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Armenian Marathoners Brave Weather to Benefit Real Medicine Foundation

March 31, 2011 in Armenia, Athletes for Real Medicine, Japan by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Published on the Armenian Reporter

Los Angeles, CA – On Sunday March 20th, more than 30 Athletes for Real Medicine braved torrential rains and unseasonably cold temperatures to participate in the L.A. Marathon and raise $22,000 for Real Medicine Foundation, a non-profit organization providing humanitarian aid in disaster and poverty-stricken areas. Four of the marathon runners came from the Armenian community to raise funds specifically for Real Medicine Foundation’s programs in Armenia. Another seven Armenian runners joined “Team Armenia”, participating in Saturday’s Big 5K.

For the rest of this article follow the link to the rest of the article on the Armenian Reporter Website:

http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2011-03-30-marathoners-brave-weather-to-benefit-armenia-japan

RMF Team Armenia


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Athletes for Real Medicine: 20 mile training run!

March 3, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Events by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Sunday’s run was the most anxiety-provoking run thus far.  Even after all of the crazy hill runs we’ve done, no amount of intensity could’ve prepared us for the thought of running 20 miles.  As with most challenge-related fears, the best way to overcome them is to roll up your shirt sleeves and “tear off the bandaid”–or in this case, lace up your running shoes and start with a slow jog.  Which is exactly what we did.
Our three-man group planned an easy three mile warm-up jog, before settling into our individual paces.  We caught up about the week and shared travel stories as we climbed the mild incline on San Vicente.  As soon as we hit the three mile mark, our group started to spread out.  I turned on my i-pod and was comforted by Al Green, Fleetwood Mac, Thievery Corporation and many more (by the end of the run, I had listened to 41 songs).
After looping down Montana Ave, back towards the ocean, we hopped on the bike path, with seven miles down and thirteen to go.  The bright morning sun warmed our skin.  The waves were choppy and a pod of dolphins played in the water.  I even saw one jump high out of the water to dive back in.  Nearing the turnaround point, I spotted one of the team members running back towards me.  We gave each other high fives and kept on going.
At mile twelve, I realized that I was more than half-way done.  I was comforted by this thought, as I gazed out at the wind-blown sand covering the beach, decorated by ripply patterns that made it look like a mini Saharan desert.  Before I knew it, the Santa Monica pier was behind me, the fifteen mile marker had been passed, and Venice Pier, marking the final turnaround point, was just ahead.
The last four miles whizzed by.  As often happens, I had reached “the zone” and managed to stay there comfortably.  Dodging in and out of crowds along the Venice boardwalk, I slowly closed in on the finish line.  I even picked up my pace when I saw that I was closing in on another distance runner who had passed me a mile before.  After “picking him off”, I ran up the Santa Monica pier and coasted through Palisades Park, until finally reaching the end.
While stretching in the warm sun, I couldn’t help but smile with joy.  The longest training run of the season was over, the big day that we’ve all worked so hard for was just a few weeks away, and our fundraising efforts were adding up.  While the sunshine heated me up on the outside, gratitude and pride radiated from within.

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Follow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on

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Athletes for Real Medicine: Last Sunday’s Run Update

February 18, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Helping Children, Providing Medical Support, Rebuilding Communities by Jonathan White | Comments closed

RMF CEO, Dr. Martina Fuchs, and some of the Athletes for Real Medicine runners!

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Last week’s Sunday run was very challenging-especially for me. It was our second longest run, coming in at 18 miles, but we kept the course fairly flat to make the run more tolerable.

Four of us met bright and early, on a warm Santa Monica morning.  We ran as a pack for the first 4 miles, up San Vicente towards Brentwood. Then our newest member, who we were delighted to have joining us, sped up his pace. Our foursome became a threesome, and we remained together as we ran along the beach. At mile ten, our group got one person smaller, as another one of us picked up his pace. So, we were two and as much as I told my buddy to go ahead, he stayed back with me, dragging me along at a decent pace.

Luckily, the weather was beautiful, the ocean like a painting. I spent most of the run tricking my mind into moving my legs, despite the fatigue.

When we saw the others running towards us, we knew that our last “u-turn” was up ahead.  And we were excited.  This meant that we only had 5 miles to go!

The last four miles were brutally exhausting (for me), but in the end we all survived and with the endorphins kicked in, it felt like we could run another few miles…but, we were happy to sit in the grass and stretch.

We’ve got one more long run before the big day, but no time to lose focus.  I, for one, need to keep disciplined with my weekly speed workouts to build my aerobic capacity.  Otherwise the boys will keep But, I must admit that one of the benefits of being the “caboose” is the onlookers always ask me “what is Real Medicine”, after seeing other shirts pass by ahead.  I love having the honor of explaining what Real Medicine is contributing, and after a brief, breathless explanation, I proudly jog off.

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Follow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

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Athletes for Real Medicine Fundraising Newsletter #2

February 11, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Los Angeles, North America by Jonathan White | Comments closed

February 11th, 2011

“Driving the Momentum – Mile for Mile, Dollar for Dollar”

Hello Athletes!

I hope your training is going well. We only have 40 days to go before Race Day!

On this newsletter, I wanted to highlight a few questions that have been asked:

  1. “What do I fundraise through?” There has been some confusion with which site to use for fundraising. The LA Marathon is promoting Crowdrise.com as the main medium. Active.com is the default link sent to you when you first signed up. You can use either but Crowdrise does give you some functionality that Active does not. If you have not yet set-up your fundraising page, please do so at Real Medicine’s Crowdrise Team page. Click “Join the Team” to start your own page in which your donations will be attributed to the team’s total page. You can view any team members page to get an idea of the set-up. Contact me if you have any questions.
  1. “How can I get my donors interested in my cause?” It all comes down to YOU and YOUR CAUSE. Let your donors know why you are passionate about running the LA Marathon for Real Medicine Foundation. Let them know that RMF separates itself as a nonprofit organization with 92% of donations going directly to its projects! Unheard of in a lot of organizations nowadays! Not only that, I suggest that you specifically fundraise for one of RMF’s projects in 15+ countries. This allows you to tell a story. We all love stories right? What better way to fundraise when you can bring to life a story of a child in India, Armenia, Peru, Haiti or right here in Los Angeles?! I encourage you to take a look at our blog, which is constantly updated: http://www.realmedicineblog.com/. OR I invite you to go an extra step and create your own story by volunteering at our Florence Western Children’s clinic on 2/19 or 3/5 as we make race day poster boards! More details to come or contact me if interested!
  1. “I’ve sent my initial fundraising email, now what?” If you’ve already sent out your initial email now is a perfect time to follow up if it’s been a couple of weeks. Remember, it takes a few friendly reminders to get a donor’s commitment. People mean well and want to help, we just need to remind them since it may be on the tail-end of their to-do list. So don’t give up!

I hope this Q&A session has helped you kick-start or further your fundraising efforts. Now is the perfect time to drive that momentum! If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact Lisa Suen anytime at lisa.suen@realmedicinefoundation.org or Brandi at brandilhowell@gmail.com.

Remember, it is because of you and your support that the Real Medicine Foundation can help so many patients in 15 different countries! Thank YOU for being an Athlete for Real Medicine!

And remember:

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – Confucius –

For more information on our website about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Follow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or RMF’s official Facebook page.

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Athletes for Real Medicine: LA Marathon Training…Trail running!

February 3, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Los Angeles, North America by Jonathan White | Comments closed

By Brandi Howell

If I had to choose one word to describe Sunday’s training run it would be “ouch”.  Ouch during the run, ouch after the run, ouch still, three days later.  Nonetheless, we had a great time, we were elated once it was over, and we are now one training run closer to the finish line.

Sunday’s run was a grueling fourteen miles, six of which were uphill…2,000 feet uphill.  We started at the base of Temescal Canyon and followed the trail into the Santa Monica Mountains.  We were immediately surrounded by trees, creeks, paths and the sounds of the wild.  Within minutes of setting out, we were climbing steep switchbacks, dodging hikers, breathing hard and feeling the burn in our legs.  We climbed 900 feet for over two miles before getting a break.  When we reached the first plateau, I thought my lungs were going to explode.  Taking a minute to catch our breath and to stretch our already tired legs, we were able to enjoy the panoramic views and cool breeze.  We saw the clouds thickening overhead and realized that the “chances of rain” were more like definite rain.  But, we pushed on and on, covering another three miles and 800 feet of elevation gain.  It started to sprinkle.  The smell of wet dirt and fragrant sage wafted through the air.  We ran through waist-high weeds that whipped and soaked our numb legs.  We finally came to our turn around point.  I thought it would never come or that I would collapse trying to reach it.  The truth is, the guys were much faster than me and I was just feeling wimpy that day.  Running is such a mental game.

Once we headed back down the mountain, I knew I was going to be fine.  We let gravity pull us down, as we swung our arms faster to speed up and widen our stride.  We hopped over boulders, caught ourselves before tripping, and took advantage of the physical ease to guzzle down oxygen.  We came to a familiar fork in the path and turned left instead of right.  This took us around new corners and bends, over a bridge, past a few waterfalls, and down more steep, rocky trails until we eventually saw Sunset Blvd. and our parked cars.  As tired as we were, we took a water and nutrition break and then set out to run another seven miles.

We headed down Temescal Canyon Rd, at the bottom of which we joined the bike path and our usual route.  We ran north until the path ended, then turned around, ran south for a few miles and looped back to the bottom of Temescal.  One more huge hill to conquer.  I later found out that Temescal Canyon Rd is one mile long and climbs 300 feet.  This was a tough way to finish an already intensely difficult run, but we had to get to the top.  When we made it back to our cars, it felt like 8:30 am and our pre-run chat was weeks ago.  We were completely spent, ready to shower, get warm and relax.  We were also very proud of our accomplishment, a little bit closer to one another for having gone through it together and excited that while we could have been sleeping, we were out there making a difference.

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Follow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

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Athletes for Real Medicine: Sunday Training Run

January 17, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Events, Los Angeles, North America by Jonathan White | Comments closed

By Brandi Howell

We met at the park in Santa Monica at 8 am.  The air was warm and the sky was blue.  Although it was January, it felt like a summer morning–this being one of the benefits of living in Los Angeles.  While our east coast friends are shoveling snow, we’re dusting sand off our feet after a day at the beach.  But I digress.  This glorious, west coast morning, we gathered in our Real Med t-shirts, chatted for a few minutes, discussed the route, then set out together for our 10 mile run.

We were happy to have a new team member joining us, who was running her first long run of the season.  She and I ran together so I could show her when to “GU” (refuel on nutrition packets), how to pace and how to get through the “wall”(emotional blockade that makes runner’s want to quit).

We looked out at the glistening ocean, appreciated the great weather and talked…so much that we ran a bit too far, adding an extra mile to our 10 mile run.  By the time our trek was over, we were inspired, high on endorphins and already excited for next Sunday’s run.  We stretched out in the comfortable grass, looked up at the trees as we “threaded the needle” (stretched our hips) and parted ways, proud of our early morning accomplishment.

Go Athletes for Real Medicine!!!!

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Folllow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

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Athletes for Real Medicine Fundraising Newsletter

January 12, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Los Angeles by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Athletes for Real Medicine Fundraising Newsletter #1

“A New Year, A New Way to Make a Difference”

Happy New Year! I hope that the holidays treated you well and that your marathon training is going great!  It’s an exciting new year and we are kicking off a series of Fundraising newsletters to help you in your campaign.

Since this is the first newsletter, I wanted to familiarize you with the overall strategy of fundraising.

Some tips from Active.com’s Fundraising Headquarters

• Set a Goal

• Start Early so you can give people ample time to donate.

• Educate your Donors on your cause

• Stress the Benefits of contributing

• Follow Through by sending emails

• Send Thank You notes

• Ask BIG before going small

• Stay Positive and remember the reason

• Never Feel Guilty about asking for donations

• Ask, Ask, Ask

Remember, sticking to your plan will ensure success!

Fundraising Tip #1

Make your first donation email now. Remember that it may take several attempts before you get a response, so be positive and stay persistent. Make your donation email personal. Explain to your peers why you are doing this race and what it means to the people you are helping. For example, this could be your first marathon, you could be running it for someone who has inspired you or it could be your resolution for the new year. The more personal your story and cause are, the more your donors will be inspired by it.

Fundraising Idea #1

Reach out to your Facebook friends for $5 each. Imagine what you can achieve with 100 friends! 200 friends! 300 friends! Give a deadline to reach your goal. You’ll be amazed at the results! Most importantly, make it fun and exciting!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me anytime at lisa.suen@realmedicinefoundation.org. Remember, it is because of you and your support that the Real Medicine Foundation can help so many patients in 15 different countries! Thank YOU for being an Athlete for Real Medicine!

Always remember:

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out” – Robert Collier

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Folllow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

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Athletes for Real Medicine: Sunday training run blog

January 11, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Disaster Relief, Helping Children, Los Angeles, North America, Providing Medical Support, Rebuilding Communities, Strategies for the Future, Whole Health by Jonathan White | Comments closed

This week’s Sunday run was an intense 11 miles, with 1200 feet of elevation gain.  We started out at the base of Sullivan Canyon, surrounded by towering oak, eucalyptus and sycamore trees.  It was 8:30 am.  The canyon was cold and misty as it hadn’t seen direct sunlight since the previous afternoon.

We wore layers to stay warm.  Within ten minutes of running, we could feel our breath deepening, our heart beats speeding up.  We were already gaining altitude.  A small stream intersected the trail on multiple occasions, which gave us a chance to catch our breath as we stopped to observe the best point at which to cross.  After gradually ascending 950 feet over 5 miles, with muddy shoes and tired legs, we arrived at a plateau.

Here, we stopped for a quick water and nutrition break, before tackling the last 300 feet of elevation in the form of steep switchbacks.  Huffing and puffing, we focused on the ridge above us.  And before we knew it, we were out of the lush, green canyon, and atop a ridge surrounded by sprawling city views.  From here, we ran east along the ridge, taking in the beauty and ease of running on flat ground.  After a few miles, we turned South along a wide fire road and started our quick descent.

After all of our hard work, we let gravity pull us down the trail, enjoying the serenity of an early morning run in nature.  Looking back, we realize that when the run got tough, it helped to think about the bigger purpose of these runs, like helping communities through Real Medicine.  Those positive thoughts gave us the strength to keep going.

Only nine more distance runs to go before race day…Go Athletes for Real Medicine!!!!

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Folllow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

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January Fundraising Contest for LA Marathon

January 7, 2011 in Athletes for Real Medicine, General, Los Angeles, North America by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Athletes for Real Medicine, thank you for your participation and enthusiasm in fundraising and training thus far.

As a team, our goal is to raise $30,000 by March 20th.  In order to encourage and give thanks to our participants, we have created a monthly contest from now until Race Day!

We are kicking off with our January Contest: Everyone who raises at least $500 by January 31st will win a prize of dining certificates and merchandise valued at over $50.  (Prize specifics to be announced)

Grand Prize: The person who raises the most money by March 20th will receive a 5 night stay in Kauai at the serene Hanalei Surfboard House, valued at $225/night.

To see our Fundraising Totals click here.

Good luck and here’s to making a real difference in 2011!

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Passion and Purpose: An Interview with Brandi Howell, Member of Athletes for Real Medicine

December 21, 2010 in Athletes for Real Medicine, Donate, General, Initiatives, Los Angeles, North America by Jonathan White | Comments closed

Get to know the Athletes for Real Medicine through the “Passion and Purpose” interview series.  Leading up the the L.A. Marathon, we will be posting monthly interviews as well as additional Athletes for RMF updates here on the Real Medicine Foundation blog.   So, stay tuned…

Interview with Athletes for Real Medicine team member Brandi Howell:

Athletes for Real Medicine team member, Brandi Howell

Q: How/why did you initially get involved with Real Medicine Foundation?

A: I attended a professional networking breakfast back in 2008 and was fatefully seated next to Real Med’s founder, Martina Fuchs.  When it was her turn to speak, she lit up with passion and conviction as she described her non-profit.  A bleeding heart myself, I was mesmerized by her compassion and dedication to this cause.  The Real Med initiatives of providing basic health care and education to impoverished people cried out to me.  I knew I had to be a part of it.  One year later, Martina and I were catching up over coffee and I mentioned that I was training for the 2010 L.A. Marathon.  She proposed that I run with Athletes for Real Med and of course I did.  That was the beginning of what I hope to be a long relationship with Real Medicine Foundation.

Q: What inspired you to run the L.A. Marathon in 2010 with Athletes for Real Medicine Official Charity Team?

A:  When Martina mentioned that Athletes for Real Medicine needed more runners for the L.A. Marathon, it was November of 2009 and I was already training for the 2010 Boston Marathon.  I wanted to help out and was prepared to do so.  I have always been a runner, but running with an important cause in mind is a very different experience.  It creates the kind of inspiration that gives you shivers of joy and perseverance.  It motivates you to get out of bed at 7am on a cold Sunday morning to train with the team.  It gives meaning to the sweat and exhaustion that you must endure to finish the race.

Q: Tell us a little bit about Athletes for Real Medicine.

A:  Athletes for Real Medicine is a team of amazing individuals who have committed what little free time they have to training and fundraising for Real Medicine Foundation.  Whether they be moved by providing food to malnourished children in India or providing basic health care to low-income kids in Los Angeles, each team member is dedicated to bettering themselves and to serving those in need.

Q:  Real Medicine is in 15 different countries and involved with many different programs.  If you were going to visit one of RMF’s projects, which one would you choose and why?

A:  It would be difficult to choose just one because I am drawn to many of the programs and places.  I believe that it’s important to witness the hardships taking place in the rest of the world.  The more contact we have with these realities, the more inclined we are to work towards fixing the problems.  But, I might start with the HIV/Aids Outreach and Prevention Program in rural India.  Providing the Indian female sex workers with the tools to protect themselves and those with whom they come into contact is an initiative of utmost importance.

Q:  You’re planning on running the L.A. Marathon in 2011.  Is there any particular country or cause that you’re fundraising for?

A:  I am just trying to raise as much money as I can and will let directors of Real Medicine Foundation figure out which program needs it the most.  I trust their judgement.

Q:  Do you have any running/training secrets that help you to prepare for the big day?

A:  A few of the more important tips would be to train consistently and gradually.  Trying to rush into a 10 mile run is a sure way of getting injured.  Listen to your body and be easy on yourself.  If you feel pain or fatigue, take an extra day off and ice your sore spots.  Stretch, stretch, stretch.  I’m also a dedicated yogi, so I truly believe in stretching out and massaging your muscles.  Cross-training is also important.  Take at least one day a week to hike, ride bikes, swim…whatever you enjoy.

Q:  What words of wisdom would you share with the first-time marathoners out there?

A:  Have fun with it!  The journey is the destination–the inner journey of long-distance running is a great opportunity to be introspective and observe the mind, its challenges, highs, lows, and fleeting euphoric moments…it’s a trip.  And remember that running is as mental as it is physical.  So, when your mind starts to defeat you, find inspiration wherever you can.  Think about something bigger than you, like saving lives in Africa…

For more information about RMF’s Athletes for Real Medicine, click here.

Folllow us on Twitter or our Athletes for Real Medicine Facebook page or our Group page on Facebook

To contribute to RMF, please click the Donate button below or visit our website at realmedicinefoundation.org.

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