I need you more than you need me.
I need Africa more than Africa needs me.

On April 25 I’ll be running a half-marathon in Nashville with my friend, Mel. The problem is Mel lives in Sioux Falls, SD and I live in Minneapolis. So, I’m training alone and have absolutely no motivation aside from the few hundred dollars I have invested into my plane ticket and marathon registration. When I lived in CA, I ran two half-marathons (within a month) with my good friend and roommate, Jenni. She made training fun. We’d rock out to iPod dance parties at stoplights and laugh at the differences in our playlists. When you train WITH someone, you’re accountable. You can’t look someone in the eye as they’re lacing up their shoes and say, “Ah, nah. I don’t feel like running tonight”.

This is where all (or some, I hope) of you come in.

I recently joined an organization called Mocha Club. Mocha Club’s philosophy is to forego two mochas a month ($7) and then that “pocket change” provides a wide range of services, education, resources, clean drinking water, and much more to many communities in Africa. Seriously, 7 bucks! You can build teams and together make a difference in Africa. Now, I know some of you are thinking, “Africa! Dude, there are people right here that need help!” I agree, wholeheartedly. So, don’t stop what you’re doing here. Continue to keep your eyes open for opportunities in your city, neighborhood, and family. But, think about this: $7/month can be deducted from your checking account without you so much as blinking an eye or even affecting your monthly routine (other than a few mochas). Conversely, that $7/month can do amazing life-changing things for people in Africa.

Here’s my idea/plea/invitation: I need help motivating my training for the half-marathon and I think that it’s time I train with a purpose. A lot of people run to raise money for various causes. So, in that same spirit, I will be running for Mocha Club.

Here’s my goal: I’d love to have 13 people (one for each mile) join the Mocha Club.
Here’s the catch: To qualify, I must run 2:10 or under.

Two hours and 10 minutes is a significant drop from my other times. In the first marathon my time was 2:21 and I felt healthy and great. The second marathon I had injured my knee and finished a poor 2:28. I've never been a "runner". Just to give you a glimpse into my “running past”, my freshman year I faked having to pass out after my inability to complete killers under the specified time. My slow running caused my entire team to continue doing the killers until we made the time (as a team) the coach had set for us. I saw no way that I was ever going to make it and after the third try, seeing even the huskier girl cross the line before me and under the time, I thought it was time to act…like I was going to pass out. Sorry, for any of you that are reading this for the first time and you were on that b-ball team ☺ .

So, like Jump Rope For Life in third grade where we asked friends and family to donate for each minute jumped, I am asking you to commit to join the Mocha Club only if I complete the Nashville half-marathon in 2 hours and 10 minutes . You are my accountability. I need you more than you need me. And I’m hoping you see that you need Africa more than Africa needs you.

Please consider it. Watch a super sweet video they made
and check out the wicked cool free t-shirt you get for joining here.

See how Africa is full of joy, hope, and promise and how far $7 goes to impact lives.

Join my team!