Wrapping up 240 miles of running in two weeks

The title of this blog post makes it all sound much easier than it was. It was not easy. BUT, I made it much easier on myself than it could have been. I'm lucky to have finished the challenge injury free. And I feel blessed to have such great support around me to help make this possible, and also those that helped reward my efforts by "giving" to Open Meadow Alternative Schools. To all of you, I thank you so much. It means a lot to me to be able to share with you the joy in giving back to such and incredible organization. An organization that has not turned their back on me from day one. An organization that has helped me way more than I have been able to help them. I only hope I can continue to give some of you at least a glimpse of the passion at Open Meadow that has been able to breed such strong, successful members of our community. Kids that had everything going against them, against all odds....and they came out of high school with a smile and all the momentum in the world. Please people, don't overlook programs like Open Meadow that help guide the youth in our community. They are our future.

After steadily chipping away at 120 miles of running in the first week of the challenge, week two started off slow. Here is how it went:
MONDAY- I just had to take it off! I knew I had to have a recovery day in order to make it through this challenge in one piece. So this ENTIRE day was spent on the recliner (thanks to my wife for understanding my laziness)
TUESDAY- Well, now I am going to have to average 20 miles per day for the next six days to hit the goal. Well.....I was able to get 6 miles in on the treadmill early in the day. Then after work I just didnt have it in me to run 14miles. So I ran 8miles (2mi treadmill run, 190 pushups, 2mi tread run, 100 squats, 2mi run, 220 situps, 2mi run)
WEDNESDAY- I cannot remember how the mileage was broken up but I only did 16miles this day as my energy and legs were just zapped. I knew at the end of the day, that I was in for a super challenging next four days to hit my goal.
THURSDAY- Got a second wind as I got word of some donations for my efforts (Thanks you Pops and Grandma & Grandpa Monda). Running started at 4pm- 4miles on treadmill, 30minutes rest, 4miles on treadmill, 30minutes rest, 4miles on treadmill, 30minutes rest, 4miles on treadmill, 30minutes rest, and 4more miles on the treadmill... dones at 830pm with 20miles on the treadmill and a lot of sweaty dirty running clothes and towells to wash!
FRIDAY- 7mi run in AM with my buddy Big Aaron. And 13mi run in PM with Paul Shoen (who also informed me he was going to donate for my efforts).
The weekend- 50 miles still needed to hit 120 for the week, and 240 in two weeks

SATURDAY- Started the day off with Energy Event's Earth Day Run, 5miler. My father in law was running in his second ever running event, so I had to be there for both him and my sponsor Energy Events. The plan was to run a steady run (maybe 630/mi to 7min/mi pace). But when the event started, a guy took off running 5:45 pace while juggling at the same time! I tried to keep from letting a Joggler, win the race, but this guy was smooth and I couldn't keep up with his pace after 3 or so miles (legs were really hurting at that pace for me). Turns out him and his wife (who also won the race for the women) are WORLD RECORD HOLDERS for Juggling and Running at the same time. Cool stuff.
After I came in 3rd place, running around 5:56 pace, I did the 5mi course again at a slower 8min pace. Then when I got home I had to turn around and run 10miles, to finish the day with 20 total. Legs pretty damn sore and stiff at this point!
SUNDAY- Final day. Big Aaron drove me out and dropped me off at the end of Wildwood trail, and I ran the ENTIRE 30mile trail non stop to get my miles in for the day, the week, and the challenge was over. I did it! Thanks to running buddy John Parsons for running with me from miles 2-12 of the trail. And Big Aaron, for meeting me with about 9miles to go on Wildwood and helping me gut out the those last painful miles!


I'm happy to say I brought in a little under $2k for Open Meadow Alternative Schools for all this running I did. Thanks to the following:
Athletes Lounge- $1k
Pops Monda- $250
Grandma & Grandpa Monda- $250
Grandma & Grandpa Nordstrom- $120
Paul & Annie Shoen- promised donation
Jaysun & Dana Pyatt- promised donation

I also really want to thank my sponsors this year:

Gu Energy- wow, time to restock already. Could not have made it through this challenge with out all the Calories, Carbs and Protein you have blessed me with!

Energy Events- Its about game time- VANCOUVER USA MARATHON- Ready to get focused and race ready for this classy local event.

Portland PACE- (Title sponsor of my tri team P.A.C.E. Multisport)

My beautiful pregnant, understanding wife- Ashley Monda. Thank you baby.. Now its time for you to stop taking care of me, and I can take care of you...since you are after all 17 weeks pregnant! :-)

Thanks again everyone. As my best friend, and Open Meadow's Step Up Advocate (Roosevelt High School), Drew Holguin says: "Teamwork to make the Dream Work"

There are still seats and tables available to the GotGame? Open Meadow fundraiser trivia event: HERE 

-Josh Monda
1999 Open Meadow Graduate
Current Open Meadow Board Member

120 miles complete, halfway there

Running 120 miles in a week, is a long time to be out on the road (16 hours of running). You see a lot, and you think a lot (I ran 116.5 of these miles completely solo). About half way through the week, I saw a kid getting arrested and put into the back of a police car while on my run.  He must have been 15 or 16 years old. We'll call him "Junior". I have thought a lot about Junior during my runs these last couple of days. I have wondered what he did (there were two other cop cars there, so it could have been serious). I wondered what his home life has been like. Who are his parents?  Is he a run away? Does he have solid support in his life? Does he have positive role models? IS HE GOING TO BE OK? I think so much about him now, because I likely wouldn't have been running in that area, if I wasn't out exploring and trying to tick off the running miles. I'm only really running this many miles, to help support the organization who's board I serve on. I only serve on that board because I have stayed in contact with the organization for years, and spoke on their behalf at other events. I only spoke on their behalf because at one time I was "Junior". That was me sitting in the back of a police car. It does not make me happy to think about how I used to be. Not a day goes by in my life that I don't reflect (and regret) on the terrible mistakes I made my 8th and 9th grade years. I was a lost kid, mad at the world, didn't give a crap about anything if you had asked me back then. But, I still had potential somewhere deep down inside. And Open Meadow was able to help pull that potential out of me. The staff at Open Meadow were able to help me navigate through all the adversity and disadvantages that had been dealt to me...and that I had dealt myself. I would start to grow up and eventually graduate high school a whole year early. Eventually I would use the lessons I had learned to become a top salesman for a nationwide organization, buy two houses, start my own business and help create jobs for 8 other people working for me. I found an amazing wife who is now carrying our first child and am learning how to be a great husband and father.
My best friend (since kindergarten), Andrew Holguin, was also "Junior". Andrew like me was lucky enough to find Open Meadow at the right time. Andrew would go on to graduate high school. He went on to graduate Portland State University (spending one whole year studying overseas in Spain). Andrew now works for Open Meadow's StepUp program at Roosevelt High School as an Advocate. Andrew's life is dedicated to helping other kids who were just like us discover their true potential and realize what they can become. We NEED programs like Open Meadow around to help bring out the best in our kids.
This is why I am running....

Thursday- 17miles- 3miles in am @ 8min pace. 8 miles after work @ 8min pace. 6 miles after dinner @ 8min pace
Friday- 17miles-  4 miles before lunch @ 7min pace. 3.5miles on treadmill @ 8:30 pace early afternoon. 6 miles outside mid afternoon @ 8min pace, 3.5miles after dinner @ 830 pace on treadmill
Saturday- 20miles-  9 miles in am on the trails @ 7:20 pace. 7miles @ 8min pace in the afternoon. 4miles early evening @ 8:30pace on the treadmill.
Sunday- 20miles- 13mile run in the morning (3.miles with big Aaron). 7 solid @ 7min pace miles late afternoon to hit 120 for the week!

Notes:
-I went through a few dark patches the last few days. I was just TIRED of being out and moving and the miles seemed to be going by slowly. This was not easy at all.
-As I said previously, I stayed in the aerobic zone and didn't do any speed work this week. This has helped me NOT get injured, but it has also made the challenge tougher mentally as I didn't have any intervals to break up the monotony.
-Originally, I thought I was going to be doing a bunch of running with other folks to help keep me company. This would have made the miles go by easier. But, as I got through the week and started to get more and more tired it seems so much easier to just "get the run done" and not spend energy trying to coordinate runs with others. If I am going to make it through next week, there is no way I can do it again on all solo running.
-Ice and Stretching are ooooh sooo important!!!
-Running 3-4 times a day you go through a lot of laundry and a lot of clean towels.

That is all for now. Tired, but happy.

-Josh Monda

Your gift of $25 buys nutritious snacks for 20 middle school students before testing.

100 total miles total run for the week.

Very tired! Will have more to post tomorrow, after I get my last 20 in... In the meantime, check out Vinnie:

Gates Millenium Scholar

Summer 2009
Vinnie can afford to speak softly. His accomplishments speak for themselves. [Enrolling in Fall 2009] at Chicago’s Columbia College, one of the top music business schools in the country, he brings something to the table, having performed around town with his hip-hop group, Turf Noize.
“I want to be a record producer,” he says. “I’m gonna do that.”
Vinnie has that kind of confidence. He’s been an accomplished athlete as well as a high-performing student at Roosevelt’s math and science-oriented POWER Academy (3.50 GPA). He also has left an impression on the youth of his St. Johns neighborhood, having mentored and taught children at James John Elementary School for three years.

“That’s the best part of my day,” Vinnie says. “I just like kids.”
For all of his self-assurance, Vinnie still marvels remembering the day [in the spring of 2009] when he learned he’d become a Gates Millennium Scholar, which will fund his post-high school education.
“It doesn’t happen to people from St. Johns,” he says. His mentor, Hanif Fazal of [Open Meadow’s] youth empowerment program Step Up, says such things do happen to young men like Vinnie, who walked a straight path even as friends veered toward trouble.
“He is an example of what is possible,” Fazal says. “He has made a lot of great choices along the way and learned from some of the wrong choices.”

Your gift of $250 buys materials, supplies, and transportation for service learning activities for 24 students for a school year.

Three days in...46miles ran...194 to go for Open Meadow

Gov. Visits Open Meadow yestereday
http://openmeadow.org/open/meadow/blog

When I first started going to Open Meadow at the age of 14, I had been out of the public schools (expelled and  a runaway) for the first third of my freshman year in high school. When I first attended Open Meadow I wasn't magically transformed overnight into a student that had a "vision" and "goals in life". I was just going there because my probation officer ordered me to go there. I still didn't REALLY want to go to school every day. It would be a little bit of a process before my motivations in life would shift, but it did happen towards the end of my freshman year and into my sophmore year at Open Meadow. But my point is, during that initial phase of getting back into school and getting my life on track, my relationships, and bonds and respect was so great for the staff at Open Meadow (especially my Advocate, Holly) So, many days that I wanted so bad to revert back to the old ways of cutting class, I would show up just because I didn't want to let Holly down. I would show up because I knew how much Holly cared. Because of how close I was with the staff at Open Meadow, is a huge reason why I am where I am today. It is these close personal relationships that the staff builds with our students, that really fuels this program.


Ok, here is my total miles for each of the first three days of the challenge:
Monday- 17 Miles total- Slept through my 430am alarm in the morning and I was really annoyed because I wanted to get 5 or 6 miles out of the way early. I also know there is no way my body will be able to take 240 miles of mostly long 13+ mile runs for two weeks. I need to break it into manageble chunks of 2-3 runs per day (hopefully 3). Anyway, I went for a 14 mile run at 7:30pace right after work. And then logged another easy 3 mile run at 7pm at around 8min pace.

Tuesday- 13 Miles total- Woke up on time and got an early 6mi run in at 7:40 pace! Followed it up with a 5mi lunchtime run at around 7-720 pace. Had planned on running another 6 miles after work, but I just wasn't feeling that great and I do not want to push myself too hard this early in the challenge so I cut it to a short 2miles. I'm ok with this, knowing that I always have the weekends to make up for missed miles during the week.

Wednesday- 16 Miles total- Again wasn't feeling that great and was worried I might be getting sick. Got an easy 4miler in early at 8min pace. Then after resting up, and chilling with Ashley for the morning, I felt re-energized and got a solid 12mi run in this afternoon at 730pace

46 Miles in three days. Sounds like a lot, but in order to acheive my goal here I am going to have to have some stretches where I run 55 miles in three days! Should get interesting!

Couple of notes and observations:
-My legs feel fine...so far......
-I am pretty sure I am just going to keep all these miles in the aerobic 7:00-8:30pace through the challenge. While doing speedwork on the track would be nice to break up the miles and make time go by quicker, I'm afraid that it will fatigue me too much...we'll see
-I realized today that I have done all my runs on the concrete and asphalt so far! I HAVE to get onto the trails (and maybe even the treadmill) to make it easier on my body
-I need to run with people! I can't do this all by running solo. So I will start to announce some weekend runs and some weekday evening runs I will be doing from Athletes Lounge



Again, if anyone is interested in getting a table or even a couple of seats at the Open Meadow GOT GAME? fundraiser (at the Crystal Ballroom on May 9th), please email me (joshua@grindstonecollections.com) or you can just go to Open Meadow's home page (www.openmeadow.org) and look for the GOT GAME? logo to purchase online. This event was an absolute blast last year! And its for a great cause guys!!

Here is some recent press for Open Meadow that I am really excited about:
http://www.kptv.com/story/17380614/the-alternative-way-can-be-the-right-way  (the Gov. visits Open Meadow!)
http://www.portlandtimbers.com/news/2012/04/portland-timbers-community-fund-recognizes-recipients-girls-inc-and-open-meadow-school (Timbers are on board!)


Thanks for reading,
Josh Monda

Did you know?
A contribution of $500 to Open Meadow gives 84 high school students physical education activities like tennis, yoga and martial arts.

240miles for Open Meadow. Yeah, I Got Game

When I was young, in High School, the teachers, advocates and staff at Open Meadow Alternative Schools made personal sacrifices in their own lives to help keep me on the right path. They would help me outside of school, call and check in during non business hours, write letters and speak on my behalf during my routine probation juvenile court appearances. This kind of dedictation and sacrifice towards something that one feels "passionate" about has stuck with me throughout my late teens and early adulthood. Many of my characteristics to "stick it out", the never say die attitude and dedication were influenced on me during my years at Open Meadow. When you are surrounded by that kind of love and compassion on a daily basis, its hard to forget.....even 13 years later (wow, its been that long since I graduated). It is this type of devotion and commitment that is allowing Open Meadow to turn many of Portland's "at risk" youth into important, contributing members of our community for the last 40 years.

Starting tomorrow, April 9th, 2012 I will begin my journey to run 240 miles in two weeks! Athletes Lounge (Portland's full service Triathlon Store and TOP 10 Triathlon Retailer in America) has offered to purchase a table for 8 at Open Meadow's 2nd Annual Trivia Fundraiser Event- GOT GAME? from me for completing the challenge.
Thank you Athletes Lounge for this support, it means the world to me!!
I just love having this event that the school puts on annualy. Its great not just because its a super fun evening, but because its a great chance for me to show other important people in my life today where I came from. And why I give so much of my time and effort to helping and giving back to this great organization.

Run 240 Miles in Two Weeks?!!
Yes, it comes out to 17.14 miles per day. This is going to be an interesting 14 days, and I will try to update this blog or my Facebook page every couple of days on my progress. Instead of hammering out long 17mi runs every day, I will be shooting to run 2 (or maybe 3) times per day of around 5-7miles per run.
Hopefully this will help in my training (and not hamper it) for my big race on June 17th-- Vancouver USA Marathon
I'm not sure how hard this is going to be, but we will sure find out wont we?! If I need to take an easy day, I am going to be smart and take it....Lets just hope I dont have to run 55miles on the 14th day just to hit my goal! Stay tuned.......


PS- If anyone is interested in learning more about GOT GAME?- Open Meadow's fundraiser trivia event (it is a BLAST!), or just Open Meadow in general, please contact me joshua@grindstonecollections.com