An exciting announcement for 2015!

With the Detroit Marathon behind me, it’s time to take a short (and much-needed) break from running. But resting up my legs for the next few weeks doesn’t mean we can’t start planning ahead for next year’s adventures!

Case in point: If you remember, I was invited to the LUNA Chix Summit last spring by friend, LUNA Sponsored Athlete and Detroit Tough endurance coach Terra Castro. What started as a mission to profile the group, though, ended up being so much more; I didn’t just want to write about them, I wanted to get involved.

Fast-forward through this past year, where I had set my sights on accomplishing a few personal goals: First Olympic triathlon? Check. First ultramarathon? Check. 10k PR? Check. First overnight relay? Check. Sub-four marathon? Nope, but still on the list. Yeah, it’s been a busy race season.

But as I look toward 2015, instead of going faster and further (although there may be some of that), I want to change focus a bit and help others achieve their goals. Inspiring each other is a huge part of why I got into this “blogging thing,” and facilitating that feeling of pride in accomplishing something new, tacking a tough obstacle or achieving something someone never thought possible, is rewarding for everyone involved.

So when LUNA put out a call for team leader applications, it was a no-brainer. Not only would launching the LUNA Chix Portland Run Team allow me to get to know people in a new community even better, but we’d also have a chance to give back through the organization’s work with the Breast Cancer Fund (ok, and the yummy bars are a bonus).

What, exactly, is Team Luna Chix? The company has a few tiers of athletes — from professional to sponsored to local — and here’s a little background on this program at the local level:

Our season runs from April to October 2015, and we’re actively recruiting for the 10-person team. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let me know; we’re not necessarily looking for the fastest or most accomplished runners, but you’ve gotta have heart — a desire to inspire, support and motivate others, as well as set an example in the community.

And stay tuned for updates, including the official roster, our weekly workouts (open to everyone and all levels; come join us), plus other activities, such as clinics and support at local events, as the season progresses. I hope you’ll join us as we encourage each other to stay active and inspire others to do the same!