I started running a year and a half ago.

Ever since I heard that people run 100 miles through the woods I, strangely, have wanted to do just that.

My first run on this road was in March of '08. It was a 5 mile slog that really hurt. By that next October I completed my first ultra marathon. It was the hardest thing I have ever done and I was hooked!

Now I've got 4, 50ks (31 miles) scheduled starting in December. One each month through March and then, if all goes well, a 40 miler in June!

I called my good friend Paul at Portlight Strategies, Inc to to tell him about my running, and to see if maybe we could team up. So... here we are!

Portlight has helped to serve the needs of people with disabilities since 1997. Their more recent work has been to focus on those needs in the face of natural disasters. It's with this focus in mind that we are teaming up.

I think Paul wrote it best with this statement; "There are certain populations which are simply not well served by the large institutional and government relief infrastructure. It's a niche which Portlight Strategies, Inc., has filled in relatively small ways in past disasters.... We are deeply committed to filling this niche in the future."

The needs of the physically disabled are many, different, and just simply not accommodated in the face of natural disasters. See the Portlight Story tab of their website for a great look into what they do.

So my goals are now to raise awareness of a constant and, to date, under served need as well as help raise money for the cause!

...and oh yeah, to run... a lot.