer Society)

Donations From Around the World

Donations have come in from all corners of the world – Hong Kong to Oxford, Ohio.

I have received emails from individuals sharing their personal stories of cancer that are truly inspirational and touching. For everyone who has supplied a name(s) to me (for my shirt or with their donation), I truly think about them as I train and fundraise.

Needless to say there are many of you who are in my thoughts and prayers….you truly represent the definition of living strong.

Training Update:

I completed my long run of the week last night with 16 miles. Someone in my office asked how it went…the best way to sum it up is when I got home my wife (Chris) asked if I was OK. :)

Going forward I’m going to do my long runs on the weekends. (next week I decrease my long run mileage – 12 miles).

Fundraising Update:

After only 3 weeks we’ve raised over $2,300 for LAF! By this time next week my hope is to close in on the $3,000 mark.

There are more than 10.5 million cancer survivors living in the United States today. (Source: American Cancer Society)

Oxford Press Article & Ad

I want to thank the Oxford Press for writing a story about my fundraising efforts. They have always stayed true to their small town community perspective.

As well, I want to thank one of my past colleagues (and good friend) who helped me put together the ad I placed in the Oxford Press. He went out of his way to develop 4 options to select from and treated me like a paying client.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

15 Mile Tour of Boston

The long runs are getting longer and longer and much tougher. Last night I ran 15 miles and along the way took a nice nighttime tour of Boston. My muscles are barking at me this morning and will need to start stretching a few times a day now to avoid injury.

As tough as the run was I enjoyed running along the Charles River that weaves throughout the city. It truly is a beautiful city with so much going on. Even at 10 PM there were so many people out and about enjoying the beautiful weather with a nearly full moon.

Beyond completing the long run, the high point of the evening was having my wife back home again (she’s been traveling on business).

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week last night with 15 miles and a few blisters (next week 16 miles).

Fundraising Update:
The fundraising continues to go great. With the article in Friday’s Oxford Press combined with the ¼ page ad I purchased, I’m hopeful to cross the $2,000 mark by early next week.

The overall cost for cancer last year was $206 billion, which includes $78 billion for medical bills, $18 billion for lost productivity from the illness, and $110 billion due to lost productivity from premature death. (Source: American Cancer Society)

Support From My Hometown Paper

I'm excited about an upcoming article in my hometown newspaper; The Oxford Press. I couldn't ask for a better lead-in to Friday's (8/22) article (image is above).

For those of you who didn't know, I was born and raised in a small town in Southwestern Ohio. There's something very special about my hometown and always looking forward to my next trip home.

Two Months Until the Chicago Marathon

It’s official, less than two months until the Chicago Marathon (October 12^th)! It’s hard to believe how fast this summer has flown by.

This weekend my wife and I are heading to Cleveland to visit one of my best friends. He’s a huge inspiration to me for this fundraising effort (battled an aggressive form of colon cancer and has been cancer free now for over 6 years). It will be exciting to catch up with him.

Training Update:
I completed my long run of the week Wednesday night with 10 miles (next week 15 miles). Despite some tight muscles I’m feeling really good.

Fundraising Update:
The fundraising is going great and can not say thank you enough for everyone’s support. With pledged donations we are well on our way to the $2,000 mark! I purchased a ¼ page ad in my hometown newspaper for next week, so we’ll see what happens.

Nearly 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will develop cancer during their lifetime
Source: American Cancer Society

Great Start & My First Corporate Sponsor

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and donations so far. There are a number of you who have verbally committed to a donation amount which brings my total well above the $1,000 mark.
In addition to individual donations, I received my first corporate sponsorship from Melitta USA today (http://www.melitta.com/). I used to work closely with them in the past. They are a great group of people that I sincerely miss working with. I truly appreciate their generous donation and continued support. Happy 100 Year Anniversary!

Fundraising Campaign Begins Today

Welcome to my blog where you can track my fundraising and training progress. The fundraising campaign kicks off today (with an email campaign at my office) and I’m truly excited about what lies ahead. The goal is to raise $25,000 or more between two marathons (Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon) for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

While fundraising has just begun, my training program has reached the halfway mark for the Chicago Marathon. Last night I completed my long run of the week (13.1 miles). To put things in perspective, 13.1 miles is just a half marathon and took me a little under 2 hours to run.


Cancer Fact of the Week: 560,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer this year, or more than 1,500 per day.

To Make A Donation: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2008/scottvogel