Meghan and Progress House teammates before the Carmel Half, all smiles!

Meghan has been an instrumental part of Progress House‘s volunteer base since joining Back on My Feet last summer. Meghan will always offer a listening ear to anyone with an ailment and try to help with a stretch or advise. She is also one of the instructors of Wednesday Night Yoga, which is a fun time if you haven’t tried! Meghan, along with the other instructors always do their very best to stretch the participants! We will miss Meghan when she moves to Michigan to continue her career as a Physical Therapist in July, but we are glad she could spend some time with our team.

Shoe Size? 6 but I normally wear a 7 in running shoes

Favorite post run food? peanut butter on bananas and chocolate milk

How many marathons/half marathons/5ks have you done? I’ve done 3 half marathons and numerous 5ks

Favorite race you’ve ever done? this would be a tie between the Carmel Half Marathon the other week and the Soldier Field 10 Miler last May.

Favorite music? I enjoy all types of music as long as I can sing along!

Favorite athlete/team/sport? I love college football especially Michigan State.  I also love the Chicago White Sox.

Favorite vacation spot?

Sister Lakes, Michigan, we have been renting the same cottage for 26 years and I love spending a week relaxing at the beach.

Bucket list item you plan to cross off soon?

I just crossed off running a Half Marathon in under 2 hours thanks to the wonderful support of BoMF!

Why do you run?

I love that time when I can be alone with my thoughts and not have to answer any emails or phone calls.  When I am running all of my energy and focus is just on myself and whoever I am running with.  It’s such a special time of day for me.

Tell us about your family?

I am the youngest of four and all of my family lives in Chicago.  I have hands down the cutest niece in the world and I love going up north to visit my family as much as possible.

What is your day job?  I am a Physical Therapist at Methodist Hospital.

What is your most memorable BoMF memory?

It’s hard to think of my most memorable memory as every day that I run with BoMF has truly impacted the rest of my day.  I Loved though at the polar bear doubler when Keith showed up dressed as a polar bear I don’t think I’ve laughed like that in a long time.

How did you hear about BoMF? Why did you stick with it? What has BoMF meant to you?

I heard about BoMF through the yoga community and also a friend who runs with the program up in Chicago.  I thought I would start out just running one day a week but as soon as I showed up for my first run I knew it was a perfect fit and that I would be there as much as possible.  BoMF has meant turning a positive spin on running for me.  I used to just run so that I could eat more food ha, but now I love the relationships that I have formed with all the members and look forward to seeing everyone at 5:45 M, W and F.

How is BoMF helping you with your future career? 

The encouragement that I get from the members of BoMF on a daily basis is overwhelming, they have taught me to believe in myself and with hard work anything is possible! I never thought I would have applied for these residency positions and with the support of my running friends I have gained that self-confidence!

Will you recruit morning runners from your job in Michigan this summer to run with you, or how will you keep the motivation of running? 

I love that we get weekly emails with our plan for runs during the week and so I plan to run exactly as Coach Joe advises (even the Fartleks!)  Although I think it will be hard to find friends to run with me at 5:45 MWF, knowing that everyone is running at that time back in Indy will be great motivation.  I am looking forward to running on all the trails and hills in Michigan and then hopefully coming back to run races here!

Advise for people who might want to start running with BoMF? DO IT! It will change your life in ways that you cannot even imagine!

Anything else you want to share with readers? I am so thankful for my time being a part of the BoMF family and I look forward to visiting and running once again with an incredible crew!

Shane and Meghan ready to get after the Polar Bear Doubler!

On Saturday, April 28th, 9 residential members and numerous non-residential members braved the rain and wind to participate in the CARA FirstMerit Bank Lakefront 10 Miler at Montrose Harbor. Despite the inclement weather, several members set personal records in the race. Back on My Feet also hosted an aid station along the course. Thank you to all of the volunteers who passed out gatorade and water to race participants and helped make the event a huge success!

View more pictures from the event here.

On Saturday, March 31st, Back on My Feet team members gathered at the YMCA Lawson House to participate in the Scavenger Shuffle. Participants were split into three teams, with each receiving a separate clue leading to a different Chicago landmark. As each team successfully navigated to the proper site, they were greeted by a Back on My Feet staff member or volunteer waiting with the next clue. Actual clues included, “If you’re searching for the right course to help you succeed, you will need the skills taught here to those in need” (Accenture Skills to Succeed offices) and “Most beam with pride when they view the clouds through this gate, but few will recall that its construction was late” (The Bean/Cloud Gate, Millenium Park). Teams that successfully navigated across all four locations were awarded a medal at their last stop, and raced back to the YMCA Lawson House to complete the 3+ mile Scavenger Shuffle circuit. Team C took home the prize with an impressive course time of 48 minutes.

Thank you to all those that participated! View more pictures from the event here.

The Indoor Track Meet was a big success and Team Uptown was well represented.  The winning team featured Larry, Charles, and Jim who skipped, walked, and sprinted their way to victory.  Biggest accomplishment…Larry ran an entire lap around the ¼ mile track.  He was very proud of himself and was smiling from ear to ear when he finished.  It was wonderful!!  Manny, Monica and Michelle joined in the fun and we learned that Manny is a pretty good skipper.  Everyone had a great time and a big thanks to Monika for chauffeuring our teammates.

We enjoyed an exciting Super Bowl party at Giordano’s!  What a game!  There was much friendly competition, but good pizza and funny commercials makes everything better.  Thank you everyone for coming and making it a memorable Super Bowl Party. Read more…

Todd joined the YMCA Lawson House Back on My Feet team in October 2011, and quickly developed a passion for running. While Todd had always been an athlete, running was a new sport for him. He quickly adapted and is now one the YMCA’s fastest team members! Since joining the YMCA Lawson House Back on My Feet team, he has accrued over 300 miles while maintaining a stellar 95% attendance rate at morning runs. His race history includes three 5ks, the recently completed FirstMerit Bank Lakefront 10 Miler and the January 2012 F^3 Lake Half Marathon (which he finished in 2:08:32)!

Todd’s long-term goals include staying healthy, cutting down on smoking and returning to work. With the skills Todd has learned in Accenture’s Skills to Succeed courses and the life lessons he has learned from his team, there is no doubt he can achieve his goals!

Todd can tell you how much he enjoys being a part of the YMCA Lawson House team:

“I’ve really had a good experience with Back on My Feet. I really enjoy getting up and running and I enjoy the people that I run with! I have a good time with it. It motivates me in the morning to want to do more things and it’s just really motivating me! It’s been a new thing for me from what I used to do. I’m enjoying the running and it’s a good experience for me. Everybody is good to me and I really like everybody I run with there!”

Carmel Half running mates, Lee and Mark all smiles after a great race!

Mark Tracy came to BoMF Indy from Illinois and will be leaving to go back home and graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Programming. While Mark has been in Indianapolis he was a great asset to the Indianapolis Chapter. Mark is always willing to jump in and help out where he was needed and if you throw food in the picture he will be the first in line! We are going to miss Mark, but we wish him luck in his bright future!

Thank you Mark for all of your hard work and dedication to the program. All of our Members, both resident and non-resident will miss having you on the team. Your passion to help others shines through in the work that you do.

When you first came to BoMF, what were your expectations and what did you want to get out of the program?

When I was looking at internships last fall at University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, I really wanted to find an internship where I could help change lives through recreation. I heard about Back on My Feet in one of my classes and went online and said to myself “I want that internship.” When I came to Indy I really did not have any expectations except I knew I would have to get back in running shape fast! I was expecting to interact with the residents a lot, but I am been so happy to have gotten to know many non-residents well, too. I did not expect to meet this many good people, residents and non-residents.

Why did you choose BoMF for your internship in Indianapolis when there is a chapter in Chicago?

Well I chose Indianapolis over Chicago because it is a smaller city without a Program Coordinator, so I knew I would get a lot of hands on experience. Also, Indianapolis is actually closer to school than Chicago for me.

Explain your role in the Indy chapter to readers..

Well when Brian says jump, I say how high. I am just kidding sort of. I am technically the Program Intern. I filled the role of Program Coordinator for Brian. I did new resident orientations, helped with resident retention, and a lot of resident relationship building as well as non-resident relationship building. I also assisted in getting the guys signed up for races, transporting them for new shoes, and even counted a bit of inventory. Also, I did a lot of paperwork for Brian.

What races did you compete in while with BoMF?

Legacy Loop 5k, Big Ten Hoops Day 5k, Bulldog Jog, Carmel Half Marathon

What is your favorite BoMF memory?

There have been so many favorite memories from the races to meeting all kinds of great people. I think my favorite memory would be seeing Will hit 500 miles and after the 13 mile run, Tom and Deb treating us to breakfast afterwards. I still remember the pancakes and the biscuits of gravy!

What are your BHAG? (Big Hairy Audacious Goals, things you can’t complete on your own, you need help completing.)

To spread the word and the love of God to every person I meet through my words and most importantly my actions. I want to spread the good news of redemption told through the Gospels to all people I meet through loving my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as I love myself. I also hope to spread the love and mercy of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Savior who is the way, the light, and the truth to eternal life.

What’s next for Mark?

I am planning on his summer to walk across the country again this summer. Last, summer I walked/ran from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. This summer I am walking/running from San Francisco to Washington D.C.

Manchester Miler member Kevin said, “It is clear Mark has passion and cares about what he does, he would come have lunch with us everyday and ask us how we were doing. He will go far.”

“I get up every morning and look in the mirror and thank God for my great looks,” Mark told Warman Team Leader, Tom while running the Carmel 1/2 Marathon!

Tom hit the nail on the head on how to get Mark to run at Warman, “Tell him we will have food!”

Emilie, JP, and Mark awaiting their volunteer shift at the Polar Bear Doubler. Thanks for volunteering on this cold day!

Mark, Dwayne, Nan, and Andrea at the Bulldog Jog

Finishing the Big Ten Hoops 5k all smiles!

Jeffrey, Mark, Deb, and Andy at the Hearts and Hands Picnic

Tom and Mark chat about the Carmel Half Marathon while Ron listens and thinks I'm sticking to the 8ks!

Mark and a few Manchester Milers awaiting the start of breakfast at the Marriott Downtown.

March has been a motivating month for the Back on My Feet team at the Lake View YMCA! Joe and Carmelo both started training for the CARA Lakefront 10 Miler race, which will be on April 28th.

This month, we welcome two new team members, John and Howard. They have both proven to be very dedicated members and are quickly getting accustomed to running. They have both maintained over 90% attendance and accrued over 15 miles each!

Joe volunteered at the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k on March 25th. He really enjoyed being on the other side of a race and giving back to the running community!

Joe and Dan attended Back on My Feet’s Scavenger Shuffle, which had them running around the city in search of Chicago landmarks. Both of them had a great time getting in a workout and getting to know members from the other Back on My Feet Chicago teams!

We are looking forward to cheering on Joe and Carmelo at the CARA Lakefront 10 Mile race next month and watching the rest of the team build up mileage and continue to take strides forward in their lives! Read more…

Manny ran a 10 miler this month!  He continues to persevere and did a great job!  He will be well prepared for April’s CARA Lakefront 10 miler!

Fridays have been have been reserved for fun team building activities.  This past Friday we each said what we would do if we learned the world would end in an hour.  Answers ranged from eating unhealthy but delicious foods to calling family members to hosting a big dance party!  The previous Friday, we all discussed what we would say to President Obama if we met him.  I think President Obama should hire Team Uptown as his new advisors!

Beth and Terry Run the 50K!  - As many of you know, Beth and Terry have been training their butts off for the 50K.  We have seen them on the path running miles and miles in preparation for this race.  Most recently, they ran a 27-mile training run – WOW!  So, in support of our wonderful Team Organizer and her volunteer husband, Team Uptown is going to cheer them along the course.

As many of you know, Larry recently graduated from the Inspiration Corporation’s Job Readiness program.  He hopes to find a job as an over-the-road truck driver and has used some of his Back on My Feet benefits to help make that more possible.  Let’s make sure to congratulate him when we see him next. Read more…

As March comes to a close, it is hard to believe that spring has just begun! After so many 80 degree days, it seems as though we should be in the middle of summer! March was a great month for our St. Leonard’s team with many of our team members finding employment and beginning to recommit to new running goals.

Two of our alumni members, Issac and Mingo, both obtained employment this month. We are so proud of all their hard work to get to this point. Issac will be cooking for St. Leonard’s and Grace House and Mingo will be working for a local landscaping company. Both are very excited about the opportunities and we know that they will do an incredible job. Not only did Issac and Mingo find work, but Charles and Dylan also began new jobs this month. March was so busy and full of good news! Read more…

The Lawson House Machine has been so excited to enjoy all of the beautiful running weather this past March. There is nothing better than getting started early with warm running weather – especially when several team members are starting to get geared up to run the 2012 Chicago Marathon! We are also excited to welcome new residential and non-residential members to the team. Read more…