A Buck A Mile

Catching Up

2009-06-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

Because of some non-running related things (well, I did run on my lake vacation), I didn't make that National Running Day Donation.

And then, on June 13, I ran the inaugural Downtown Dash in Oklahoma City.

So that's a5k plus a 10k.

We'll turn that into $15* for the United Way, a group that helps in all kinds of ways, and that my wife strongly supports through her employer.

Positive about giving to United Way: You can designate it for local groups.

Negative about giving to United Way: A 3.5 percent processing fee.

*That's right: Normally, a buck a mile. In this case, a buck a kilometer. (And if you're going fully continental, you could even do a euro a k!)

Running Day Run

2009-06-03T10:40:00.001-07:00

I got a nice 3.4 mile run in at lunch to celebrate National Running Day. (25:03, 7:21 pace, thanks for asking).

I plan to donate $5 (that's a buck a kilometer, in this case) later today.

Who will you give to on this new holiday?

National Running Day

2009-06-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

Today, June 3, is National Running Day. (Though, as some people have pointed out, every day is running day.)

But a group trying to get people to hit the road put up a website and wants some attention.

Whether you make a special effort today or just hit one of your routine workouts, maybe this is the right time to make your first A Buck A Mile donation.

I'm not sure when I'm going to fit in some miles today. But when I do, I'll think about where I want my money to go.

Train To Give

2009-06-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

For most runners -- and triathletes -- races only come a few times a year.

If you want to give something back using the Buck A Mile philosophy, you can still do some good with your training.

During training for a long-distance race, you could designate one long run a month as your donation run.

If you feel very generous, you could even donate for every mile you log. Can't afford that? Try a buck for each day you train.

Remember, every buck helps, and you don't have to be racing to help out.

Tell A Friend, Tell Me

2009-05-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Someone asked if she could share this site with others. Please do! No matter how generous I get, no matter how many races I run, I don't have serious dollars to donate to any one cause, let alone to the many that deserve support.

I hope to encourage many, many others to donate a buck a mile.

Someday -- maybe someday soon -- this site will help you encourage others to donate, or keep track of what you give. For now, it's just word-of-mouth.

So tell whomever you would like.

And, if you give a gift somewhere, please let me know. E-mail me at abuckamile AT gmail dot com.

First Donation

2009-05-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

I just clicked submit on my first A Buck A Mile donation. I ran (part of) the Andy Payne Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City on May 23, and owed $26.20 to a group. Below, you can see some of the groups I considered giving to.

Somehow, Special Olympics just felt right this time around. Maybe they don't meet needs in the same way as a food program would, but the group brings a lot of joy to a lot of people.

If you would like to give as well -- and, ultimately, I hope the idea of A Buck A Mile goes WELL beyond just me -- you can do it online.

Maybe you've just done a marathon and want to do $1 a mile. Maybe you do $5 a mile for a 5k. Everything helps.

Race Report

A brief look at the race, the Andy Payne Memorial Marathon in Oklahoma City. I hoped to run a 3:45 in my second marathon -- and second in a month. I also had an inkling that in the small field, that time could win my age group, or at least medal.

It was a warm but tolerable start, and I spent most of the time on a 3:30 pace. But expected cloud cover never developed, and it was approaching 80 degrees by the time the third and final lap around the lake started. I allowed myself to walk through a water station, and said I'd walk as needed. I did that, but at mile 22 found myself dry heaving along the course. After a rest, I could not stop panting, even while walking. Feeling heat distress setting in, I called it off.

Found a ride back around the lake with another guy who was taking a DNF. He was out searching for a friend who, it turned out, was yet another DNF.

Of course, I gave the full $26.20 to Special Olympics. Not their fault I had a bit of a failure.

Possible Donations

2009-05-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Friends made some great suggestions for my first donations after Saturday's upcoming Andy Payne marathon.

No decision yet, but check out some of the possibilities:

Children's Miracle Network

American Heart Association

Relay For Life

United Way

Special Olympics

Susan G. Komen For The Cure

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation

So many worthy causes, so little money. That's part of why I hope to -- eventually -- have a way to encourage others to give.

Short race report and unveiling of the donation coming after the race!

The Purpose

2009-05-17T10:24:00.002-07:00

I run a lot. And race triathlons.

Often, part of my registration fee goes to support a cause. A camp for kids with special needs, for example, or the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

That's great. But it would be even better if my runs could help a few more people. So I've decided that for each race I do, I'll donate a dollar for every mile covered to a charity of my choice. I hope to encourage others to do the same.

Right now, this is just a blog. Soon, I hope to develop it into a site that encourages others to do the same, to brag about it, to inspire more people to put the idea into practice and -- perhaps -- even earn rewards for how much you raise or donate.

I plan to run the Andy Payne marathon at Lake Overholser, Oklahoma, on May 23. That will be the first race I plan to donate for.

Now, I just need to choose a recipient.

A Buck A Mile Launches

2009-05-17T10:24:00.001-07:00

This is the first post on A Buck A Mile.

I hope it will be the start of something big.