Running the New York City Marathon for 3 Great Charities

Deviating from my typical, unsolicited (and boring to many of you) observations about thoroughbred handicapping contest strategy, I am using the NJ Horseplayer blog as a shill for raiding your wallets for a great cause.

NJ Horseplayer: 26.2 miles for worthy causes!

On Sunday, November 4, I will be running the 2012 New York City Marathon -- my fourth time "running" (used very lightly in light of my tortoise pace) the 26.2 miles through the 5 boroughs.

Through my profile page on the NYC Marathon fundraising hub's Crowdrise.com, my goal is to raise at least $5,000 for three charities: 

• The LAM Foundation 
• Alstrom Syndrome International
• Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund

I raised money for the LAM Foundation my first few marathons (2000, 2001 and 2003), as that is a charity intertwined with my family, but was a little more reluctant to solicit donations for causes this year, primarily in the wake of a light, 4-mile jog in mid-August, where I re-aggravated an old hamstring injury that sent me to the sidelines.  I was afraid of hitting people up for charity and then being unable to run.

However, after a month's worth of rest (albeit during the most intense part of a typical marathon training schedule), I got back on the trail 3 weeks ago and am on a training roll -- akin to hitting a Pick 3, you could say.  I've upped my weekly tallies from 20 to 25 to 30, and coasted through a 14-mile "long-run" on Saturday, as some of you unfortunately saw on my Twitter this past Saturday.

This week I've got designs on 35 miles total, with a 16-miler scheduled for Sunday morning, and I will be deviating from the typical marathon schedule and upping my mileage approaching the Marathon, rather than tapering down as recommended in most runners' schedules.  The hammy forced my hand.  C'est la vie!

Anyway, I figured the horseplayer community was a great place to kick-off my fundraiser.  Surely as someone who appreciates all that the horse racing industry provides and recognizes the grave dangers that those physically involved face for our entertainment and betting interests, you will understand why I come to you for support in my NYC Marathon Fundraising effort.

As I am targeting three separate charities, and expecting to raise at least $2,000 for each, I figured the legions of NJ Horseplayer followers would prefer a donation to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, but by all means feel free to chose one of the other two (for background, my sister-in-law succumbed to LAM in 1997, and my cousin Phyllis is the Chairperson for the nascent Alstrom 501 (c)(3) charity).

I will be targeting my family and co-workers for those charities, however, so please consider a donation to PDJF and remember the sacrifices those jockeys who face infinitely more challenges each day than I will leading up to my 26.2-mile marathon.

Wish me luck, and thanks in advance for your generosity...and please spread the word!

Again, follow this link to my profile on CrowdRise and click on the link below "Bill's Fundraisers" to designate the charity to which you would prefer to make a donation.

Stay tuned to the NJ Horseplayer Twitter feed for updates on my training and more unsavory pictures from the marathon training trail, and please feel free to contact me with any questions or publicizing my fundraiser!

Regards,
Bill Holobowski - NJ Horseplayer