Trail run training with Marcos Vargas and Canek Pena-Vargas in Simi Valley
On February 16, 2014 I’ll be tackling the Bandit Ultra Trail Run 30K race in Simi Valley. This is a huge stretch for me. A year ago today I was about 35 pounds heavier and my idea of a workout was finishing up a package of cookies on the couch. A diabetes diagnosis helped turn me around and set me off on a fitness journey.
I was originally going to run the Seaside Half Marathon in February but when my friend and Executive Director of CAUSE, Marcos Vargas, said that he was going to do the 30K at Bandit, I knew I had to join him. I did the Santa to the Sea Half Marathon in December and this will be my first 30K race.
This will also be the first time I do fundraising and it’s for an organization I know very well. I have been volunteering for CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy) for the past several years. I’ve served on the Community Building Luncheon committee for the past few years, have precinct walked and helped support CAUSE in community organizing efforts including here in my hometown of Santa Paula. CAUSE’s mission is to build grassroots power to invoke social, economic and environmental justice for the people of California’s Central Coast region. In Santa Paula we fought to start a community garden and CAUSE and the community has just successfully won a new park in an under-served part of Ventura.
You can be a “Run Jesse Run” 30K Justice Sponsor by donating to the CAUSE effort to build a pipeline of passionate young organizers and the next generation of movement leaders. Building a pipeline of talented community organizers and leaders is super important as cities and communities struggle to provide environments that are socially, economically and environmentally just.
Please consider serving as one of my 30K trail run sponsors at the $10, $25, $50, or $100 level. Click here to show support as I tackle this large personal challenge and the challenge to improve our communities.
Your sponsorship is tax deductible.
Here’s a link to more information on the Bandit Ultra Trail Run.
Photo of me and another CAUSE volunteer, Adrian, doing some precinct walking in 2010 to support an important measure and tell my neighbors about the community garden idea.
