Tag Archives: charity

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run Charity Ride at Biker Barre

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, Training, Uncategorized, Volunteering, , , , , , ,

What’s up with this weather, huh?  Not very conducive to outdoor training!  Good news – I’ve got a great way for y’all to keep up your cardio without stomping through the snow and ice: spinning!

children's miracle network hospitals
Give a miracle!

So, here’s the exciting news: I’ve teamed with Biker Barre to host a Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run Charity Ride!  With a $14 donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (classes at Biker Barre are normally $22 per class!) you will get a seat in the class, a 2015 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race t-shirt, a great cross training workout, and best of all, you’ll sweat for a great cause!

Spinning is a wonderful cross training workout, whether you’re training for your next race, or recovering from one.

  1. Spinning adds variety to your workouts.
  2. Spinning is low impact and will give your joints a break.
  3. Spinning will help you strengthen muscles that you don’t use as much when you’re running.

I started spinning as a way to maintain my cardio after developing an injury from my first marathon.  Spinning was a welcomed change – and it only took a few weeks before I learned to love it.  Three years later, I’m an avid spinner and instructor, sharing my love for the bike at a local studio in Capitol Hill: Biker Barre.

The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a non-profit international organization that helps to treat millions of children across the U.S. and Canada.  Every dollar that you donate will support research and training, and will pay for uncompensated care that saves and improves the lives of as many children as possible.

You want in?  Great!  Here are the details:

  • Date: Saturday, March 7th
  • Time: 1PM-1:45PM
  • Where: Biker Barre: 738 7th Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 (The closest metro stop is Eastern Market Metro.  There is also street parking available.)
  • How to reserve a spot in the class: The only way to reserve a spot is to email info@bikerbarre.com with the subject line ‘Cherry Blossom Run Charity Ride” and tell them you would like to reserve a bike with Lauren R.  They will send you an email confirmation of your reservation, as well as a link back to this site so you can donate.  Please make sure to email info@bikerbarre.com BEFORE donating to ensure you get a spot in the class.

More details about the ride:

  • Never been to Biker Barre? That’s ok! The only thing we will need from you is to sign our liability waiver. You can do this ahead of time by creating an account online here and click on the ‘sign-up’ link at the top of the page (you do not need to sign up for a class, just create an account.)  Every rider must sign this waiver.
  • Already been to Biker Barre?  You’re all set 🙂
  • Arrival Time: Plan to arrive fifteen minutes before the class. You will need time to sign in and set up your bikes.
  • What to Bring: Just bring water – we’ve got the towels for during and after class!
  • What to Wear: Wear comfortable workout clothes. Try to avoid pants that are too loose and flowy. Normal workout-appropriate sneakers will work just fine.
  • To Donate: Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation please click the “Support Me” button on the top of this page.
  • Question: Please email me!

Nervous to try your first spin class?  Don’t be!  Here are some tips to help you feel more prepared.

Lauren Rice CUCB BlogLauren is a midwesterner-turned-DC-transplant who still geeks out every time she runs down The National Mall.  She is happiest with her camera in hand and loves to cook up delicious recipes for her food blog, Just a Pinch (www.justapinchblog.com).  When not crunching numbers as a non-profit financial analyst, Lauren is teaching spinning, running the streets of Capitol Hill with her lab, Gus, or continuing her studies towards becoming a Registered Dietitian.  This will be her third Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run and she’s got her eyes on a PR!  Follow her adventures on Twitter + Instagram.

2015 Kickoff Party

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It’s fall. Right now trees are turning red and brown and green and gold and warm summer weather is fading into autumn cold.

Shirt color voting at our 2014 race’s Kickoff Reception

But we’re thinking spring. We’re thinking about warm breezes and bright pink cherry blossoms. We’re can’t wait for Race Day on April 12, 2015!

This Friday, November 14, 2014 is the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and 5K Run-Walk Fall Kickoff and T-Shirt Debut Reception! It’s the party that celebrates the 43rd installment of this annual running tradition.

This event, sponsored by The Credit Union Cherry Blossom Organizing Committee, Credit Union Miracle Day, New Balance, MilestonePod, and Potomac River Running is a sell-out event every year, just like the race.

201bar_smThe kickoff reception runs from 6:00-9:00 PM at The 201 Bar located at 201 Massachusetts Ave., N.E., Washington DC 20002. Advance registration is $15  and includes 1 drink ticket, appetizers, raffle entry, $10 Potomac River Running gift card, and a MilestonePod.

If space is available the day of, admission is $25 at the door, but this event usually sells out.

Why come to the kickoff?

✿ 25 lottery exemptions to the 2015 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run will be raffled off between 6:30 and 8:30 PM

✿ Unveiling of the official 2015 Race T-shirt Design and meet the artist – See it here before it goes public!

✿ Vote for the 2015 race T-shirt color – potential runners the opportunity to choose the t-shirt color on which the design will be featured. The t-shirt color chosen at this event will be the same shirt that the runners of the 2015 race receive.

✿ Bid on silent auction packages and wine pull (all proceeds go to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals)

✿ Announcement of the winners of the Social Runner Contest

✿ Enjoy music and food

✿ Meet fellow runners and coaches and connect with past, and future Cherry Blossom 10 Miler runners to share their stories and get excited about the opening of the 2015 race lottery on December 1st.

You already know the race sells out, but so does this reception. So RSVP early – see you there!

Time to Care: Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

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Today’s post is from guest blogger Terry Orzechowski, Executive Director of Patient Experience and Ombudsman at Children’s National Medical Center.

Eighteen years ago, I came home from work on a summer day to find my oldest son, Daniel, complaining of chest pains. He said he felt like his heart was beating too fast. I placed my hand on his chest and found it was racing. He was seventeen years old.

I didn’t even call 911. Immediately I put him in the car and drove as fast as I could to the emergency room at Children’s National Medical Center. They had him in a bed and working on him within three minutes of our arrival. The emergency room staff allowed me to stay with Daniel until they needed to shock his heart to stabilize the rhythm, before transferring him to intensive care for further treatment. They directed me to the waiting room then.
As Daniel’s heart raced, so did my mind. My husband had just boarded a plane for business travel and had no idea what was going on. Our younger son and daughter were still at the pool and would also need to be informed, without worrying them. As I waited and worried about my son, a resident who had been in the room as Daniel was treated joined me in the waiting room. He said he knew this was scary. He said he’d sit with me until the doctors came out. I can’t remember his name, but I’ll never forget that he took time to be there with me.

Daniel was found to have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a heart condition present from birth that leads to increased heart rhythms. Although his case was challenging, his treatment worked well. He had a cardiac ablation, a catheterization process, and didn’t require a pacemaker or medication to keep the rhythm steady.

Daniel also had understanding doctors who worked with him that summer to monitor his heart, keeping in mind they were dealing with a teenage boy. Dan was about to enter his junior year in high school. No one that age wants to walk around with anything indicating they have a medical condition. Dr. (Jeffrey) Moak worked with him about the timing for wearing a heart monitor. He and all the staff at the hospital really treated my son with respect.

Today, Daniel is 35 years old and well, with two sons of his own.

Our experience at Children’s had a profound impact on me. So did subsequent trips to the hospital for my younger son to be treated for asthma and an immune deficiency. I wondered if I could ever be lucky enough to work for Children’s. A couple of years later, I opened up the classified ads and job listings and spotted the Children’s logo right away. I eagerly applied to be director of volunteers at the hospital, and was hired for the job. Fifteen years later, I’m now Executive Director of Patient Experience and Ombudsman.
I’ve been a parent sitting in the waiting room, waiting for test results to find out what’s wrong with my child. That’s always on my mind as I encounter other parents who bring their children to the hospital.

The experience of how parents and their children are treated at Children’s is equal to the quality of the medical treatment they receive. And that makes such a difference. They care what we know, but they also care that we care.

Daniel today, healthy and happy with his wife and two sons.
Daniel today, healthy and happy with his wife and two sons.

Become an online fundraiser and support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as a Credit Union Cherry Blossom runner!