St Patricks Irish Traditions 5k Memories & RxExercise Future Fun

Thank You! for being an active participant/supporter of Charities Challenge's 1st Annual St Patrick’s Irish Traditions 5k, “Celebrating Active Friendship-Love-Loyalty”, at Como Lake in St Paul, the 2nd of 9 Holiday Run Events by Charities Challenge, where we “Share the RxExercise Challenge” with families and friends. http://charitieschallenge.org/html/st__pat_s_5k.html

Keep walking & running, and stay motivated by joining our RxExercise Ambassador Team to the 2009 Dublin Marathon, taking advantage between now and March 31st with the St Patrick’s Irish Blessing special “Fast Start” special promotion Click here: RxExercise Ambassadors Team to Dublin Marathon 2009

Charities Challenge will help Dublin Team Members achieve both the training and CC fundraising goals to allow each RxExercise Ambassador’s CC Team expenses-paid travel to a grand finish line in Dublin. I’ve coached hundreds of others to 5 Dublin Marathons, and I’m eager to introduce many more to Ireland’s grandest marathon experience. Join CC’s Dublin Team now and run Ireland in October, 2009! http://charitieschallenge.org/html/rxexercise_ambassadors_team_to.html

Now you may enjoy remembering some of your St Pat's 5k special experiences as you view the online photos slideshow while hearing again a 2009 St Patrick’s Irish Traditions 5k theme song. To find St Patrick’s Irish Traditions 5k musical slideshow Click here: Holiday Run Series 2009 or go to http://www.charitieschallenge.org/cceventphotos/Holiday%20Run%20Series%202009/index.htm
Notice the Holiday Run Theme repeatedly seen in the slideshow: “Miles o’ Smiles”, because RxExercise does improve lives and relationships!

Be sure to turn up your sound as you click on “Slideshow” at the top of this page. Also, at the top of the slideshow page you may change the “Duration” of each slide to “1” second and complete the show in about 3 minutes. Go back and review the show at a longer duration for each slide when you may have more time to enjoy your St Patrick’s Irish Traditions 5k memories.

You’re welcome to go to the slideshow “index” in order to find any personally special photos that you can copy to your Facebook page, thereby sharing your joy of RxExercise, walking or running with family and friends at the Holiday Run with others you want to encourage toward happy RxExercise.

Congratulations for "Irish Princess" Kim Magee overall first finisher at Sunday's 1st Annual St Patrick's Irish Traditions 5k! This was Kim's first CC Event, and we welcome her return whenever she's ready to lead the way again. Go Kim!

And, "welcome back" to another CC Event, Kirt Goetzke, Minnesota's #1 Frequent Runner, who at age 48 was second overall and 1st among men!

To everyone who ran and walked the St Pat's 5k, "Well done...Brilliant!

Enjoy reading below others’ e-mail stories below that I’ve already received about last Sunday’s St Patrick’s Irish Traditions 5k; credits go to all the CCREW who helped deliver a happy St Patrick’s 5k experiences:
“Thank you so much! You captured a great photo of my friend and me. Even though we posed for you, I don't remember you taking the photo. Nice event. Thanks! - Jane Kennedy”
“Had a great time playing yesterday for the race and please pass on the word about us. Also could you send us copies of the pictures of us from yesterday? Thanks and Happy St. Pats!Sishir - The Serfs”
“Thanks for a great St. Patrick's Day 5K. It was wonderful to see everyone. Awesome event!! – Patrick Ryan”

“Great pics, Gary!!! Thanks so much for the wonderful event - it was a blast! – Chris Halloran" (Photo: Chris happily finishing St Pat's5k)

My special experiences from St Pat's 5k? I was particularly cheered by the active-happy images I saw, some that I was lucky to capture with my camera, of families and friends sharing their Friendship-Love-Loyalty, the Irish Traditions of the Claddagh Ring, ‘round Como Lake.

I personally so enjoyed seeing again so many active, loving family-friends sharing happy-healthy walking/running activity on and around special Holidays, smiling, laughing, dancing, singing and hugging, because of shared RxExercise.

Sunday's special blessing to me was to share the morning with my 20 year-long running buddy, Bill Galbrecht, who knows after 6 years of lung cancer that he is now actively living, singing, dancing through his last few months of life.

In the latter photos of the above linked St Pat's 5k slideshow, you'll see Bill singing, dancing with friends to the tunes of The Serfs Irish band.

Celebrate life actively, like Bill, every day, staying happily engaged with family and friends in healthy activities like walking and running together. "Thank you, BillBuddy, for your example of how to live well by living actively every step of your way".

Go back anytime and see in the CC photos online slideshows more “Miles o’ Smiles” evidencing the Power of RxExercise to cheer each of us on and around Holidays throughout the year, and how “Sharing the RxExercise Challenge” even improves our relationships with loved ones who will walk and run by our sides.

Thanks again to all the CC Race Event Workers (CCREW), CC Coach Jeanne DeMartino, Mary Pat Flynn, Pat Polaski, Danielle Gordanier, Lindsey Altermatt, Tom Ruen, Beth Buck, Amy Kohout, Kent Spellman, Bryan Cathcart, Jason Denen, and 2009 Holiday Run Series KIND Sponsors, David & Pam Glass of Black Bear Crossings Cafe. (Photo: Mary Pat Flynn, Beth Buck, MaryAnn Gariepy)

Thank you Sishir Chang & The Serfs for the Irish style tunes, and grateful thanks to Laura Westlund for a lovely, Irish-Traditions-Honoring shirt logo design. (Photo: The Serfs & CC Coach Jeanne DeMartino)

(Photo: Josh Gerber)

And, thanks to CC Race Team Member, Josh Gerber, CC Events Official Timer, Scorer, and Record Keeper, for supporting this Holiday Run with your Wayzata Results services http://wayzataresults.com/roadraces/2009/StPatricksDay5k/index.htm

All CC Events participants are welcome to join our CCREW for any of our 22 Annual CC Events. Click here: RxExercise Events Just let me know. You’ll also earn a variety of CCREW Rewards for being so actively supportive of others’ RxExercise experiences. Go CCREW! Contact me, Coach Gary, when you're ready to join our CCREW.

And, thanks to many of you who added a tax-deductible donation with your registration fee, donations that will be used to continue CC’s RxExercise Training Programs, Educational & Training Programs, Complementary CC Events’ Entries, and gifts of new running shoes and gear for those in need. Lives are saved and improved every day with RxExercise! YES! Together we’re making a difference in others’ lives now with every step we take day by day.

If ever you choose to make a tax-deductible contribution to CC go to Click here: Make a Donation You will be helping others to keep going beyond life’s challenges, to “keep going well beyond…” arthritis, cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease, brain injuries and more, with the irreplaceable benefits of exercise, RxExercise. My friends’ Active Friendship-Love-Loyalty is what helps me to keep up my RxExercise and to go on sharing my RxExercise steps with others. Brilliant! Keep it going…

With the just-added Halloween Fearless 5k, ttp://charitieschallenge.org/html/halloween_fearless_5k.html more CC racers our welcome to sign up for “The Remaining 7 Holiday Run Events Special Offer” and enjoy a savings of over $60 on the 2009 Series Click here: Holiday Events

Next up, please join us for
1. The 4th Annual Challenge Obesity 5k – Celebrating Effective RxExercise, the RRCA MN State 5k Championship, at Como Lake on Saturday, April 4 http://charitieschallenge.org/html/challenge_obesity_5k.html
2. The 2nd Annual "Easter Sunday – Rise ‘n’ Shine 5k" on Sunday, April 12, at Como Lake, the 3rd of 9 Holiday Run Events.

http://charitieschallenge.org/html/easter_sunday_rise__n_shine_5k.html More family & friends fun!