The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Hero-thon San Antonio: Raising funds for blood cancer research

Courtesy Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

By Shawna Mount

Registration closes tomorrow, but volunteers are still needed for the Hero-thon, a 13.11 mile run beginning 7 a.m. Sunday at the Alamodome, 100 Montana St. The half-marathon is for both experienced and inexperienced runners.

“We can always use volunteers,” Jodi Driscoll, Hero-thon campaign coordinator, said. “You can actually sign up online.”

Driscoll said students can volunteer for as many hours Sunday as they would like. Schedules are flexible and there are different levels of commitment and responsibility.

Volunteers will be doing a variety of duties such as handing out water to participants, picking up trash and wherever else help is needed.

The half marathon is organized by The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, an organization that has spent 25 years organizing endurance events, including running, walking, swimming, cycling, and more, to raise funds for blood cancer research.

“We have reached many milestones just from the money we have gained through these different events,” Driscoll said.

If the Hero-thon is a schedule conflict, there are always opportunities to volunteer for other events this organization hosts, such as: Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth Programs, office support, donor development, patient services, family support groups, education programs, advocacy to local legislators, corporate sponsorships and expos and health fairs.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society also has an internship program where interns will be exposed to marketing and management strategies in a nonprofit setting. Interns will also gain a professional reference for future jobs and graduate study.

Hero-thon: The Run
2013 marks the first Hero-thon in honor of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society supporters and patients.

The course will run through downtown San Antonio, passing some of the city’s  landmarks such as The Alamo, The Riverwalk and Brackenridge Park, ending back at the Alamodome with a finish line festival.

Participants can register as a runner or walker for $95. Runners can set up a campaign to raise more funds if desired. Those not participating in the event can donate online.

“100 percent of the funds raised goes to blood cancer research,” Driscoll said.

Training for a marathon
For those looking for a marathon to run but missed the registration date for the Hero-thon, San Antonio is a hot spot for physical events.

Students who don’t want to miss the next big run, start training now.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offers a program called Team in Training. The program is for all skill levels. Expert coaches and nutritionists help train for specific events including a triathlon, hiking adventurous destinations, cycling a century – 100 miles – bike ride and walking or running a half or full marathon.

Payments for the program vary according to the event being trained for.

“We want as much money as possible to go to research,” Driscoll said. “But, we have to pay for the coaches and nutritionists and that’s why we include payment for the training.”

Participants in the program are required to run their own fundraising campaign.

“While training, they fundraise wherever they can and we set up a website for them as well to accept donations,” said Driscoll. “This is not just training, it is also a campaign.”

She explained that they want to put as much money as they can into their cause, but they have to fund their training program.

“We help you get to the finish line and you help us raise as much as possible,” Driscoll said.

Marathons or any other strenuous events are not to be approached lightly.

“Training for a half-marathon takes five to six months,” John Smith, assistant professor of curriculum and kinesiology, said. “You need to begin training moderately and allow your body appropriate recovery time.”

Smith said to take it week by week, slowly increasing the amount of running.

“Eat in moderation when training,” Smith said. “You want your diet to be about 50 percent carbs, 30 percent fat and the rest protein.”

Smith said that walking a marathon requires as much training as running one.

“It takes four to five months to train and follows the same guidelines as training for running,” Smith said. “Walking or running 13 miles is very stressful on the body. The body needs to adapt to that strain.”

For more upcoming marathons visit halfmarathon.net.

About the Author

Shawna Mount
Shawna Mount is the Cultura Editor and Advertising Director for The Mesquite. Shawna is a communication-journalism major and attended Northwest Vista College. She is a 2008 Radford High School (Honolulu, Hawaii) graduate. As managing editor of her high school newspaper, she also wrote feature articles for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

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