Latest donation total

Now that the run is over I suppose that donations will begin to taper off.  The latest total is $6,091.  WAY more than I had expected.  Thank-You everyone.  The Posoltega lunch program is now alive for another year.   LEE

100 miles conquered

I finished the 100 miles run today.....How do my feet feel?  Tired! (pun intended)  My only hope is that I can keep motivated to continue running just for my health. Donations are over $6,000 and  I know of several additional donations that are on the way.   I'll give the final total in about a week.
I think I'll have an extra beer tonight.

Home stretch

This is the home stretch.  Only 2.95 miles to run and my huaraches will have 100 miles under them.
My son, Alex, will run those last miles with me.

radio interview

  I just finished doing a radio interview about the run,  with a Stephanie Foreman from WIUX,  99.1 FM, the IU station.  Stephanie is a good friend of my son Alex.
You can hear it on Sunday evening during their news hour....between 7 and 8 PM.  She said it would probably not be at the first part of the show (What?  Do you mean I didn't get the whole hour?).  Listen in if you find time.
Donations will soon top $6,000.  Thanks, everyone.

Was it a bobcat? Mountain lion?

     I was trying to cross Tapp Road today.  Lots of traffic.  I had to wait a long time.  As I looked ahead up the trail, I saw an animal that, from the distance of about 150 yards, looked like either a mountain lion or a bobcat.  It had a small head and that is why I don't think it was a dog... I hadn't been drinking.  ( I'll do that at 4PM)  When I got to the place where I saw it cross, I looked deep in to the field and clearings and didn't see it again....Who knows?
     I ran 5.52 miles today.  there are only 10.95 to go.  I plan on running up to the 100th mile with my son, Alex, who is coming to visit on Wednesday.
     Also, one of his friends from IU is going to interview me tomorrow for a radio program.  All publicity helps.  

$5,736...with 16.47 miles to go

Then what will motivate me to run????

Lee's run in final miles

There are now just 21.81 miles to go.  I've had a cold and a sore ankle and those two set me back for a week.  Now I am back to running.  Donations total $5,636.   Amazing.  The lunch program is now sound for the next year and the Committee  now has  time to raise funds for the following year.  The pressure is off.  We don't want to get behind again.

24.21 miles to go. $5,526 raised

I went back to wearing to steel belted huaraches.  As it turns out, the newer ones were from a tire that was worn more in its' middle that at the sides, by about 1/8 inch.  That means that the outsides of my feet wore not going down as low as the center.  Over time and miles this may have cause the pain in my metatarsals and left knee.  I ran today without problem.  Miles yet to conquer are 24.21. I am very pleased that donations are still coming  in and there are still promises to be kept.  Thanks, everyone.  LEE

Under 30 miles

     There are now only 29.61 miles left to conquer.  I'm  going to try to get it under 25 miles tomorrow.   Donations are at $5,386 and I know of three more that will be coming in soon.  Now, the program can go back to feeding the kids  four weeks a month instead of the three that they had to cut back to recently.
      I took a week off of running because of a sore left ankle and a little soreness behind my left knee.  It must be my weak side.  Now, I am back on the trails.  It is still hard to believe that the donations came in so fast.  My original thought was that I would receive the first $1,000 easily and then have to run forever to get the rest.  Now, I  am trying to catch up with the donors.  Thanks, everyone for your moral and financial support.  Where hungry kids are concerned, there should be no consideration of race, religion or nationality.  

Keep watching... new update coming soon

Minimum goal met

Donations now are over $5,000.   That was my goal, but if you had planned to give, please still do so.    $5,000 was my mininum goal.  I still have 32 miles to run.  Don't stop donating. I've had a sore ankle and am giving myself a break until the weather is a little warmer.   Each dollar  provides 5 meals.  I noticed that  the paper says that the local Comminity Kitchen, ( a VERY good organization) needs  $500, 000  expand...  I only need $5,000 to keep 85 kids fed for a year. As soon as the weather gets warmer I'll hit the trail.  Please dig deep.   Remember, ALL of your donation is tax deductible  and,  ALL  of the money goes directly to the program.  ALL expenses have been covered by volunteers.     No other NGO that I can think of can say that.

miles down 67.19,,,, to go 32.81

Donations total $4,705.  We are really close.  Donations are coming in slower lately. Maybe everyone is waiting to see if I actually finish the 100 miles.  That is my intention!!   Get your checks ready, and thanks for your support.
     I had a rough 5.75 miles today.  There was a quadricep cramp for the first mile and a half.  I ran slowly, but after the one half way point I was actually able to run faster than ever before.  I can't figure that out.  

latest

Miles down....61.44....miles to go 38.56
Fund total $4,550.
The Posoltega news letter was mailed out on Friday.  Maybe that will bring in more much need money.  Nothing it brings in will be counted towards the $5,000 that I am trying to raise by running in huaraches, but it will help fund the lunch program.  Who would like to take the donation total over the top?  LEE

donation address

For those of you who want to donate to this cause, send your check to:

Posoltega Committee
PO BOX 1461
Bloomington, 47402

55.90 miles down

     $4,457 is the new total of funds raised.  The Sister City, Posoltega website has been off line for a long time and our brave leader, Barbara Seitz is doggedly trying to figure out what happened.  A newsletter is going out this weekend and Isaac Salazar, who is from Posoltega and lives here in Bloomington, is planning to do a music event as a fundraiser.  Hopefully the committee will soon be back on its feet.   Between the downturn in the economy and the higher price of food ( and everything else), we have been brought to our knees.  
     Barbara and I returned to Posoltega within a week after the mudslide that killed about 5,000 residents in Posoltega in 1998.   I remember being amazed at the power of water and mud.  That mudslide was nothing compared to what we are seeing in the videos of the tsunami in Japan.  There is an old saying that "nature has a way of taking thing away from you".
     I remember that there was a guy there who had a 'cadaver dog' and he took it all over the worst part of the mudslide area.  After a couple of days he said that the dog had found all of the bodies and that we need not go looking in the areas he had searched.  We went anyway, and found 11 more bodies.  Apparently, the smell of death was so prevalent that the dog just gave up and the handler thought the dog just couldn't smell more death.  In fact, there was so much smell of death that the dog didn't know which way to go. It will be the same in Japan after a while.  The Nicaragua mudslide area was turned into a national forest and the people were told that they shouldn't live there again.  They probably are living there anyway.  Do you think that the people of Japan, or New Orleans, for that matter will do much different?  Hopefully.  I don't know what I would do if I were in their shoes (huaraches).

New (maybe 50 years old) Huaraches. YES!!

$4,356.15.....Would someone donate 85 cents so I can round this off?   Guess I could do that myself.
     I was checking out the old train depot on Grimes lane with Michael Lindeau, Ted Hall, and others whose names I can't recall.  Hopefully they will put a bicycle project work center in the building.
While in the area I notice an old tire that had what looked like nylon hanging out from a cut....The light went on in my head...This tire was not steel belted.  Granted, it had almost no tread and was extremely old, maybe 50 years, but it was a good candidate for a new set of huaraches that wouldn't stab me from time to time.  So,,,,I snatched it.  It was easy to cut and now I can run without the fear of those steel belt wires.  Maybe Michael will put an huarache repair center along with the bike project !!
     Just did a 12 mile bike ride today with my lovely wife, Libby.  That doesn't count towards the run total. Rats!

passed 50 miles

Miles ran now total 50.47.  I ran 7.5 today.  I really feel motivated with the weather cooperating like it is.
For those new to this blog, please go to the original post and see what it is all about.
     There is something to be said for 70,000 mile tires as huaraches.  I've run about 80 miles in them and they show no signs of wear.....except.....they are steel belted.  I found out the hard way what that means.  The tire is embedded with hundreds of very fine, very sharp, wires.  Since I had to cut the tire to make the huarache, I naturally had to cut the wires.  Now, they have a habit of sticking out from time to time and STABBING  me in the foot.  After each run I take the huarache to the bench grinder and try to eliminate the offending wires.  Fortunately, the wires are only exposed at the edge of the huarache.  Today, a few wire ends dug into my leather laces and  they actually weakened it until it broke.   I had to stop along the trail and tie several knots to get back to running.  In the future I will take an extra lace and some electrical tape with me.  The tape can cover exposed wires.
     I still need $1000.  Please reconsider if you haven't already donated, and  also tell your friends about my run.  Thanks.  LEE

A little about Posoltega.

This is a nice little video and it brings back a lot of memories.  Two things that it doesn't show are the heat and the  poverty.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uCPc0A5ybY&feature=player_embedded

home stretch for donations

Thanks to my coffee friends at the Bakehouse, donations are now totaling  $4,031.15.   I swear that tomorrow I will do a run that takes me over the 50 mile mark.

miles to go--miles ran

This weekend I had the pleasure of running a few miles with my daughter, Katie.  She had to slow down to keep from getting too far ahead of me.  She should have given me a quarter mile "age" handicap because I am almost 40 years her senior, but nnoooooooo.
I have completed 42.97 miles.  That means just 57.03 to go.

Japan

The  new total of money raised is $3,786.15.  Getting there.
I won't blame anyone for holding off on a Posoltega donation if they are instead going to make a donation to those suffering in Japan.  The videos are stunning....I wish them a speedy recovery, but it looks like it is going to take a looooonnngg time.

Last minute update

Just received another  $226.  Getting close to the goal. New total is  $3,681.   Good thing that we now have good running weather.

Running in huaraches update

So far I've run a total of 35.43 miles.  Just 64.57 to go.  Donations total about $3,455.
A while back I went into one of our local good shoe stores and asked if they had some slippers that were without arches, heels or padding inside.   I wanted to use them as my everyday shoes.  The young lady working there said, "We don't have anything like that.  We are all about comfort."  I did not make a "smart remark" to her  in response to her comment, but thought as I went out the door, "After working all day in the shoe store, do you go home and leave your shoes on or take them off to be comfortable?"
     The latest thing in running shoes is 'minimalist shoes'.   Nothing more minimal than a huarache.   The 'five finger ' shoes are also supposed to mimic  being barefooted.  Why not just wear a car tire sandal? Watch the shoe market.  You are going to see more and more people wearing and running in huarache style footware.  If you have time, read the book, 'Born to run'.

lunch program update

I just got word that the lunch program has been cut to only three weeks per month due to lack of funds.  Even small donations add up.  Here is the address where you can donate.  Remember, it is only 20 cents per meal.  You do the giving, I'll do the running.  I've got almost 30 miles in so far and we have raised over $2000.  My goal is $5000.   That should keep the kids fed for over  a year. .  LEE

Bloomington Posoltega Committee
PO box 14 61
Bloomington, Indiana 47402

More about Posoltega

Another $775 came in the mail today, and the wonderful, First Presbyterian Church is going to send money for the lunch program.   I suspected that the first 1/2 of the money would be the easiest to raise.  Now, for the rest.  I would hate to have to pull out the "poor me" card by publishing  the picture of the guy in the salt mine and saying it was me.  Actually, I think I will post that on Facebook soon, just for fun.

Posoltega is about five miles from the nearest large city, Chinandega.   Posoltega is about five blocks square.  That is just about 1/4 mile square.  One summer day we saw a guy pushing an ice cream cart up and down the streets trying to sell ice cream.  We, of course, bought some.  Later that day, five miles away in the city, we again saw the same guy.  I asked him how he got from Posoltega to the Chinandega.  "I walked".   As I figure it, he walked 10 miles for the round trip  as well as up and down the streets  of Posoltega on a hot, summer day.  No, the people in Nicaragua are not lazy.

During  my  first trip to Posoltega it was summer and HOT.   I was with a group from  the First Presbyterian church.  Day after day we toiled on various projects.  Nights were sweltering..  Then, on one of our last days in town......we discovered........"La CASONA"
They sold COLD beer.  I returned to Posoltega 8 more times over the years.   Not being one to hit a bar every night, I made an exception whenever I was there.  Their fried chicken was  "to die for".

A little about Posoltega

     We just sent off a deposit of $1,216.  That is a good start.  I know that there will be more in the mail tomorrow because we were out of town and stopped the mail delivery so we may have missed receiving some donations.
     Someone suggested that we feed the kids here in the United States before we worry about kids in another country.  Here is how I see it:

         United States                                                                             Posoltega
We have a WIC program for infants                         No WIC program
unemployment                                                          Out of work, out of luck
community kitchen for free meals                             go hungry
County commissioners for help                                 you are on your own
Mother Hubbord's cupboard  for free food                no free food
School lunch Program                                               Just our committee
Welfare program                                                        no work, no pay
food stamps                                                                nothing
social security                                                             social  INSECURITY

I am reminded of the time that we have toys to some of the children.  A few days later we found out that their parents sold the toys.................to buy food.   How do you think those parents felt?
People in Posoltega are not lazy.  Opportunities just aren't around for  work.
In town,  the residents raise flowers.  I asked why they don't raise vegetables.  The answer is "The neighbors steal it before we can get a harvest."    Hunger abounds.

I ran another 4.5 miles today.  Just 69.81 to go.   I hope I can raise the full $5,000.   Running will get  a lot harder when the weather warms up.  Please keep those donations coming, even if they are small.

True/False film festival

     Lib and I attended the True/false film festival this weekend in Columbia, Mo.   .....Cold, Cold, Damp.  I did manage to get  a run of 3.7 miles around beautiful Stevens Park.  That makes on 74.31 miles to go.
     Several more persons committed to give $50 or $100 dollars.  I know that some of you are "strapped" for cash these days.  Could you spare $5????? $10????  It all really does add up.  I remember that after Hurricane Mitch devastated Posoltega several years ago, we were able to raise about $30,000 in a short time.  The average donation  was just about $25.  It really is about the number of donors more than the amount of the donation. 
     The reason that I am daring to ask for a healthy amount is because  I've seen Habit for Humanity ask for a commitment of  '$5,000 a year for five years',   AND THEY GET IT.
     My next post will give an up to date donation total and more information about Posoltega.  Hopefully, once you know more about the lunch program, you will be as excited about it as I am.

PS.....Check out the True/False festival on the web.  It is an amazing event.  You don't have to go to the Cannes or Sundance to see good, new films.

Herald Times

There was a nice article about the Posoltega in todays paper.  That should help.  Dan Denny did a nice job. That should spark some interest.  Keep sending out the blog information.

humor

Don't be fooled by my attempts at humor.  I am dead serious about why I am running.  I'll be telling a lot more about Posoltega soon.  Keep sending my blog info to your friends and ask them to get the word out also.  It is all about awareness.  When you get a chance, also read "Born to run".    Very good.  LEE

newspaper article

I was just interviewed by a newspaper reporter.  Hopefully, the article will run in the next couple of days.  Fund raising is all about publicity.  That is why I decided to go with facebook and email instead of the post office.  Postal fees and permits  are prohibitive.  THis is where YOU come in.  Let your friends know about this and.........say that you know me personally (if you do).    Personal endorsements are powerful.
PS   As I was running 8 miles today I saw a buzzard when I looked up.  Not a good sigh.  Then, when I looked down, I found 40 cents.  Good for two more meals.  I'll keep looking down from now.

Ran two miles yesterday and a BIG 8.37 today.  Just 78.01 to go.  I can now give a new definition to the term "hot, cross, buns".  I found that I was running right past places where I used to stop to rest. The clippity-cloppity sound of my huaraches hitting pavement sounded like (another horse analogy) a Amish horse pulling a buggy down the road.  I didn't have a buggy to pull, but Rosie Pope did pull an Amish made cart when she ran around the world.
 I found a hub cap along the trail.  Help me get my mind around this.  Is there another person wearing car-tire huaraches AND using hubcaps? That takes it to a new level.  Maybe I should get some.

next run

I have discovered that I am like an over ridden trail horse.  I go slow when walking away from the barn, but speed up when headed back to it.  I did 6.41 miles today.  That make 11.62 down and 88.38 to go.  I'll give a donation total in a couple of days.  Thanks everyone for your support.  Your interest is a big part of my motivation to keep this up.

first run

I ran 5.12 miles today.  Not a bad start.  All those training runs seem to have paid off.  I did find that toward the end of the run I was stopping more often to let my legs rest.

Lee's 100 Mile Run for Posoltega (wearing "huaraches")

   

What's it all about?

     I plan on running 100 miles wearing huaraches to draw attention to a children’s lunch program in Posoltega, Nicaragua.  NO, I’m not going to be able to do it all in one day.  I am 65 years old and haven’t done any significant running in twenty years.  I plan on running as far as I can each day and log my miles and post them via email and Facebook.  Hopefully, I can do 5 miles the first day.  I will begin the run approximately March 15^th.

What are Huaraches?

Huaraches are expedient foot protectors worn all around the world in poorer countries.  They can be made of any type of material but I am using pieces of car tire that are tied to my feet with leather straps.  There are no padded heels, arch supports or tops.  Essentially, the wearer is barefooted and the huaraches only serve to protect the feet from rocks, glass, etc.

Where is Posoltega?

     Bloomington, Indiana has a sister city in Nicaragua called Posoltega.  Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central Ameriac.    Our local organization is part of Sister Cities International but receives  zero financial support from them or from the City of Bloomington.  The “Posoltega Committee” has sponsored a children’s lunch program there for almost 20 years.  Posoltega is a very poor community and we have been feeding about 85 children each day in a  lunch room called a ‘comedor’.  The children receive a very simple meal, usually just beans and rice.   For many of the children, our lunch program provides their only meal of the day.   I have personally visited Posoltega nine times over the past twenty years and can vouch for the effectiveness and credibility of the program.
     Some of you might remember that it was Posoltega that was almost wiped off the map by hurricane Mitch in 1998.  I had the good fortune of having been up on the side of the volcano Las Casitas just two weeks before the hurricane caused the great mudslide that cost Posoltega 5,000 lives.  I also had the good fortune and honor of being able to return immediately after the mudslide and help recover bodies form the mud.   It was a very sad but rewarding time for me.  It brings me to tears to write this.    I feel very bonded to the community of hurricane survivors

Why am I Telling You About This?

     It only costs about 20 cents (yes, 20 cents) for each meal.  I want to raise $5,000 to keep the program running.  Yes, I am asking for money.  Due to the faltering economy, we have almost run out of money to fund the lunch program.  This has never happened before.  Below are listed the approximate costs to run the program for a month.

Rice	114 lb	$65
Beans	72 lb	$81
Oil	15 liters	$26
Tortilla Flour	72 lb	$44
Sugar	57 lb	$22
Soybeans	36 lb	$14
Firewood		$14
Water		$4
Labor		$80

This comes to $350 per month and provides about 1,700 meals.

     I am Boldly Asking Each Donor to Give $50.  We only need 100 people to contribute that amount in order for us to reach the goal.  Of course, larger or smaller donations will be graciously received.  I know that many of you have your own favorite charities so I won’t be offended if you choose not to support this effort of mine.

     I am further asking each of you to refer me to a friend of yours who you think would be willing to help.   I am concerned that some people who don’t know me personally will receive this message and think that it is a scam.  That is why I ask that you personally speak on my behalf.

Checks or money orders can be made out to:

POSOLTEGA COMMITTEE

PO BOX 1461

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA 47402

Or,

MAKE THE CHECK PAYABLE TO “POSOLTEGA COMMITTEE” and send it to:

Lee Mysliwiec

1314 South Lincoln Street

Bloomington, Indiana 47401

Questions?  Call me at 812-369-6823       leemysliwiec@yahoo.com   or,   leemysliwiec@gmail.com

     The Posoltega Committee is a 501 (C) (3) non profit organization and your donation is tax deductible.    Here is the BEST PART… ALL of your donation goes directly to the program.  Our committee members are volunteers and we have virtually no expenses at this end.  Whenever one of us travels to Posoltega we do so at our own expense.  When we visit, we stay in the homes of local residents and pay them for our visit out of our own pockets.

What Inspired Me to do the Run?

1. During one of my visits to Nicaragua I saw a farmer wearing a piece of plastic on his feet and I was impressed because all of the young people wanted us to provide them with shoes of the type that we wear.  The farmer made his own shoes …..why couldn’t the young people be resourceful and make their own?  Their indigenous ancestors made beautiful sandals and  had no need for name brand shoes.  
2. My lovely wife, Libby, has a second cousin named Rosie Pope.  You may have heard about her.  She ran AROUND THE WORLD to promote awareness of prostate cancer.   It took her over 5 years to complete her run and she wrote a book about it.  I figure that if she can run around the world, then I can run 100 miles.
3. The Tarahumara people of Mexico are world famous for running long distances wearing car-tire huaraches.  Their exploits are highlighted in the book, “Born To Run”.
4. Hungry kids, hungry through no fault of their own.

Please help me with this project………  LEE Mysliwiec