June was an awesome (and hot!) month for Team Ridge.  Despite the heat, the members have been working hard on their morning runs and getting their mileage up.  On June 4th, Jerome ran his first race ever at the Scott Coffee Moorestown 8k.  He did an amazing job and is looking forward to racing again.

Ridge also had an amazing time at the BoMF Philly Annual Picnic.  Coming in 2nd place for the Team Cheer and competing in all of the other events, the res- and non-res members really enjoyed the day.

Members of the Month-

Res- Carlos

Carlos is one of Team Ridge’s most consistent runners.  He challenges himself at each and every run, and comes to cheer on his fellow runners even when he’s not racing.  He has been working extremely hard these past couple of months and hopes to be running a race sometime in the near future!

Non-Res- Caitlin

Caitlin is a lightening fast runner and amazing volunteer with Team Ridge.  No matter how hot it is or how fast she runs she’s always smiling and ready for a challenge.  Even members from other teams want to challenge her!  She is a source of motivation for both res and non res members, and we love her for it!

When you first see Randolph, you notice his smile–that is, until he’s already down the street and you just see the back of him. Since joining Back on My Feet in October, Randolph’s been go, go, go, and if you don’t pay attention when he’s running, you might miss him.

He joined BoMF because he would see a friend at Ridge get up every morning to run with the team and thought if he can do it, I can do it. Randolph’s favorite part about running with BoMF is meeting and connecting with so many people. Being with people who will not only support you and run with you, but who are willing to make a fool of themselves in a good way can be a rare thing to find, and Randolph’s found it. For proof, check out the Ridge team cheer, which he sees as very representative of the team.

Randolph’s first race was the Burlington River Run, a 5k in New Jersey, and it’s still his favorite race, at least so far. He enjoyed the scenery and the peacefulness of the race; personally we think he liked it the best because it gave him his first taste of racing and running fast, which he loves. Since the fall, he’s run the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and the Broad Street 10 miler, along with most of the shorter races.

Randolph’s drive is not limited to morning runs and races. He has set and achieved many of the personal goals he’s set. From day one he had the goal of earning his GED.  He continues to take classes and learn from the practice tests, and will no doubt pass the last two parts very soon. Right now Randolph is searching for a job, and has been relentless in his pursuit of one in the food service industry.

Ridge team leader Amina said the following about Randolph:

Randolph is consistently a source of inspiration and motivation for me and for the other members of Back on My Feet throughout Philadelphia. In addition to running, Randolph has demonstrated his remarkable character and intelligence. He is an extremely fast learner, a great leader and excellent team player. He is not afraid to ask questions and is the first to rise to a challenge.  Randolph pushes me in our training runs just as much as I push him, and he has become one of my favorite training partners.

This past Saturday, Philadelphia witnessed perfect weather, great food, fun, friends and dizzy bats! The afternoon started off quite calmly with everyone enjoying pizza from The Couch Tomato Café and sandwiches from The Cranberry Café.

The noise level in the park dramatically increased due to our team cheer competition. Congratulations to Sheila Dennis House for winning the team cheer competition and to Ridge for their second place finish. All the cheers are available on Facebook.

Teams and individuals competed in dizzy bats (spinning 5 and 7 times around), the water balloon toss, the wheel barrow race and a basketball shooting contest. We saw some very impressive performances in each competition proving that the Philly chapter is more than just great distance runners: we have hand-eye coordination, flexibility, cat-like reflexes and slick moves!

All the pictures are available on Facebook. Weren’t able to join us? Come hang out with us for 20in24! Sign up to run or volunteer: www.20in24.com.

Last Saturday, Back on My Feet Philadelphia braved leaving the city, crossed the river and went to New Jersey for the Scott Coffee Moorestown Rotary 8k. The race wound through the neighborhoods and ended in the middle of an Arts Festival!

BoMF was well represented at the race between res and non res members running the 4.97 mile course and those in the 1 mile walk. We welcomed 12 first-time runners into the world of racing! Congratulations to Ron (St. John’s), Jerome (Ridge), Wardell (RWA), Jackie, Michelle, Esterlina, Wilma and Eleanor (Sheila Dennis) and Carolyn, Nikki, Mereald and Greg (New Jerusalem). It was fantastic to see so many new faces out there and it’s even more exciting to know they are ready to take on the next challenge.

More pictures can be found here.

Up next for BoMF Philadelphia is 20in24. Join us for a weekend of great racers, lots of volunteers and lots of fun! For more information visit www.20in24.com.

Team Ridge has been busy over the past month and a half, racking up tons of miles and competing in several races.  Mark S., Calvin, Andrew, Caitlin and Amina all competed in the Run for Jake 5k, and did an awesome job with Caitlin coming in 1st place overall for women.  The team also had a Sports Day at the Suburban Sports Training Complex in Conshohocken.  Everyone enjoyed playing soccer and learning drills, and especially enjoyed watching the Philadelphia Passion Women’s football team practice afterwards.

Our biggest event of the month was the Broad Street Run 10 miler on May 1st.  Team Ridge had was a major presence there, both on the course and off!  Randolph, Mark S., Calvin and Mark D. all raced and all did an amazing job.  Many of Ridge’s volunteers also raced, including Caitlin, Shannon, Joe, Nick, Kate T., Gail, Liz, Marisa, Mike, and Amina.  Congratulations to everyone who ran!

Members of the Month

Res: Jerome

Since joining BoMF in April, Jerome has been such a wonderful presence on Team Ridge.  He is always extremely enthusiastic and ready to run mile after mile, never stopping for a break–not even at stoplights!  He has worked so incredibly hard, and it showed at the Scott Coffee Rotary 8k where he ran his first race ever.  Great job, Jerome0–keep up the great work!

Non-res: Liz

Liz is one of the most pleasant people to ever join Team Ridge and has been an amazing part of the team since her first run.  She is always smiling and never fails to make us all laugh no matter how tired we are.  Liz is a consistent presence at events and races, even if she isn’t racing, and is always chatting and keeping pace with our members.  Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to Team Ridge!!

What were you doing Sunday, May 1^st? If you were lucky, you were amongst the 30,000 runners in the Broad Street Run, a 10 mile race from north Philly to the Navy Yard or among the thousands that lined the street cheering on the runners.

Watch our video and hear BoMF members, volunteers, and FundRacers talk about their experience with BoMF and excitement for the run!  2011 IBC Broad Street Run Testimonies

Back on My Feet Philadelphia had a massive presence at the race. Between res, non res and FundRacers, we had over 250 people racing as well as many more cheering! A very special congratulations to the first time Broad Street runners Cliff (RWA), Maurice (RWA), Calvin (Ridge), Mark S. (Ridge), Randolph (Ridge), Bob (St. John’s), and Jonathan (St. John’s). They all did a fantastic job, stayed focused and had fun!

Great work to all the FundRacers who dedicated the past couple of months to fundraising and training on behalf of BoMF. We are truly grateful for the overwhelming passion and commitment that you brought to our team. You inspire many with the level of support and generosity that you provided our organization and, with nearly $100,000 raised, you have enabled almost 55 members to start on program in the next year.

“I loved hearing everyone cheering for me while wearing my Back on My Feet shirt. Great work encouraging, supporting, organizing, and all the wonderful things you have done to make this a memorable run for so many, myself included!” – Josh Sullivan, IBC Broad Street Run FundRacer 2011

Thank you to Phila Massage for the complimentary post-race sports massages. Everyone who got one felt much better on Monday morning because of it!

Check out the rest of our pictures in the Picasa album and on Facebook.

On Sunday April 3rd, 2011,  several members of Back on My Feet Philadelphia joined some local high school students in a J-Serve event, (the National Day of Jewish Youth Service) at Gratz College. The students are a part of the Philadelphia Region BBYO (B’nai B’rith Youth Organization) and worked on multiple projects including hospice bracelets, ceiling tile painting, gardening and thank you cards for soldiers.

Nikki, Dave, Doug, Joe (all from New Jerusalem) and Mark (Ridge) attended the event. They helped make cards for soldiers serving overseas and led a discussion about Back on My Feet and their experiences. Students asked questions about their accomplishments and future goals.

After the discussion we went outside to “circle up” and show the students what our morning circle is all about. A few students even went for a short run with us!

We want to give a very special THANK YOU to the BBYO for donating shampoo, razors, hand sanitizer, loofahs, toothpaste and toothbrushes. The toiletries are being given to our partnering facilities for those who need them.

On Sunday, April 10th, 2011, Back on My Feet Philadelphia joined the Cheltenham community for the Run for Jake, a 5k in honor of Jake Berkowitz. Jake was a member of the class of 2000 at Cheltenham High School who lost his battle with cancer in 2005. For the second year in a row, BoMF was selected as one of the race beneficiaries.

Program Director, Rachel, and RWA team member, Cliff, joined Jake’s mother to welcome participants and lead everyone in the serenity prayer. They even started the race and then jumped off the truck to start running!

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful and fast course; multiple res and non res members PRed (personal record). Caitlin M. (Ridge) finished in first place for the women! Dan C. (St. John’s) and Brian (NJ) finished 2nd and 3rd overall for the men! People who PRed include: Dave B. (NJ), Cliff (RWA), Joe (NJ), Mohamed (NJ), Juan (OBP), Mark (Ridge), Abby (St John’s) and Heather (St. John’s). We may be missing some PRs so if you did, comment on the blog to let us know.

Very special thank you’s go out to the Run for Jake for an amazing event! See the rest of our pictures in our Run for Jake in Philadelphia Picasa album.

March was an exciting month for everyone at Team Ridge. Despite the cold weather and rain soaked mornings, the team put in the long miles in preparation for the Caesar Rodney half marathon and 5K, and started training for the upcoming Broad Street Run. Aside from training, Team Ridge joined the rest of our Philadelphia family at North Bowl for Back on My Feet night. With a great turnout and some strong attempts at bowling, the team enjoyed a great night.

The highlight of March was our participation in the Caesar Rodney half marathon and 5K in Wilmington Delaware. Kevan, Alicia, Mark, Calvin, and Badger all ran the 5K and did a great job in conquering a difficult course. Randolph, Mark, and Matt all ran in the half marathon and put in some incredible times despite the long and grueling hills of the course. Congratulations to everyone who ran!!

Members of the month:

Randolph

Randolph showed us all what hard work and determination can accomplish through his efforts to prepare for the Caesar Rodney half marathon. For months leading up to the race Randolph took it upon himself to train hard during the week and was a constant at every Saturday training run, often pushing the pace for everyone. Caesar Rodney was his first ever half marathon and he set an incredible time. Congratulations Randolph, we couldn’t be any more proud of you and all your hard work!!

Alicia

Since joining Team Ridge Alicia has been one of our most consistent members. Each and every day she comes out to run, regardless of the weather, and is always there to keep pace with and talk to all the guys. Her dedication to Back on My Feet is shown in many ways such as her daily interactions with everyone at Ridge, and her role as a FundRacer for the Broad Street Run. Thank you Alicia for all that you do for Back on My Feet and everyone at Ridge!!

As Team Ridge moves into April we are looking forward to some warmer weather and our final weeks of training for the Broad Street Run.

The first two months of 2011 have been exciting ones for the members of Team Ridge. Despite the snow, ice, and wind that has plagued the Philadelphia area over these months, Ridge showed true determination and continued to put in the long, cold miles in preparation for our upcoming races. Great job everyone!

This year started out with the wonderful news that both Calvin and Fiddy would be moving out of Ridge and into their own places. I am proud to say that two months have past and they are both settled in and doing well while continuing run and be an important part of the Back on My Feet family.

Since the beginning of this year we have had the pleasure to welcome a number of new members to our morning circle. Our newest res-members are Mark, Romond and George who took their first steps with Ridge this year and are all doing an amazing job!! Our newest non-res members are Scott, Alicia, Sean, Dan, Linsey, and Na’Tasha. Thank you all for all your hard work!!

Having put in the long miles Team Ridge got a chance the chance to join our fellow Back on My Feet teams in running both the Pickle Run and the Frostbite 5 Miler. These were the first races for many of our res-members and they all did an amazing job, congratulations guys! Having conquered their first races all the members of Team Ridge are focused on and training hard for the Caesar Rodney ½ Marathon and 5K and Philadelphia’s own Broad Street Run.

Members of the Month: Badger (res) and Scott (non-res)

Since joining Back on My Feet Badger has been a true leader for Ridge. He consistently offers help to any members who need it and is always there to encourage everyone on the morning runs. Badger’s running improves each morning he comes out and he recently ran his first 5 mile race during the Frostbite 5 Miler. Way to go Badger!!

It feels like Scott has been with running with Team Ridge forever even though it has only been a few short months, and we couldn’t be happier to have him as part of our team. Scott is always out early and ready to run no matter what the weather, even some days that were very questionable. Scott always goes above and beyond to lend a hand in running with either the fastest or slowest of runners while taking the time to get to know and learn about everyone. Thank you Scott for all that you do at Ridge!!

As the winter months come to an end Team Ridge is looking forward to the warmer weather and brighter mornings as we continue to put in the miles to get ready for the upcoming spring races.