A message from Virtual Coach Steve Santer

Anytime I start to train for an event I always try and keep this in mind:

-You will have good days and bad days.

I have a friend who always says that running is like life, sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. There will be days where you feel weightless and you are moving really well, where everything seems to come together during a run and it's really fun. There will also be days where your legs will feel as though they are made of lead, days where you don't want to get up and go for that morning jog.

Remember, EVERY ATHLETE has those days, they are perfectly normal. If running were easy, then everyone would be doing it. The other thing to remember is that in order to have good days you have to have less-than-good days.

The other thing I would like to say to you is welcome to your new life. It's a new life as an athlete, even if you don't feel like it right now each and every one of you is an athlete. In the coming months you will find that things will change for you, you'll get more sleep at night, eat better. Even your vocabulary will change. You will start saying things like "I only have to run a mile today".

Welcome to the Group.

--Steve

As a reminder if you have any questions for Steve about training, post it as a comment here and he will respond.

Meet Team Dudycha/Lucas

Michelle L. Dudycha, mentor from Paw Paw, and Mary Lucas, mentee from Mattawan

Michelle, a graduate of Western Michigan University, is a middle school teacher and a newlywed. She is involved with a women’s ministry program through her church and recently completed her first mission trip to the Dominican Republic. Michelle is also a fall-season cheerleading coach. She enjoys playing rugby, running, biking, camping, cooking and traveling. Michelle and Mary have been matched for more than a year, and they are always looking for a new adventure. They usually enjoy riding bikes, antiquing, playing tennis and swimming. Mary is in seventh grade at St. Monica Catholic Church. She is one of seven children in her family and loves to have fun. Mary is also artistic both in her creative and physical outlets which include drawing, playing soccer and tennis, and running. Mary’s favorite memory with Michelle is when they spent the day with the animals at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. Michelle enjoyed their time together riding bikes on the Kal-Haven Trail when they rode for 12 miles. Mary is excited for the 5K race, and Michelle looks forward to seeing Mary in her element of running. She also admires Mary’s sense of self, maturity and sense of humor. Mary appreciates that Michelle teaches her something new every time they get together and hopes to be as intelligent as her.

Meet Team Midgley/Hall

Becky Midgley, mentor from Holland, and Govonna Hall, mentee from Holland

Becky is currently a college student and an AmeriCorps member with the Ottawa County Mentoring Collaborative. She is a tutor and is involved with her church, Searchlight Ministries. She likes to read, do art projects, star-gaze and go on adventures. Becky and Govonna met at the Miles for Mentoring 5K and have been in a tutoring program together for a year. Their favorite memory is the first time they ran together. Govonna is 13 years old and in eighth grade at West Middle School. She volunteers at her church and enjoys double dutch, running, hanging out with friends, and hopes to try out for basketball in the fall. Govonna is looking forward to her first trip to Detroit for the 5K race. She admires Becky’s “bubbly personality” and her willingness to help others. Becky thinks Govonna has a quiet, strong presence and many other kids look up to her. They are looking forward to strengthening their relationship and conquering a challenge.

Fresh Food Feature, never expires always inspires

Congratulations Sarah VanPamel and Kianna Brugnone for your prize-winning recipe! Sarah and Kianna took on Dr. Anne Murphy’s healthy challenge and submitted a recipe of their favorite berry treat.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

1 15-oz. can blueberries

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

16 oz. frozen or fresh blueberries

juice of one lemon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 cup cup firmly-packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1-1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 cup non-hydrogenated butter or margarine (such as Earth Balance)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Drain canned blueberries over a medium bowl, reserving blueberry liquid in the bowl. Whisk cornstarch into blueberry liquid until smooth. Place canned blueberries, blueberry liquid, frozen blueberries and fresh lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, rolled oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, salt and baking powder. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press two-thirds of the crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes. Spread blueberry mixture over top of crust. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Makes 36 bars.

Per bar: 120 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 14 mg cholesterol, 17 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein, 3% vitamin A, 2% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 4% iron

Meet Team Foster/McClurg

Sarah Foster, mentor from Portage, and Kendra McClurg, mentee from Kalamazoo

Sarah is a graduate of Western Michigan University where she studied human resources. She is now a Logistics Coordinator for Roadway Express Inc. Sarah enjoys camping, fishing, reading, traveling and volleyball. She also has a love for animals. Sarah and Kendra have been matched for one year through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kendra will be in seventh grade at Maple Street School this fall and she likes to swim, read and listen to music. Together they like to visit the library and the zoo, take walks, talk, and go to country music concerts. Some of their favorite memories together include playing the game Hilarium and off-roading in a Jeep. Kendra appreciates that Sarah gets her to try new things and is looking forward to proving they can accomplish the 5K goal. Sarah admires Kendra’s drive and ability to make the best of every situation.

Meet Team Richard/Henderson

Edward Richard, mentor from Saginaw, and Lance Henderson, mentee from Saginaw

Edward works at the VA Medical Center in Saginaw and also volunteers at his church for outings. He loves to help people and enjoys good friends, going to the gym and relaxing. Edward believes in living life to the fullest by spending time with people he cares about. He has only been matched with Lance for a short time, but has been a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters for six years. Lance attends Kempton School and is involved in soccer, basketball and football. Together, Lance and Edward play sports, talk and go to movies. Lance has a love for sports and his favorite memory with Edward is going to a football game together. They look forward to working as a team and getting to know each other better.

Fresh Food Feature, never expires always inspires

Berry Good for You

Hope you are having a healthy summer and working on at least one healthy eating change (mentors too!). Every week I will be sharing information about healthy foods with you. Today I want to share a few food facts about a wonderful (and healthy) summer food...BLUEBERRIES!

Blueberries are nutrition superstars. Have you heard of antioxidants? Well blueberries have plenty of them which contribute to cancer prevention. In addition to antioxidants, blueberries have Vitamin C and five grams of fiber per cup. They have no fat or cholesterol, no sodium and only 40 calories per half cup. So put them on your cereal, in a smoothie or eat them plain instead of candy. Buy a bag of frozen blueberries and eat them right out of the freezer bag to cool off.

CONTEST (where everyone wins): E-mail (or mail) your favorite recipe to me that uses any kind of berry and I will send you a fruit/veggie cookbook as a thanks for sharing (or other "prize" if I run out of those). Have a happy, healthy day!

amurphy@charter.net
Anne Murphy, PhD, RD
Healthy Kids Evaluation Services
1771 S. Cherry Blossom Lane
Suttons Bay, MI 49682

Meet Team Christian/Jimenez

Bridget Christian, mentor from Grosse Pointe Farms and Erika Jimenez, mentee from Pontiac

Bridget is a contract employee with Generation with Promise, a program out of the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Office of the Surgeon General. She has a BA in communications from Saint Mary’s College and a master’s in social work from the University of Michigan. Bridget shares her life with her husband Chris and dog Kirby. She volunteers with Creekside Community Development Corporation, Earthworks Urban Farm, Greening of Detroit and CityScape Detroit. Bridget enjoys running, biking, softball, gardening, cooking, knitting and traveling. Bridget and Erika were recently paired together and look forward to being running partners. Erika will be a freshman at Pontiac Northern High School this fall where she plans to try out for the soccer team and possibly track and cross country. She currently plays on a travel soccer team. Erika enjoys spending time with her brothers and dog Luna. She also likes to bake, especially chocolate cake. Erika is excited to be able to run in Detroit with people cheering for her and Bridget.

Meet Team Kendrick/Carter

Dave Kendrick, mentor from Muskegon and David Carter, mentee from Muskegon Heights

Dave is the county Public Works Director and has a master's degree in agricultural engineering. In his community he is involved in the Lions Club, church children's programs and county diversity efforts. He is interested in wood working, running, volleyball, math and science projects, and puzzles. Dave and David have been matched for one year through Muskegon Heights Math Mentoring. David is entering ninth grade at Western Michigan Christian High School. He is involved with missionary trips, American Youth Basketball Tour and football. Together they attend church youth group, sports camps and take plant tours. They share a recent favorite memory of David's eighth-grade graduation. David says he admires Dave because he likes him for who he is. Dave admires the growth of David's personal faith and that he treats people with respect. They are looking forward to spending time together running at Hoffmaster State Park along Lake Michigan and eating pizza at Greek Tony's afterward on a weekly basis.

Meet Team Denson/Williams

Asia Denson, mentor from Detroit and Amber Williams, mentee from Detroit

Asia is a graduate student in construction engineering management and technology. She is a facilities engineer intern at Blue Cross Blue Shield, a percussion instructor at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Science High School, and is involved with Upward Bound. She enjoys sports, getting in shape and browsing the Internet. Her interests include real estate, renovations and anything related to technology or construction. Asia and Amber have been matched through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Detroit since October 2007. Together they enjoy going to the movies and sporting events, skating and going out to dinner. Amber will be in ninth grade this fall at Southeastern High school. She enjoys doing hair and is interested in basketball and computers. Asia admires that Amber has set goals for herself. Amber says she wants to be as successful as Asia and attend college like she did. They look forward to becoming healthier as a team.

Meet Team Bilyeu/Gohl

Dan Bilyeu, mentor from Alpena, and Colin Gohl, mentee from Alpena

Dan is on Active Duty in the Michigan Air National Guard stationed at the Alpena CRTC where he works as a budget analyst. He will retire this August with more than 22 years of active service and 29 years of total military service. Dan has associate degrees in accounting, financial management and general studies. In addition to mentoring Colin, Dan is an adoptive father and licensed foster care provider. He enjoys running, working out, rock landscaping and volunteering. Dan and Colin have been matched for more than seven years and enjoy going to the movies, playing Frisbee and games, spending time in the woods scouting for deer, and going out to eat. Colin will be in eighth grade this fall with the goal of attending Princeton to study nuclear medicine after graduating high school. He is active in his church youth group, and God is an important part of his life. Colin is involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Alpena and enjoys hanging out with friends, traveling, skateboarding, playing X-box, creating graphic designs, sleeping and swimming. Colin also enjoys making “survivor” movies with Dan and going deer hunting. One of Dan’s favorite memories is when Colin nominated him for Big Brother of the Year by writing a letter of recommendation that touched Dan’s heart. Dan considers Colin as part of his family and says that Colin has a lot of potential. Colin thinks Dan is a great role model and says, “He spends time with me and does things I would do if I had a dad in my life.” Both Dan and Colin look forward to the challenge of training and encouraging each other to achieve this goal.

Meet Team Wilbrink/Haller

Gerard Wilbrink, mentor from Williamston and Devon Haller, mentee from Williamston

Gerard is a retired welder and fabricator, and is now developing a handyman business. Gerard is also an assistant track coach at Williamston Middle School and will work with the cross country team in the fall. He loves the outdoors including camping, bike riding and yard work. Gerard and Devon have been matched since December 2007 through Big Brothers Big Sisters. Devon will be in seventh grade at Williamston Middle School this fall. He enjoys playing video games, biking, swimming, running and working out. His favorite memory with Gerard is the first time they went to Lake Michigan. Devon and Gerard like to run, fish, swim, go to movies, camp, run on the sand dunes, and bike. Devon admires Gerard for encouraging him and for being funny. Gerard is looking forward to seeing Devon improve his confidence through training for the 5K as he gets stronger and faster. He appreciates Devon’s compassion for others and great sense of humor.

Meet your Program Coordinator Sarah Siewert

Sarah recently graduated from Michigan State University where she studied communication and public relations. She started as an intern with the Governor’s Council in January 2007 and is now employed full-time. Sarah enjoys playing tennis, weight lifting, running, and spending time with friends and family. She is currently training for her second 5K race which takes place in September. If you have any questions about the program logistics or plans, leave a comment here and she will post a response. Sarah can also be reached at ssiewert@michiganfitness.org or 800-434-8642.

Meet your Nutrition Specialist Dr. Anne Murphy

Anne Murphy was first a Kindergarten teacher and then switched careers because of her interest in nutrition. After finishing her PhD at MSU, she was on the faculty at U of M for eight years (teaching nutrition classes in the nursing major.) Now she works as a consultant--developing nutrition education materials, writing grants and evaluating benefits of nutrition and physical activity programs such as this one! If you have a question about nutrition, please comment here and Anne will post a response. Anne can also be reached at amurphy@charter.net.

Meet your "Virtual Coach" Steve Santer

Steve is a veteran runner and triathlete. He is also the coach of Team Playmakers, a local team that helps runners and walkers properly train for and achieve their goals. Steve is available to help with any questions about training for the 5K race! Simply post your question as a comment and he will respond as soon as possible. Visit www.playmakers.com for more information about Playmakers and running.

Success Story from 2007

Participating in Mentoring: A Running Start in 2007 was life-changing for both mentor Laura Hahnfeld, and mentee Tiffany Jordan. The experience was said to be the most trying and exciting time in their years together as a mentor match through Faith in Youth Partnership. There were many days they doubted that they would make it across the finish line. But, they both learned in tangible ways what it looks like to never give up and to depend on each other for strength to push toward the seemingly impossible. “I watched an amazing transformation in Tiffany” says Laura, “I didn’t think she’d ever run a mile straight before we started and now she’s participating in sports at school and exercising in her free time.” Tiffany began to glow and it was obvious that she was feeling confident in herself and was learning that she is capable of doing more than she had ever imagined. “I showed myself that when I really try and put my mind to something I can do it and as long as I have people by my side supporting me, I can do anything,” says Tiffany. “This experience has affected my life in huge ways and I will never forget what it felt like to finally run the [Mackinac] Bridge!”

Laura and Tiffany are pictured above.

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your acceptance to the Mentoring: A Running Start program! Our 2007 teams had great success and we can't wait to get started this year.