Sponsorship Journey

I am beyond thrilled that we raised enough funds at my March 8, 2014 charity run/walk to sponsor 14 women through Women for Women International's (WfWI) Congo program.

Our Equal Exchange Team at our 2014 Event

Simply by taking the time to come together, we are now supporting half a class through WfWI, and are able to be a part of a journey taking place half a world away for 14 remarkable women. 

Over three years ago when I first learned about the conflict in Congo, and how my use of electronics products gave me leverage to do something about it, I didn't yet fully understand that I would become a part of something which would actually have impact.

Dedicated Volunteers

 By impact, I mean human-to-human connection with women who live in Eastern Congo.  


And so, it is with a thankful heart that I embark on the sponsorship journey with all of you, my fellow supporters. Over the course of the next year I will send and post monthly snippets about the 14 women we are sponsoring. In order to protect their privacy photos will only be sent via my newsletter, and so should you wish to receive the more detailed newsletter updates, please subscribe via my webpage (click "subscribe" on the bottom right of the page).

You will also have the opportunity to correspond with the sisters.  To send a message of encouragement and support simply email me at: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com.  

I encourage you to take the time to do so as Women for Women International has been told time and time again by their program participants that messages from their sponsors provide hope and encouragement beyond measure, and provide a sense of togetherness during times of loneliness. 

Some of our runners on 3.8.14

Should we receive responses from our sisters (it can take quite some time to receive responses due to the logistics involved on their end living in more rustic places), I will of course pass those along in my blog and monthly newsletter as well. 

Meet 2 of The Sisters
That said, please meet Sisters Maria & Kate.
Maria: is married with 6 children
Kate: is single with 1 child

Their Journey*
*(The following is from an update I received from Women for Women International)

Maria, Kate and our other 12 sisters are now finishing their fourth month of training.

In the last few months, the sisters have been in health and wellness classes.  We (WfWI) believe that women cannot be active members of their communities if they are not well, both physically and emotionally. Over the next several months, our sisters will continue to learn methods of prevention and treatment of key health issues for themselves and her family members.

Health is a human right. Our sisters class will focus on the concept of health as an essential human right. This is a crucial starting point for women who live in areas where poor nutrition and preventable diseases are a part of everyday life. She will learn basic skills, nutritional information, sanitation and disease prevention.

Coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of the women we work with are survivors of great violence, suffering and loss.

In DRC, at least 5.4 million people have died as a result of conflict and its consequences since 1998. With rape used as a weapon of war, an estimated 48 women are raped every hour in the DRC, resulting in about 1.8 million women having been raped.

This may be the first time they are able to discuss and deal with the trauma that they have been living with. Your sister will learn to recognize stress as a normal reaction to the events she has experienced, develop tools for coping with her symptoms, and be given access to resources for additional help if needed.


Protect yourself and your family. Your sisters will learn about communicable diseases, sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, sexual reproductive health, mental health and environmental health. In addition, they will learn about pregnancy, infant care, family planning and hygiene. When a woman is healthy, she can focus on healing and learning as she moves forward in our program.

**************

Thank you again for your support, and please take the time to send a message of support to Maria and Kate as they go through their journey with Women for Women International.

Amanda Ulrich
Team Congo PDX Founder
Women for Women International Volunteer Ambassador
amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com

Team Congo PDX Pairs with The Fitness Studio for @ Cause + Event Portland

This is the official blog post from your Portland, Oregon Volunteer Women for Women International Ambassador, and I am pleased to remind you all that Team Congo PDX will once again be participating at Cause + Event Portland on September 13, 2014 in Bethany Village.

Team Congo PDX from the 2013 Cause + Event Portland

We've teamed up this year with The Fitness Studio.The lovely Annette Vaughn will be working with me to recruit team members, and before the race will lead you all through a pre-race warm-up.

When you join Team Congo PDX at Cause + Event Portland half of your registration fee (Half Marathon, 10K, 5K & free kids fun run), will be a donation to Women for Women International.  Our team is multi-distance as each person will run/walk individually.  The team is about raising awareness & funds for one cause.  You can also join our team & run or walk virtually (meaning you run or walk on your own).  The event will fill, and so you should register in the next few weeks.

Part of this year's 10K course

 Child care is available on race day, and each team member will receive a free Run for Congo Women pedestrian pin to wear on race day so that we can identify each other on the race course! Also, if you don't already have a Run for Congo women t-shirt, contact me and I'll get you one (see below for email).

Registration Link: https://www.raceit.com/Register/?event=25465

*In the "Charity" field select: "Women for Women International" 


*In the "joining a team field" select: "Team Congo PDX"!

Team Fundraising Page: http://bit.ly/1jzKDvd 
*The team member who raises the most funds via this page will receive a prize!

Thank you all for your continued support!  Together we can impact lives half a world away.


Amanda Ulrich
Team Congo PDX Founder
Women for Women International Volunteer Ambassador
amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com

Running Adventures

God Rays on Today's Run

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times, what I love most about running is the adventure of experiencing the immediate world around me.  Today was one such day. 

Not even a tenth of a mile into my run, and I spot a glorious God Ray Beam from the clouds in the sky.  I find it so beautifully glorious I am distracted by it for the next two miles, and eventually I run upon the view captioned above. 

Then I decided that I knew exactly where I can view this God Ray Beam close-up, and so off I go to run toward an adjacent field.

God Ray Beam Close-up

 Not five minutes later my hunch proves correct, and straight above is the small open portion of sky close-up. 
Although it looked stunning close-up, I decided that it looked it's most majestic from afar. 

Now, to cut through to the field above which the God Ray Beam shined, I had to run through some forested trails. I took a moment to take in the view of the river along these trails. 

Willamette River

I've been running in this area for over a year now, and I'm very familiar with it's ins and outs, but today I noticed a new trail, and so I decided to explore a bit.  I followed the trail, took in the greenery, and noticed a couple of other smaller trails which shot-off from the main trail.

New to Me Trail

And that's when I heard a pitter patter upon the tree leaves above me, and realized it had started to drizzle, and so I decided I would explore those trails another day, but before I departed, I stopped to smell the daisy's.

Daisy's

 
Off I went to continue on my way to visit my favorite oak tree as I haven't been able to take in it's loveliness for a few weeks. That's when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a quick lightning bolt flash, and then soon afterward a fairly loud rumble.

My Most Favorite Oak Tree

 

And just like that I had a second wind, and found a renewed energy with which to run the 2.5 miles back home. 

And the thunder and lighting continued the entire way home.  And then, the large drops came down. And I mean they really came down. But it felt great to be rain soaked.  Lately my running has been blah in that physically I've been pooped out, but today's running adventure infused a new bout of energy, and I look forward to my next run and the adventure that will inevitably ensue. 

The Holiday Tree, A Bunny & a Nest

Yesterday was one of those runs which offered much to take joy

Bunny Foo Foo along the trail this morning.

in.  I'm not referring to a personal record; today was not my best running day--it felt like hell for most of the grueling 6.5 miles.  I'm referring to something much more special.  Yesterday I not only spotted a furry Bunny Foo Foo, but also spied an Osprey Nest, and my beloved Holiday Tree was all decorated for Memorial Day/4th of July.  

Osprey nest with Mom perched atop

What I love most about running is that you just never know who or what will cross your path, and you theirs.  Yesterday was one of those runs where every few miles I got to experience a moment of joy and awareness about the natural area in which I was running (and of course take a break from running to snap a pic).  Running is how I meet the world around me. 

Holiday Tree all ready for the Day of Red White & Blue

Team Congo PDX 2014 Supports 14 Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

On International Women's Day 2014 (3.8.14), 132 runners and walkers gathered in Downtown Portland to support Women for Women International's program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  In all, the event raised more than $5,000 which was enough to sponsor 14 women

Photo taken by Alexa Brandt Photography

in Congo, who have recently been enrolled in Women for Women's one year program.  As a part of the program, sponsors can send letters of encouragement and support to their sisters throughout the year-long program.  

Here is where you come in, Team Congo PDX supporters. Over the course of the next year (May 2014 - May 2015), you will have the opportunity to send letters to our 14 sisters. Please submit your letters, no matter how long or short, as follows:

1) email: amandapdxrunforcongo@gmail.com & title your email: "Letter to WfWI Sister"

2) Or you may submit your letter(s) via our website "Contact Us" page.

We will make sure to send your letters to our sisters, and will share their responses on our Facebook page, and via email. 

Thank you to all who came out to support us this past March. Without your support we would not be able to impact the lives of 14 women in DRC, and we are proud to be able to support these wonderful 14 women! 

In order to protect the identity of our sisters, personal information such as photos, etc. will only be shared with supporters via email.  

10 Cane Rum Run: PR Sunday

I ran in my first race in 2012, the Shamrock 5K.  My pace was around 8:45 min per mile, and I was proud as I was just recovering from an IT band injury 10 days before.  Fast forward to May 25, 2014, to the 10 Cane Rum Run by Energy Events.  My 9th official race, and 2nd 10K.  

Venue- Tualatin Commons offer a nice reflective view.

Today was awesome.  The weather was perfect, the venue was spacious and had a sense of calm despite 1,500 other runners/walkers, there were cute baby ducks, the course was a nice mixture of park, trail, and road, & I hit a personal record (PR). My first sub 8 minute 10K, heck race, ever.  

Official Stats
Overall time: 0:49:21 

Photo taken by John Ulrich

Pace (chip time) 7:46 min/mile 
Gender & Age (35-39, F): 3/67 
Overall 10K (M&F): 72/567
Overall 10K (F): 17/361  


Here's the thing, I didn't feel any different out there on the course today than I did when I ran my first race back in 2012, and that's the magical thing about running.  No matter your current ability, or in some cases your ability on any given day, running always just feels like running, and like a race against your last PR self.  

Out there today I started out strong at 7:26 min/mile, but at about mile 3 I decided to slow it down, and settled in on 7:55 min/mile.  Every now and then a fellow runner would pass me by, but I focused upon my settled pace, and enjoyed the course. For a few long minutes I felt like stopping, but persisted anyway. A long steady hill greeted us between miles 4 and 5, but shortly after mile 5 it was a low grade down hill, and once the left-hand turn to the finishing lap around Tualatin Commons was in sight, I bolted, passing a runner who had passed me around mile 4.5.  I gave it all I had straight to the finish. 

The course, as mentioned above, was a lovely mixture of park, trails and road.  The 10kers had 2 water stations (one at 1.5 miles and one at mile 4), and although it was not the toughest course I've ever run, it did provide some challenge with a long low grade hill near the end of the course.

The after-event venue was lively with music, great food, and the very popular beer garden. The atmosphere was family friendly, complete with a kids play area (including bouncy castle), I enjoyed my post-race peanut butter and bread treat, free Jamba Juice peach smoothie, and guzzled my water.  

The goodie bag each participant received was filled with not only an event tech shirt, but also a bottle opener, coupons, treats, and Advil, which thankfully I did not need!

Race Swag galore!

The only drawback to the event was that as the 10k and 5k finishers entered the final lap around Tualatin Commons to the finish line (each entering from a different direction), they bottle necked in a narrow space at a point when many runners were trying to bolt it to the finish. Several of us, myself included, got stuck behind some other finishers, but with some creative maneuvering we were able to get around and race to the finish.

It's safe to say, I'll be back next year. 

The Holiday Tree - An Update

A while back I wrote about what I've named Canby's Holiday Tree(http://amandapdxrunforcongo.blogspot.com/2014/03/hidden-treasures.html), and I'm tickled that the local paper ran a story on this treasure of a tree, because it's nice to see it get some attention!

Canby Herald, April 9, 2014 (page 15)

Even better, I received an email from someone who knows who's responsible for the decorations! They wish to keep the magical mystery but here is a snippet of what they sent me:

 "...I saw your article about the little tree. Thanks for noticing! I don't decorate it but I know who does... It's more than one person... A cute story really  ...I'm so happy the little tree got some attention..."

So, if you have an opportunity, please do take a stroll, bike it, or go for a run & see this wonderful little tree!