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We’ve got a new 'aid worker abroad' type blog written by Eileen Morrow our Programmes Coordinator for East Africa.

Eileen blogs at least once a week about her life living and working in Kenya. It's sometimes funny, sometimes sad but should always leave you with something to think about. You can read it here .

Don't forget to leave a comment and tell us what you think. We love feedback - good or bad.

We Do Care - Crowd Gathers outside Dept of Finance

Yesterday morning, I joined a big crowd which had gathered outside the Dept of Finance.

We were there to call on the Irish Government to protect its overseas aid programme from further cuts. We were 222 people in total, representing the €222 million already cut from the 2009 Irish aid budget.

Poverty

These cuts are having a devastating effect in poor countries with aid agencies scaling down programmes and even pulling out of some countries, meaning even more people are going without life saving food and medicine.

We then heard a few words from Hans Zomer, Director of Dochas, the umbrella organisation for aid agencies in Ireland.

"As a nation, we do not want to see the weakest and most vulnerable suffer disproportionately. To target the poorest and most vulnerable who have done least to cause this crisis is a terrible injustice."

Take Action

You can find out more about the campaign to protect the Government’s aid budget from further cuts at http://www.wedocare.ie/

Tressan in Dublin

Dancing with children

This time last week I was dancing under the midday sun with 200 boys and girls from all over Northern Kenya.

We were celebrating the "Children's Voices" conference, which brought together children from the many different tribes here and gave them a chance to voice their concerns to the Government.

Drama

Through dramas, poems and testimonies we heard how their lives were affected by the food crisis, insecurity and crime, water shortages, poor health care and early marriage.

They then presented their recommendations and requests to the Government of Kenya in a formal document. The Government was represented by the Ministry of Health and the Department of Children's Services.

Tough Questions

The children asked their government many tough questions, which represented a real break with the tradition of silence and not challenging ones elders. "Why do we only have 2 doctors in our hospital and the only time they are punctual is for lunchtime?" "Why do we not have any tarmac roads or police in our area? Many people are being attacked".

Dancing

And afterwards we boogeyed. The popstar (Jimmy Gate anyone?) informed the audience that I was the first mzungu (Swahili word for white person) he'd met who had any rhythm. I was chuffed.

By Eileen in Nairobi

Visiting Farmers in Kenya

Part of my job as Programmes Officer for World Vision Ireland is visiting the development projects to see how things are progressing.

The other day I made a long bumpy journey in the back of a pick up truck to a place called Mutonguni in Eastern Kenya – an area which has not received a drop of rain for almost a year.

Supporting Farmers

I met Lucy Ndemange and her husband Sammy. Lucy is a member of the Kauwi Farmer’s Group, one of twenty groups that received training in new farming methods from World Vision and the European Commission.

With Sammy’s help, she tested these methods on their land."We planted kale and tomatoes and we harvest once a week, which earns us 3,000 bob (€28) per week. We are using the money to pay for our daughter’s secondary school fees and we have plans to expand this technology across our farm. Our neighbours have even started copying these methods" explained Sammy.

Water

Lucy and her neighbours have access to a well, which they can water the crops from, but it’s not easy work: She let me have a go at pulling the 20 litre bucket up the 18m well shaft and laughed when I broke into a sweat before it was half way up. Not easy, I can tell you.

By Eileen in Nairobi

World Vision CEO on Newstalk

I really enjoyed an interview with World Vision Ireland Chief Executive, Helen Keogh, on Sunday with Norris on Newtalk last weekend.

Claire Byrne was standing in as the presenter and they got to talking about Helen's life spanning feminism, politics and how she came to work for the overseas development agency World Vision Ireland.

Women in Power

Helen successfully ran in the 1992' breakthrough election' which saw 9 new women TDs get elected and brought the total number of female TDs to 20. It was really interesting to hear her talk about how they were all brought onto the Late Late Show and asked who was going to mind their kids while they were at work... It's well worth a listen.

You can listen to the interview online at http://www.worldvision.ie/server.php?show=nav.1365

It takes a minute to download as the files is quite large. You can also get the podcast on the Newstalk website http://newstalk.ie/newstalk/programmes/16/sunday-with-norris.html

By Tressan in Dublin

Power Cuts Hit Nairobi

I have no electricity on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The ongoing drought has dried up the rivers serving Kenya’s hydroelectric power stations and the Government is imposing strict power rations to ensure that the manufacturing and business areas continue to be served.

Three million people live in Nairobi, but the only light around right now is the glow from my laptop screen.

Shower
There are also frequent unscheduled power outages. You’ll be notified of these cuts by the yells issuing from my house.

Without fail, they will occur in the middle of my electric shower just when I have lathered up my hair. Suddenly the water turns from bubbly warm to darting icicles and the bathroom is plunged into darkness.

Rain Dance
But while the most I have to put up with is soapy hair, unironed clothes and stubbing my toes in the pitch black of night, my staff that live in Kangemi slum have almost round the clock power cuts.

This schedule will be maintained until October at the earliest, when hopefully our rain dances and prayers will be answered with the arrival of the much needed short rains.


By Eileen in Nairobi

Frank Duffy 10 Miler

Good luck to everyone taking part in the Frank Duffy 10 mile race in the Phoenix Park this Saturday.

If you're inspired by the event and are considering taking the next step to the half marathon in September or even the full 26.2 miles in October, please consider using the event to help raise money for World Vision.

Chickens

Every little helps. Just €10 can buy 6 chickens in Africa. Chickens grow and breed quickly so they quickly become a steady source of income as well as a long term food supply for a family in Africa.

Go to http://www.worldvisiongifts.ie/ to find out more about what gifts you can buy with the money you raise.

All the gifts in the catalogue are requested by the community and are bought locally so as to keep transport costs down and support the local economy.

To find out more about running Dublin for World Vision go to www.worldvision.ie/dublinmarathon

Follow us on Facebook

You can now follow the blogging thoughts of Team World Vision Ireland on Facebook.

We update the page two to three times a week so be sure to check in regularly. Click here to become a 'Fan'.

You can see new photos from where your sponsored child lives, find out what other sponsors are up to and let us know what you think about anything we're doing.

Feel free to leave a comment - we really want to hear what you think and welcome all feedback.

Thanks for following

Team World Vision Ireland

World Vision Week on Today FM

World Vision has teamed up with Today fm to help children living in poverty in Sierra Leone.

We're looking for 100 new child sponsors every day.

Find out more at www.worldvision.ie/todayfm

Irish Runner 5 Miler

I can't believe the Irish Runner 5 Miler in the Phoenix Park next Sat (18th July) is already sold out. This is despite the radio ads with Eamon Coughlan still playing and calling for entries. This is the first race in the Adidas race series which many use as part of their training plan for the Dublin marathon on Oct 26th.


It just goes to show that running is experiencing a huge surge in popularity at the moment. It seems everybody's doing it!

For those lucky enough to have registered in time, here's the link to more info http://dublinmarathon.ie/index.php

Sales! Sales! Sales!

Just wandering around town the other day I couldn’t help but notice all the sale signs. Have the summer sales come early?
The thought popped back into my mind on Sunday morning as I was power walking (I want to say jog…by let’s be realistic) along the sea in Clontarf and noticed the much worn state of my trackies….

So I’m off on a shopping spree this weekend and wanted to share three of the sales offers as I saw with you guys:

Up to 70% off in Champion Sports and Lifestyle Sports and the Elverys Summer Sale has also kicked off!

There are loads of other offers on and all that running around between shops is bound to count for something! Let me know if you have any other tip!

If you are off to get the best out of the sales…don’t forget to do it the green way! Recycle your old clothes and runners (visit our blog entry from the 19th of March for a list of recycling centres).

New Races to Run

With memories of the Mini Marathon now fading, many women are wondering how best to keep up running. The fresh air and feel good factor you get from running can be quite addictive.

Race Listings

There are local races happening all over the country every day of the week. To find out where the races are on try http://www.runireland.com/ or http://www.bhaa.ie/.

Alternatively buy a copy of the Irish Runner and look at the back few pages for a near complete listing of all the races happening in the country.

Adidas Race series

A very popular race series is about to start in the Phoenix Park soon. It's the Adidas race series which consists of three races all of which start at 10am.

5 miles July 18th
10 miles Aug 15th
13 miles Sept 26th

A lot of people use the series to test themselves in the run up to the Dublin Marathon on the October Bank Holiday Weekend but you get a good fun running crowd at them as well. Highly recommended.

Don’t stop me now

The vibe around the Mini-Marathon this year was so positive and it’s amazing how you can still feel it in the air.

There are still a large number of women that can be sighted walking to work or with friends and jogging in evening times.

Besides all the health benefits, the imminent summer clothes season and the opportunity to catch up with friends and runners, keeping your training up now is so much easier that stopping and starting from scratch again.

If you need a goal or a little motivation to keep training why not try on one of these for size:

• Set yourself a running time or mile goal and work towards it.
• Set yourself a weight loss goal.
• If you walked the mini-marathon this year, start training now to be ready to run it next year.
• Get a group of friends together to train and motivate one another.
• Check out your local athletic club’s or the Athletics Ireland website for upcoming races.

Have you kept the momentum going? Let us know if you plan to continue running and what keeps you motivated!

Pictures in the Papers

We got some good media coverage for Team World Vision yesterday with pictures in The Star and The Sun and a mention in The Herald as well.

Don't forget you might still catch yourself on tv as Setanta Sports will be showing a special programme on the Flora Women's Mini Marathon on Thursday June 4 at 9.30pm.

A fantastic Day Out for a Worthwhile Cause

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Mini Marathon yesterday. It was a fantastic day out.

Undoubtedly, the glorious sunshine really helped but I got the feeling that the positive ‘can do’ attitude of all the women would have prevailed whatever the weather. It was very inspiring.

If you have any sponsorship money still to collect, the easiest thing is to gather the cash and then send a cheque, postal order or bank draft of the same value to World Vision Ireland. Our address is;

The Mews
Garland House
Rathmines Park
Dublin 6

The money will make a huge difference to our ‘Women’s Group’ in Sierra Leone helping them to learn a new skill such as weaving or soap making. With these new skills we hope they will be better able to earn enough money for them and their family to eat.

Thank you for your support. It’s very much appreciated.

Running in the Sun

What a day outside and the weather forecast is for a sunny bank holiday weekend. Here’s hoping… Running in the sun is not something Irish people are used to though so here are a few tips for the day;

• Dress lightly – light coloured, loose-fitting clothes will help your body breathe and cool itself naturally. Tight clothing restricts that process. Dark colours absorb the sun’s light and heat.


• Wear sunscreen – at least SPF 15


• Hydrate – drink plenty of water the night before and in the morning of the race. Sip regularly rather than gulp it all in one go. Be careful though, don’t over do it. You don’t want to have to go to the loo during the race.


• Wear running shades if you have them. They’ll stop you squinting.


• Bring a spare pair of socks to change into after the race. You’ll love the fact that they’re dry.

Don't forget we're all meeting at 2.00 pm outside the Russell Court Hotel, 21-25 Harcourt St for a group photo with Lorraine Keane. Post-race celebrations are in Dicey Reilly's Beer Garden, also in the The Rusell Court Hotel from 5.00 pm. See you there.

Best of luck !

Team World Vision.

Race Day Logistics

Pick up your race number in advance

Don't forget to allow time to pick up your race number this weekend.

If you've opted to pick up your number in the RDS you get free entry to the Womans World Show. It's an exhibition of fashion, beauty and health products. Here's the link so you know what to expect;

http://www.womansworldshow.com/

Others will be picking up their number from Elvery's sports shops around the country . If you're forgotten where to pick your number up, here's the complete list of pick up points;

http://www.womensminimarathon.ie/race_information/collection_points_2009.48.LE.asp

Road Closures

If you have to travel to get to Dublin, bear in mind there will be road closures in place on the Bank Holiday Monday. Some will close as early as 8 am, click here for more info;

http://www.womensminimarathon.ie/race_information/road_closures_2009.89.LE.asp

Meet your team

Don't forget to factor in our pre-race photo shoot at 2.00 outside the Russell Court Hotel on Harcourt St. The shoot should be over by 2.15 to give people time to get to their starting area.

Girls on Film

Pre Race Photo Shoot with Lorraine Keane

If you would like to join TV presenter, Lorraine Keane for a group photo shoot, please come along to the Russell Court Hotel, Harcourt St at 2.00 pm on Bank Holiday Monday June 1st. We'll all meet on the steps to the hotel.

Members of the press may be there so don’t forget to wear your orange t-shirt. We’d love as many as possible of you to come.

Lorraine has sponsored a little boy from Tanzania for the past 8 years and we’re delighted to have her on the team.

You may also want to bring your own camera for the shoot.

Want to start the race with others from Team World Vision?

Quite a few of you were interested in starting the race with other runners/walkers from Team World Vision. We’ll all meet at 2.00 outside the Russell Court Hotel, 22-25 Harcourt St.

After a few photos (optional) and maybe a group hug (compulsory – just kidding!) everyone can make their way to their starting area together.

Post-Race Celebrations

Don’t forget to pop into Dicey Reilly’s Beer Garden in the Russell Court Hotel for some post race celebrations from 5.00 pm onwards.

We can't wait!

What to Eat before the Race

One of the most frustrating things in a race is to get a stitch and not be able to run. This sometimes happens as a result of eating too soon before a race or eating the wrong kinds of food before a race.

This week is the time to experiment with what food suits you. Don’t try anything new on the day of the race.

The day before the race

• Focus on eating about 70% of your calories from carbohydrate eg rice, pasta or potatoes.


• Double your water intake to make sure you are well hydrated

On the day

The race starts at 3pm so a late breakfast around 11am is a good idea . Make sure it’s filling though – eat carbs such as porridge or cereal and maybe a bannna.

If you know you can tolerate food before running, try a cereal bar, yoghurt or scone about 90 minutes before the start. You should try this straight away and see if you are ok with it as many people do get a stitch from eating so soon before a race. A lot of people leave 3 hours between eating and running.

Sip water on the morning of the race, especially if it’s warm but don’t drink too much as there is always a queue for the portaloos and you don’t want to miss the start.

I planned to train but…

…life got in the way.

For many of us it’s hard to juggle work and personal life as it is without trying to squeeze in another thing like training for the Mini Marathon.

The Mini Marathon is now only 2 weeks away so here a little bit of advice if you haven’t trained yet:

If you haven’t trained and were hoping to run/jog the entire stretch – think about revising your goal (maybe walk sections), start training now and don’t push yourself too hard, you don’t want to sustain any injuries before or even on the big day!

If you were planning to walk, try and add a little walking routine into your daily life starting today. Why not get off the bus a couple of stops early or walk to the shops instead of driving.

Either way, don’t try to force months of training into the last 2 weeks because it may do your body more harm than good and leave you exhausted!

Remember, participation is everything! So whether you walk, run just few miles or sprint the whole thing, know that you are showing your support for women in Sierra Leone and everywhere around the World!

Post-Race Celebrations: Join us for a drink in Dicey Riley's

With just over two weeks to go to the Mini Marathon you're probably beginning to think of what will happen on the day. Well we'd like to invite you and anyone who has supported you to a post-race celebration in Dicey Riley's Beer Garden on Harcourt st.

We've reserved a section for all our mini marathon marvels and hope you'll join us for a drink - just look for the group of bright orange t-shirts and you won't be able to miss us.

The bar is only a few minutes walk from St Stephen’s Green, where the mini marathon finishes, and is part of the Russell Court Hotel. They have a great outdoor seating area (with heated lamps if it gets cold) and serve a carvery lunch and BBQ menu until 9pm.

We’d love to hear how you got on and to thank you in person for your training and fundraising efforts.

Fundraising Tips

It can be hard asking people for money especially during a recession but remember a large number of small donations can add up to a significant amount. Also, five euro goes a lot further in Africa than it does in Ireland.

Here are some tips which you might find useful over the next few weeks;

Communicate

Make sure that you tell everyone you know that you’re taking part in the Mini Marathon for World Vision and are looking for sponsorship.

Send texts and emails to your friends and family, put up a poster in work, your local shop, gym or community centre. Don’t forget to keep people informed about how your efforts are going.
You could also contact your local newspaper or radio station which may be covering the event and interested in stories from local people taking part in it.

Online Fundraising

Online fundraising is simple, fast and secure and a great way of promoting your event. It’s very easy to do. Just follow these quick and easy steps – any technophobe can do it;

1. Set up a fundraising page

Set up a fundraising page on http://www.mycharity.ie/ which takes about 5 minutes. Try to make it personal by adding a short message about why you chose to fundraise for World Vision and maybe a photo of yourself.

2. Email your contacts

Emailing your contacts the link to your fundraising page is the quickest way to spread the word about what you are doing. Before you email your entire address book though, ask your family and close friends to donate first. People tend to match the amounts already listed on the page so if they’re generous ones, so much the better!

3. Keep your supporters updated on your progress

Let people know how you’re getting on. This will keep everyone involved and encourage them to support you.

4. Keep telling people after the event

When the Mini Marathon is over, keep telling people about the event. 20% of all online donations come in after the event has taken place.

Not a fan of online fundraising?

If online fundraising isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Just use the sponsorship forms you received in your fundraiser pack to keep a record of your funds coming in.

It’s also a good idea to identify a safe place to store the money you collect and organise how you are going to send the money in to World Vision Ireland. Don’t forget to thank all those who supported you.

Sending your donation to World Vision

If you have collected cash, we would be grateful if you could send a cheque, postal order or bank draft of the same value payable to World Vision Ireland. If sending a cheque our address is;

The Mews
Garland House
Rathmines Park
Dublin 6.

You can read more about fundraising on our website - just click here.

We would also love to see any photos or hear any stories you have to share about your mini marathon experience.

Docklands 8K Fun Run - May 19th

The Docklands 8 Km Fun Run is on next Tuesday May 19th at 7.45 pm at Grand Canal Square.

You won’t be able to register on the night this year though. The organisers are ONLY accepting online registration,which closes at lunchtime Wed May 13th (that’s tomorrow).

The number is capped at 2,500 participants so you’d need to get your entry in asap if you want to do it. Places are going fast.

The run starts at Grand Canal Square, goes through Ringsend, over the Eastlink and to the O2 , up to CHQ building, over Matt Talbot Bridge and back to the south Quays to finish in Grand Canal Square.

The race costs €20 for an adult or €22 if you want a timing chip. Students/Seniors pay €10

It’s a great chance to run around the city centre and there’s usually a great crowd out to support. Crusaders AC will be on hand to give you some much needed water at the end.

If you can do 8k next week, 10k on June 1st will be no bother at all.

Click here to register >

Building up your core strength makes you run better and helps prevent injury. It's a good idea to take five minutes after your walk or run to work on your abdominal muscles.

You’ll notice the benefits very soon. It can be hard going but totally worthwhile. Watch this video for some inspiration.

Oh What to wear..

There’s some great running gear out there but the most important thing to consider when deciding what to wear on the day is comfort. Don't wear anything new on the day. Make sure you've worn your gear at least twice before race day so you don't get any nasty surprises.

There’s a whole range of gear that you can get that will keep you dry no matter what the weather. (here's hoping it's a sunny day though) To help keep you dry you can buy ‘technical’ t-shirts which are made of a more ‘breathable’ fabric than cotton t-shirts and work by allowing air to circulate between your body and the t-shirt.

You would really only need this if you are doing a ‘fast run’ though. The cotton World Vision t-shirts that you should have got in your fundraising pack should be fine for most people but if you want a World Vision technical t-shirt we do have some for purchase. They cost €25 which just covers the cost of production. ( Ryan and Sarah Hall are wearing one in the pic below)

For the legs, a lot of people like to wear three quarter length ‘tracksters’ on the day – they are close fitting but also very stretchy so they don’t restrict your movement. Some very brave women will wear knicker shorts and crop tops but they are mostly ‘elite’ runners. Bicycle shorts are also quite good.

Specialist running stores in Dublin where you can buy great gear include
http://www.runways.ie/
http://www.amphibianking.ie/

Men's Mini Marathon

Well done to everyone involved in the ARC Mini Marathon that took place in the Phoenix Park last weekend - what a great event!
Particular congratulations to Tom O'Connor who won the race and of course to all other runners for their great effort!

If you'd like to read more just visit the Evening Herald online.

I don't know about you, but this has me motivated to keep on training this week. Don't forget only 4 weeks to go to the Flora Women's Mini Marathon!

Volunteer needed

On a very different note to our usual mini-marathon updates: World Vision is searching for a volunteer for our Dublin office.
Ideally, the person would be available 2-4 hours a week on a continuous basis to help us out with administrative tasks such as collating sponsorship materials and data entry.
Have a read of the full description on our website - just click here.
If you have any questions, just call Michael or Rosaleen on 1850 366 283, email us at Ireland@wvi.org or just leave a comment here on the blog and we'll get back to you straight away!

Have a lovely May bank holiday break!

Fundraising Packs

With Team World Vision Ireland growing and demand for fundraising packs on the rise we have run out of t-shirts....But fear not, more are on order and will be delivered next week.

So if you haven't ordered your fundraising pack yet, give John a call on 1850 366 283 or 01-498 08 00 and he'll send you a full pack once the new shirts have arrived. If you have ordered a pack over the last couple of days, it may not arrive until next week.

Also an update on one of our international team members: Congratulations to Ryan Hall who completed the Boston Marathon for World Vision and finished in 3rd place!
His time was a staggering 2:09:40 for the 26 mile race!
Tempted to beat the Ryan next year? The Boston Marathon 2010 is on the 19th of April.

Ryan and Sara Hall all geared up for World Vision!

Feeling good

Am glad to say I had a great training weekend. Got a run in on both Saturday and Sunday and with the buses on strike I got a brisk 45 minute walk to to work this morning as well.

My morning tea and muffin at 11.00 felt well deserved.

It's great to see that the mini marathon filled to maximum capacity and that there's so many women out there up for the challenge. Unfortunately, some people left it to the last day to register and when they went online at 11.00 am they were told it was too late. Ah well, there's plenty of other races you could do and of course there's always next year.

As most of you know Xpose presenter Lorraine Keane is running the mini marathon for Team World Vision. Check out her column in the Sunday World to see how she's getting on http://www.sundayworld.com/3dissue/SWM_36/14.htm

Lorraine sponsors a little boy from Tanzania and we're delighted to have her on the team.

Letterkenny, Lorraine and a little bit of motivation

There are a few things that popped into my mind for this blog entry, so here they go:

North West 10k Charity Race and Walk
Sunday May 3rd is the date for this years North West 10k Charity Race and Walk in Letterkenny.
You can enter online (http://www.northwest10k.com/) or on the day and the fee for registering is €10.
If you are walking or running in Letterkenny on the Bankholiday weekend - let us know how you get on.

Lorraine Keane
With Lorraine being in the news recently, I realised that I never gave you guys the link to the article on our website 'Lorraine Keane to run Mini Marathon for World Vision Ireland'.
So here you go: http://www.worldvision.ie/server.php?show=nav.1378

A little bit of motivation
And finally I wanted to share two running quotes with you that I really liked:
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
"Running is the greatest metaphor for life, because you get out of it what you put into it." - Oprah Winfrey

Last chance to enter!

Today is the closing date to register for the Flora Women's Mini Marathon 2009.

Without registering you won't be able to join the race on June Bankholiday Monday and we'd really like to share the experience with you - So get your skates on, or better said your mouse into action and click on https://www.womensminimarathon.ie/registration/enter_step1.asp to register online!

Here just some quick notes on the registration process:

- Age Limit: Participants must be at least 14 on Mini Marathon Day.
- There is no need to mention that you are part of Team World Vision Ireland on you registration page.
- Once you have registered contact us for a fundraising pack, just post a comment here, email ireland@wvi.org or call 01 498 0800.

And don't forget you can fundraise online with Mycharity.ie. Read more about it our website or follow this link to Mycharity.ie.

Ryan Hall running Boston Marathon for World Vision

Top US marathon runner and Team World Vision Boston member, Ryan Hall, is running the Boston Marathon today.

Hall is trying to become the first American to win the Boston marathon since 1983, when Greg Meyer won the Patriot Day race.

In this video, he and his runner wife, Sarah , talk about how their recent trip to Zambia with World Vision affected them personally and helped inspire their running. It’s well worth a look.

Good luck Ryan !

Only 4 days left to enter

So I made a good start earlier this week and managed to walk all the way home (about 6km), I felt good and was ready to do it all again…and then the rain came! Here’s to wrapping up properly in decent rain gear over the weekend and getting out there – if you see a distressed lady, gasping for air around the greater Clontarf area over the weekend…show a little sympathy :-) Actually, join me! No more excuses, lets get training!

If you haven’t registered yet, we can’t urge you enough to get online as soon as possible! Registrations are closing on Tuesday and we are pretty sure that like last year, the numbers will fill up even a little earlier then that! Here’s the link:

https://www.womensminimarathon.ie/registration/enter_step1.asp

And don’t forget to call us (01-4980800 or lo-call 1850 366 283), once you’ve registered so we can send you out your fundraising pack with the team t-shirt!

Have a great training weekend!

Evening Herald - Last chance to get an entry form today

The entry form in the Evening Herald is printed for the last time today.
So if you prefer to sign up using the form & post rather than the online application form make sure you get your hands on a copy today and send it in straight away!

Finally getting started

If you are anything like me and you've woken up this morning thinking "Oh my, it's only 6 weeks to go and my training so far has consisted of making excuses and chatting about the Mini-Marathon at the water cooler" fear not! The Irish Sports Council is here to whip us all into shape with some really handy hints and tips on how to get active, eat healthy and get into shape for the Mini-Marathon.

I've read their brochures this morning and will definitely be walking home this evening instead of taking the bus, perhaps I'll even grab a lovely salad for dinner on the way!

Healthy Eating for Active Women
Leg It Brochure - Getting Started
Leg It Brochure - Increasing Intensity
Let It Brochure - Using Pedometers

If you want to read more check out the Irish Sports Council's dedicated Mini-Marathon page.

How are you going to start your training? Or have you started already? Either way - let us know how you are getting on!

Happy Easter

With most of us looking forward to a four day break and feeling somewhat frustrated about the Supplementary Budget announced earlier this week (click here to read the Irish NGOs’ response) why not use the time to walk, jog or run off that frustration?
The freed endorphins will make you feel more relaxed, the fresh air will clear the head and you will have put some valuable training time in for the mini marathon (only 7 weeks to go!). Alternatively, a good run around the garden with the kids during their Easter Egg Hunt will get those muscles in gear for June as well!

Let us know how you got on!

Lorraine Keane who will be running with Team World Vision this year has also started her work-out. Click here to read an article published in yesterday’s Evening Herald.

Happy Easter everyone!

Register for the Mini Marathon today to avoid disappointment!

The official closing date for entries is the 21st of April. But considering the huge interest this year we expect the maximum number of entrants to be reached much earlier than that - possibly even by the end of this week.

To avoid disappointment, register as soon as you can online at http://www.womensminimarathon.ie/ or through the Evening Herald this Wednesday.

The weekend is here

Best of luck to anyone racing this weekend. Be sure to eat well the night before, drink plenty of water and get a good night's sleep.

Hopefully the weather will stay as warm as it has been over the last few days.

Let us know how you get on - just press 'comment' at the end of this post . We'd love to hear from you.

Racing in Raheny

Was just thinking there's just over 8 weeks to go until the Mini Marathon.

Taking part in a race around now will let you know how fit (or unfit) you are and how much work you have to do before June 1st to achieve your target. You'll also be able to look back after the mini marathon, compare your performance and see how how much fitter you've become over the 8 weeks.

If you're only starting off though and you think the 10k Bupa race this Sunday in the Phoenix Park might be a bit long, or if you want a short, fast race to get a bit of speed into your legs, you could do the BHAA race in St Anne's Park in Raheny instead.

It's on this Saturday April 4th. The women's race is 2 miles and starts at 11.00 am . The men's race is 4 miles and starts at 11.30. Check out the BHAA website for more details.

The BHAA races are really well organised by a great team of volunteers. Definitely good events to support.

Bupa Great Ireland Run - Sunday April 05th 2009

The Bupa Great Ireland Run is coming up next weekend and you can still enter until Thursday 5pm.

The race is a 10km run in the Phoenix Park on Sunday 05th April for runners of all abilities.
There's even a 2.5km junior race (8 - 15 year olds) that takes place prior to the main event (click here to check out the details).

It's a real family day out in a beautiful setting!

If you decide to take part and want to run for World Vision - just give us a call on 01 498 0800 and we'll get a fundraising pack sent out to you!

Lorraine Keane Joins Team World Vision

Great news! TV3 broadcaster and celebrity mum Lorraine Keane is going to run the Mini Marathon for World Vision Ireland. Lorraine sponsors a boy from Tanzania and is already very familiar with our work. We're really delighted to have her join our team.

Speaking about her run for charity, Lorraine said “It’s going to be tough but I’m really looking forward to the challenge. I’ve hardly done any exercise since my youngest was born 2 years ago.

I have been a World Vision child sponsor for the past eight years so I know the great work they do. The Mini Marathon is a great chance for me to get fit and show my support for their work.”

Lorraine will undergo an 8-week training programme with a personal trainer from David Lloyd Riverview Helath Club. She is aiming to complete the course in under an hour.

She will run three times a week, do gym work, pilates and improve her diet, all to get fit for the day.

Good luck Lorraine!

You're in good company

As part of Team World Vision Ireland you are in good company.

Check out our US team mates and their website.
Ryan Hall one America's current best long-distance runners and 2008 Olympian is part of the team and a real inspiration.
Here one of the team's videos that show the causes they support and the amazing races they run:

To view more footage check out Team World Vision US' Youtube Channel

Also on the team but unfortunately not running the Women's Mini Marathon is our very own Marathon Man Tony Whitmore who completed the Dublin Marathon in October.
We don't know what's more impressive, his time of 3 hours 41 minutes for the 26 mile race or the €11,600 he raised for World Vision!

Go team!

Keeping it green

About.com: Running & Jogging is fast becoming one of our favourite running blogs out there. They had a great article on green running earlier this week in honour of St. Patrick's Day.
We adapted some of their hints & tips to make our training and racing greener:

Don't throw away plastic bottles.
Plastic bottles form a huge waste issue around the globe. Just think about it this way, if every person in Ireland uses one plastic bottle a week, that's about 4 million bottles...multiply that by 52 weeks...that's 208 million a year! Even if 3/4 end up in recycling that's still 52 million bottles in landfills. Why not buy refillable water bottles? Or be 100% certain they are recycled in the correct manner.

Buy powdered sports drinks.
This goes hand in hand with the refilling of plastic bottles. And often the powder is cheaper than the individual bottles - recession buster!

Hold off on buying new clothes.
This can be a tough one...of course we want to look our best at all times. But if it's really time for new running gear, make sure you recycle your old ones. I had a pair of trackies that made great dusters!

Recycle your used running shoes.
Here is a list of centres that will accept old shoes of any kind:

Ballymount Recycling Centre
Dublin 12, Ballymount Lane Ballymount Industrial Estate

Ballyogan Recycling Park
Dublin 18, Ballyogan Rd, Carrickmines, D 18

Coolmine Recycling Centre
Dublin 15, Coolmine Industrial Estate

Estuary Recycling Centre
Swords, Seatown East, Swords, Co Dublin

Ringsend Recycling Centre
Dublin 4, Pigeon House Road, Dublin 4

Shamrock Terrace Recycling Centre
Dublin 3, North Strand Rd, Shamrock Tce, Dublin 3


Find races that are environmentally friendly.
Find out if the organisers are recycling paper and plastic. If they aren't recycling try and put pressure on them to do so, maybe get a petition together to show support for the idea. Keep contacting them until they make suitable arrangements


Run local races.
This is all about our carbon footprint. Choose local races first and if you are travelling further field use public transport or car pool to get there.

Does anyone else have any other green running hints & tips?

Paddy's Day Cheer

Here's a video to cheer up everyone who is working today and not preparing for the mini-marathon or Paddy's Day:

Juliet, one of our Programmes Officers, is currently visiting a number of our programmes in Africa including the Imperi Women's Group, Sierra Leone. The video is taken with her digital camera, so unfortunately it's a little short. But it really reflects the joy of the women's group so we didn't want you to miss it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

If the shoe fits ..

If you want to avoid injury, it’s important to have a good pair of runners, which are suited to your type of foot and running style,

Things to consider include
• Your foot shape
• How your foot moves (gait analysis)
• Your weight
• Your budget

If you go to a specialist running store, they will firstly look at your foot shape i.e. if you have a normal foot, are flat footed or have high arches. They will then look at the way you run and recommend a shoe that is designed for your running style.

If you are overweight then be sure that you have a good pair of shoes with extra cushioning from the very start of your training programme. The extra cushioning will help protect your joints when running.

In general, the more technical the shoe, the more expensive it will be. If you’re a beginner and your mileage is quite low, you shouldn’t need a particularly advanced shoe. Remember though that it can be worth paying a bit more for the right shoe or else you might end up injured and spending the money on medical bills. Worse still, you may not be able to run the race at all.

Specialist running stores in Dublin where you can get good advice on the right shoe for you, include Amphibian King in Bray and Runways on Parnell St.

You can also check out About.com: Running & Jogging. We subscribe to Christine's blog from the site and she has written some really interesting stuff on how to figure out if the shoe really fits or not!

Happy Running!

Evening Herald - Registration forms out on Wednesdays and Saturdays

We spotted in the Herald AM this morning that the registration forms for the Flora Mini Marathon in the Evening Herald are now out on Wednesdays and Saturdays (not Thursdays and Saturdays as before).

So if you haven't registered yet, get your running shoes on and make your way to your nearest newsagent today to get your registration from.

Also, if you get a sec, check out the Evening Herald dedicated mini-marathon section on their website.

Running around town

How often do you get the chance to run around the streets of Dublin's city centre?

Well next Sunday is the annual St Patrick's 5 km Festival Road Race which will give you the chance to do just that. The start and finish are at the Mansion House on Dawson St. It starts at midday, costs €20 and you can enter on the day.

The organisers are expecting up to 2,000 people and they are planning for a fun, family friendly day out.

The race will give you a taste of what the mini marathon will be like. The only difference will be a doubling of the distance and an extra 40,000 women!

I’m so glad it’s the weekend!

If you need a pair of runners or shorts to help you train for the Mini Marathon, this weekend could be a good time to get them. Elvery’s are offering a special 25pc off deal from March 5-8 on all Asics footwear and Regatta rainwear, both in stores and online at www.elverys.ie It's really important to have a good pair of running shoes if you want to prevent getting injured.

This Sunday March 8th is also International Women’s Day. Early marriage, violence against women, trafficking (sex and labour) and denial of rights including education still face millions of girls growing up today. By running to raise funds to support the Imperi Women’s Group in Sierra Leone, you’re doing your bit for female solidarity.

Take 2 minutes to watch this video, which shows the powerful social and economic effect brought about when girls are allowed to participate fully in society. Well worth watching

So what are we running for?

Many women in Sierra Leone were never sent to school and traditionally don't own any property or animals. Should their husband die or leave them, they are left extremely vulnerable with no way to support their children. Forming women's groups offers support and practical solutions - they are a real life saver.

Let me tell you a little bit more about the Imperi Women's Group:

In 2007 a group of women approached the local primary school teacher. They wanted to learn how to read and write.
At first, they made use of their children's text books and one of the primary school classrooms during the afternoons, but the need for their own texts and facilities grew.

The group approached the World Vision Area Development Manager and explained their wish to support their children with their homework and also to learn numeracy and other income generating skills. With the first round of funding the Imperi Women's Group received their own facilities including a room and storage space as well as equipment such as weaving looms, soap making kits and dying facilities. Besides the vital income generating skills they also learn about hygiene, sanitation and HIV / AIDS. Click here to check out some photos.

Today there are almost 70 women enrolled and there is no stopping the Imperi Women's Group! They want all women living in the area to have the opportunity to join and improve their lives.
But this is difficult for many women as their days are filled with back breaking work to provide for their families. There isn't enough time to walk miles to the learning centre during daylight hours and if they do make it to the centre there is little space for them.

Future funding will firstly go towards an EXTENSION of the existing premises to make room for everyone. Then World Vision and the group will work towards purchasing a VEHICLE to bring women from far & wide to the learning centre and also to take their products to markets where they can be sold to generate income. Also a GENERATOR is needed to bring electricity to the classroom allowing for evening classes that can be attended when the daily work is done.

These are ambitious goals set by inspiring women! With our help they will come closer to reaching their goals; every Euro counts!

Join Team World Vision Ireland today - call 1850 366 283 for your fundraising pack!

Feeling Inspired

If ever I was in need of some motivation to get my training going for the mini-marathon, I found it yesterday.
I spent the day at the National Senior Cross Country Championships in Santry in Dublin. A great crowd turned out to cheer on the 8k women's race and what a race it was with my sister Maria McCambridge winning gold by a massive one minute and eight seconds. I was moved to tears watching her.

You can read about it here

Irishtimes.com

Independent.ie

Right, time to get my own training going - slow 20 minute jog anyone??

Do you need more info about the Mini-Marathon?

Loads of lovely ladies have been calling our office (1850 366 283) to get more information and to put their name down for a fundraising pack....so if you have any initial questions and want to have a chat with us about them, just call - we'd love to hear from you!

Here a link from the Herald.ie regarding the countdown to the Mini-Marathon.

Have a great weekend!

Online Registrations Postponed

Registrations on www.womensminimarathon.ie have been postponed until tomorrow.

We'll keep you updated should there be another change.

Ready....Steady....Register!!!

Welcome to Team World Vision Ireland! We are delighted to have you on board!

Entry forms for the Flora Women's Mini Marathon 2009 are available on-line at www.womensminimarathon.ie from 3.00pm today and in The Evening Herald every Thursday and Saturday.

While you are registering, why not set up your Mycharity.ie fundraising page and let your friends, family and colleagues know how easy it is to sponsor you online! It only takes a few minutes.
To read more follow this link www.worldvision.ie/server.php?show=nav.1361 or make your way directly to Mycharity.ie.


Some quick notes on the registration process:

- Register early to avoid disappointment - the closing date for entries is April 21st or when the maximum number of entries is reached.
- Age Limit:  Participants must be at least 14 on Mini Marathon Day.
- There is no need to mention that you are part of Team World Vision Ireland on you registration page.
- Once you have registered contact us for a fundraising pack, just post a comment here, email ireland@wvi.org or call 01 498 0800.

Spreading the love..

I love this photo from the start of last year's mini-marathon. It's so colourful.

Entries Open Thursday

Entries for the Flora Women's mini-marathon open on Thursday Feb 26th. Not long to go now ..

Team World Vision

Team World Vision International has already raised funds for a number of different projects worldwide.
Check out the video below to see the difference clean water and sanitation has made to communities in Tanzania.