5k Run/Walk for Rapha House

Journal Entries July 4, 2010 Today I shadowed Tagg running group 4th of July 5k race. I had talked to Steve Taggart, owner of Tagg, prior to coming to the race and introduced myself to him when I got there. He was more than willing to show me how a race is done by Tagg. I helped at the finish line to see how runners were tracked once they crossed the finish line. I also observed the registration table and the awards presentation. Steve is excited to partner with me on my race and it also got me excited to get started. We exchanged email addresses and phone numbers and he told me he would email me some things I needed to do right away to get the race posted. July 15, 2010 After several emails back and forth to Steve Taggart, I realized I better get my project approved so that I could move forward and get the race posted quickly. I phoned and emailed Ms. Schwanbeck my expo worksheet. I knew I needed two advisors but it was difficult and a little frustrating trying to get a hold of a teacher during the summer months. Ms. Schwanbeck understood and allowed my project to get approved with only her signature. July 22, 2010 There are so many things that need to get done before I can get the race posted. My mom and I looked at the school calendar to first find the day and time that would work with my school and sports schedule. Since Steve could only help us with a race that was on Saturday or Sunday late afternoon we had to be very strategic. After looking at the calendar, we decided Sunday, October 10 would work out the best. Steve told me to Google when the sun goes down on that day of the year to determine a start time. We needed to make sure that there was enough sunlight throughout the entire race. After researching it we determined that 4:30pm would be a good start time. I emailed Steve the date and time and he was good with it. Now I needed to contact Tucson Parks and Recreation (TPR) to reserve the park. Steve and I felt it was best to hold the race at Golf Links Sports Park since he had done a race there already and had the trail marked out and measured for distance. When I called TPR they told me I needed to have proof of runners insurance in order for them to make reservations with the park. So, I got the forms from Steve (USA Track & Field General Liability Insurance) and mailed it in with a check for $115. Then I had to mail a copy of the forms to TPR, so they would attentively reserve the park and ramada for me on that day. But TPR told me that as soon they receive the forms from me that I could post the race. July 27, 2010 I drove to my mom’s office today so that we could work on getting my race posted on Active.com, per Steve. I am so glad I didn’t attempt to do this myself because it ended up being somewhat difficult. I followed a template of some of Tagg’s postings, but it was a lot of information and hard to get it all correct the first time. Since I am not 18 years of age, everything had to be set up under my mom’s name and account information. It took three attempts to get all the requirements and information set up and posted. When it was finally up and running it occurred to me that now I really have to do this race, and it was scary and exciting all at the same time. Aug 6, 2010 I was encouraged by some people from church and Steve to also post my race on other websites to get the most exposure. So, today I posted the race on K-Love, Air-One, and GetSetAZ. Steve is also going to post it on his website Tagg.com. These postings were much easier. Aug 8, 2010 I thought I would talk to Rapha House and let them know about my project. When I called them they were so excited about it and told me they would send me brochures and magnets to hand out the day of the race. They also said they would send me a DVD with promotional information that I could use for my presentation. This got me even more excited about the race. I was a little bummed that they didn’t have any banners or posters I could use for advertisement around school. Aug 16, 2010 I attended a senior prayer meeting yesterday and several of us seniors were talking about their expo projects. I knew that I wanted to get some sponsorship but didn’t really know about how to do that. Mr. and Mrs. Owings had over heard my conversation and gave me some great ideas of who to contact and what my sponsorship letter should say. Mrs. Owings said she would email me a copy the letter the school had used in the past. They both encouraged me to get on it right away because my race was only 8 weeks away. I also knew that I needed to get the t-shirt designed and find a t-shirt company. They also knew of someone from school that could probably help me with that too. I went through the school business directory today and emailed my sponsorship letter to as many businesses as possible and mailed letters to the ones that didn’t have email addresses. Aug 18, 2010 Just two days after sending out my sponsorship letters, Matt Clauser from Peter Piper Pizza said he would donate $250 towards my project and give me an additional 15% off of the pizza sales if I wanted to do an after party! I am pumped! Aug 20, 2010 I have now heard back from several other sponsors and I am so excited. Tuller trophy said they would do trade for awards as their donation, Mr. Powell from Rita Ranch company said he would donate $100, Mat Johnson from Shredeeze said he would pay for the bibs, and Kelly Garcia a realtor said she would like to donate $150. This is the best news too because now I can pay my parents back for the runners insurance fee and the ramada rental fee. Sept 10, 2010 My race is now around 4 weeks away. I received the runners insurance certificate in the mail and have confirmation from Tucson Parks and Recreation that my race is all good to go. I still don’t know what I am going to do about t-shirts yet. I was going to go through Rapha House but the cost is too high. They did give me a copy of the logo but it’s not in the correct format for Mr. Chuk to work with it. This part is really stressing me out, but Mr. Chuk said he would try to manipulate it to work. I don’t know yet how much he is going to want for the shirts. I don’t have very many people signed up for my race either, but I will be presenting in chapel next Wednesday, so hopefully I can get more than 15 people to sign up for my race! I also found out that Jaime is doing a photography internship for her senior expo project and asked her if she would come to my race and photograph the event for me. She said she would. I also think I should ask someone to video it for me too. I got a flyer sample from Steve Taggart and created a flyer to hand out at my chapel presentation and to place in the school office. Sept 18, 2010 I got a lot done this week. My chapel presentation went really well. Several people said they were going to sign up for my race. It got me excited again. I also ordered the bibs and advertised my race on Facebook and The City through my church. Rapha House also sent me information about selling bracelets and necklaces made by the women in Rapha House at my race. I told them I would and they are going to send me and order for 50 bracelets and 20 necklaces. They told me I didn’t have to pay for them up front and to just send back what I don’t sell after the race. I also got a donation from Dairy Queen for some ice cream tokens to hand out at the race and XOOD sports drink people are going to drop off drink samples. This is really coming together and is getting exciting but it is also stressful at the same time. The bibs have not come in the mail yet, and I don’t have the t-shirts finalized and ordered. I also need to connect with Tuller trophy on what to do about awards too. Oct 2, 2010 It’s approximately one week before the race and it is pretty stressful. The bibs came in and they look really great. I set up the after party at Peter Piper and have handed out a million flyers to teachers and students. About 70 people are signed up for the race but I was really hoping for 100 by now. I placed an order for 120 t-shirts and I guess I will just have to try to sell the ones that are left over after the race. The t-shirt guy has still has not given me a cost on the shirts and it’s really getting me nervous; not to mention how much it is frustrating my parents. I just want to be able to send a big check to Rapha House, and after shirts I may not have that much left to send them. I have talked to several people at church about helping out at the registration table and at the finish line. I feel good about the amount of volunteers I have for that day. I have to meet with Steve at the park on Sunday for a walk through of the race and any final information or questions I may have about the race. Homecoming is one day before my race and I plan on having some half sheet flyers made to place on all the vehicles in the parking lot. My mom and dad said they would help with this since I will be playing in game that night. Oct 6, 2010 Got a call today from the Arizona Daily Star today, they wanted to interview me about my race and take pictures of me at our soccer practice. I am so excited about the free advertising!! They told me it would appear in the paper around Friday, Oct. 8. What timing! Oct 16, 2010 My race was a success! Around 147 people ran/walked and together we raised a total of $3949.61! It was more than I could have asked for! It was pretty hectic at first. Steve and I met at the park at 2pm to set up cones and mark the course. I had told the volunteers to come at 3pm to help set up the registration stuff and drinks. It took almost an hour and a half for Steve and I to get everything set up. In the mean time the registration table was packed with runners signing up and paying for the race. There were so many that signed up the day of the race that the race ended up starting about ten minutes late, but I don’t think anyone minded. I was pretty nervous and was glad I had some things written down to announce before and after the race. After the race we had to clean everything up. Steve and I ran around picking up cones and markers. A couple of people stayed back to clean up the registration area and to pick up cups from around the drink containers. The rest of the people went to the after party at Peter Piper. I met up with everyone there shortly after the race. There was a big sign at one of the registers directing people from the race to order at that register for proceeds to go to Rapha House. I was really pleased by how everything went and very relieved when it was all over. I had received an email from the t-shirt guy the morning of my race letting me know that the cost of the t-shirts were on him as his donation to my race. I had a sense of relief and a huge amount of gratitude for him at that moment. It was very cool to finally send Rapha House all that money and to thank them for their ministry.