Help Veterans, Get A Race Entry...

Okay, folks, let's help some veterans!!  As many of you already know, I am running a crazy schedule this fall starting next weekend and it's all to raise awareness and funds for Team Red, White & Blue.  This is an awesome organization that provides support for our wounded veterans as they return home and transition into civilian life.  These veterans have risked so much for us, I feel it is all of our responsibility to help them in any way we can when they come home.  That's what I run for.  To honor them, to support them and to help them.  You can see me wearing my Team RWB shirt running for our veterans at the following races this fall:

10/13 - Jared Coones Pumpkin Run 5k - Olathe, KS
10/14 - Mother Road 5k - Joplin, MO
10/20 - Kansas City Marathon - Kansas City, MO
10/28 - GOATz 50k - Omaha, NE
11/10 - Pilgrim Pacer Marathon - Shawnee, KS
11/17 - North Face Endurance Challenge 50k - Kansas City, MO

That's my toughest stretch of races ever; two 5ks, two marathons and two 50ks in 36 days.

What can you do?  You can donate to the cause by visiting my fundraising page!  I'm still a long way from my goal, so every little bit helps, but I'm going to sweeten the pot for you.  This journey will all culminate at the North Face Endurance Challenge event in Kansas City, MO.  How would you like to run it??  I'm going to have a raffle to give you that chance!

For every $5 donated between the time this is posted and 8 am Central 10/20 you will get an entry into the raffle!!!  The winner of the raffle will receive a code for a FREE entry into any distance (5k, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon, 50k) of the Kansas City North Face Endurance Challenge!!

So, you get to help veterans and a shot at an entry to the race!  Give $5 = 1 entry; give $50 = 10 entries.  On Oct 20 I will take all of the entries and draw one winner and send them a code good for any of the race distances.  All you need to do is make your donation, then send me an email at bcwest619@gmail.com with your name, the amount you donated and your email address.

Me & Dean Karnazes at the NFEC Expo 2011

Let me tell you a little about the North Face Endurance Challenge.  Last year was their first time holding a race here in Kansas City and it was simply amazing!  It was held in August last year and I ran the half marathon.  The expo on Friday was held in Frank A. Theis Park across the street from the Nelson Art Gallery.  It was awesome!  Great shirts (they screen print them on site for you so you can pick your color), great gear and goodies, great people to chat with.  I went on to spend a couple hours chatting with and then listening to a Q&A with the great North Face athlete, Michael Wardian!  Then, Dean Karnazes showed up for a book signing where I got to meet and get my picture with another great North Face athlete! Then another Q&A with Michael Wardian, Dean Karnazes, the race director, and some other athletes.  So basically I spent the day chatting with two world famous athletes!

The race itself was amazing!  Even with the half marathon we ran by so many KC landmarks; the Nelson, the Plaza, Westport, Brookside, the WWII Memorial, Union Station, the Sprint Center, Kauffman Center, KC Art Institute, etc.  Very cool course!!  The aid stations were well staffed and stocked with water & NUUN.  The volunteers were very encouraging and fun, there were tons of spectators out cheering and supporting and kids giving high-fives!! Oh, and I can say I have run a race with Michael Wardian!!  He ran the half marathon as well!!  I truly had a blast running it and can't wait to bump up from the half last year to the 50k this year!!  Check out this video and you'll want to be there:

If you want to get registered without entering the raffle (you can still donate anyway, just send me a note and let me know you don't want to be entered in the raffle) you can click on the image below to go to their website and get registered.  Donate to a great cause, help some veterans, and come celebrate the completion of my journey at the Kansas City North Face Endurance Challenge!!!  I'm in taper mode right now and the journey really gets started next weekend with a double-5k race weekend.  I feel strong and that my training went well so I am confident going into this.  I'm no where near my fundraising goal, so I'm hoping we can make a good push to get us up to the $500 I was shooting for.  We can do this together, IT'S OUR TURN!!!!