Meet Upward Bounce team member: Christine Solari...

Another vital member of the Upward Bounce team is Christine Solari, Director of Stanford College Prep.

I met Christine a few years ago while I was a Tutor Coordinator for EPASA (East Palo Alto Stanford Academy), the middle school enrichment program whose graduates usually join Stanford College Prep when they reach high school. EPASA worked in close proximity and sometimes, collaboratively, with Stanford College Prep. In my time working in the Haas Center, I was able to get to know Christine and her commitment to Stanford College Prep and the students that she supports.

When I approached Christine with my idea, she was completely supportive…after she did a double-take on my email and needed assurance that I was serious. From the start, she devoted much time of her busy schedule as the Director of SCP to help out with the campaign. Christine helped give the team the space to hold our meetings and the freedom to develop various methods of fundraising. With her experience, she was able to also refine ideas and help spread the word about the campaign to the masses. Whether it was handling the raffle at the fundraiser, spreading the word, letter writing, or joining us in interviews, Christine devoted much effort and support for Upward Bounce.

On a personal level, Christine has been the most calming and peaceful presence for the campaign. Her calm manner has calmed everyone and kept us all inspired and focused throughout the campaign. Her optimistic outlook on everything has made it a more fulfilling experience. When the team would meet after a long and stressful day of work, after difficult workouts, and we were all exhausted and stressed, we were always met with a smile and a warm welcome from Christine. This campaign’s success would not have been successful without the great support of Christine and her passion for helping the students of Stanford College Prep. Thank you Christine!

Upward Bounce team: Chris Gaines

Upward Bounce has been successful beyond imagination. As race day nears (only 8 days left), I want to take the time to thank everyone who has helped make this possible. For the next week, I will introduce vital members of the Upward Bounce team, all of whom have played an integral part behind the scenes to make this campaign successful. First off is Christopher Gaines:

Chris Gaines and I have known each other for many years. We met when we both served as camp counselors for Camp Kesem as undergrads at Stanford. At this camp, we both connected with our desires for bettering the people and communities around us and using our talents and passions to make a change. We formed a strong friendship at the camp and have continued that friendship since. Chris is a Personal Training Manager at Equinox Fitness in Palo Alto, CA. He is also the Strength and Conditioning Coach for Stanford Rugby. Check out his website: http://www.performancegaines.com/ for more information on him and his services.

Chris helped with training me for this marathon. After I approached him with my idea, he was all-in and devoted much of his time and effort to help with the training, but also the fundraising campaign. He helped develop a training plan that would best prepare me for running 26.2 miles while dribbling a basketball. I have never felt better prepared for an event like I am for this one. I owe a lot of credit to the tutelage of Chris for this one. His concentration was to get me ready but to also prevent injuries along the way. Chris has volunteered much of his time and energy to work with me in developing and adjusting my workout regiments, and conducting one or two workout sessions with me a week. His flexibility in preparing workouts that meet my changing needs has been a blessing. Whether it was a freak shoulder injury, a 10 day trip that kept me confined to training in hotels, or constant rainy weather, Chris has kept me prepared for the goal.

On top of the physical training, Chris has provided tons of encouragement and moral support. Imagine a trainer who prepares you physically, but as the day of the big event comes, he prepares you mentally for it and keeps you focused…that’s Chris. As the training went on, he constantly supported me through encouraging words. Everyday for the past week (and he plans on doing this until the day of the race), he sends me a quote and a message to keep me inspired and focused on the goal. These words of encouragement have been just as big a help for me as the physical training. I leave you with one of the quotes that he shared with me, which we both hold dear to our ideals and our focus for the past couple of months, and we hope it will guide you as well:

"Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment."

Two weeks away...

I just returned from Sojourn to the Past, a trip that retraces the Civil Rights Movement by traveling through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee and visiting important battlegrounds in the fight for equality. I spent 10 days with many teachers, speakers, and over 100 high school students in a very powerful and enriching learning experience. By learning about the past, we all learned what we needed to do in our communities to make a better future. The common theme in the trip was, “ordinary people doing extraordinary things because it was the RIGHT thing to do.” People like Minnijean Brown-Trickey and the Little Rock Nine, Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the courageous people protesting in Birmingham, Representative John Lewis and the countless marchers in Selma, and many more who fought for what they believed in and put their bodies and spirits on the line because it was the right thing to do.

I know that everyone was wondering how I was able to keep up training while traveling. Given that it snowed in Atlanta and was freezing cold and very windy everywhere else we went, I was in the hotel gyms on treadmills and bikes, and running sprints up and down long hallways, and doing intervals going up emergency stairwells. With our very busy schedule, I had to sneak out very early in the morning or go workout late at night. Sometimes when I had an hour in the middle of the day (which was rare), I sprinted into a workout or at least stretched. It was very tough, but hearing the stories of everyone we met kept me motivated.

The speakers we met and the stories we heard inspired all of us to continue to fight for social justice. Going on this trip as a high school student in 2002 inspired me to become a social studies teacher. Being able to return as a teacher and experience this along with some of my students and 100 “adopted” students from the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and New York, showed me how people want to make a change. The trip was demanding of the students, but they diligently worked through the material and delved deep into the lessons. The stories impacted everyone so much, that it was rare to see a dry eye every time we met a speaker. To see the students so thirsty for knowledge and wanting to learn so much reminded me of why I decided to start Upward Bounce. I wanted to help students who have that deep desire for higher education in order to learn more, by giving them the opportunity to attend college. These students want equal opportunities, but the high costs of the application process can be too expensive for some. By raising money, we are helping students achieve their dreams. My goal has always been to break the world record; however, this has turned into something bigger than that. I knew that by me attempting such a bizarre and crazy feat, it would draw attention to the cause. People would hear about the running and dribbling, but that would only allow us to further spread the message of the need to help bring equal opportunities for higher education to students who do not have access to these opportunities.

The Civil Rights Movement was not successful because of one individual; it was the collective efforts of thousands, even millions, of individuals who brought about change. With a collective effort in donating (even a little bit), we can help more students reach their dreams. All we need to do is get them to college, and they will flourish when they arrive. Everyone who has been helping and supporting Upward Bounce for the past six months has devoted countless hours to the cause because we deeply believe in equal opportunity and education. We hope that you will continue to support us. But even more than that, we hope that this will help inspire you to fight for social justice by helping someone, marching for a cause, protesting, speaking out, or any other means of support—simply because it is the RIGHT THING TO DO.

Much love.

Heartfelt email from Pablo

Pablo sent out this heartfelt email this morning after our epic night at Mr. Smiths:

Querida Familia,

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who helped out with last night, whether it was spreading the word to friends and classmates, or helping sell raffle tickets, getting prizes for raffle tickets, and much more. Last night's fundraiser was a HUGE success. The General Manager said he's never seen a party like that at Mr. Smith's. The DJ agreed and said he's never seen people enjoying themselves and the place so full like last night. He even wanted me to join him tonight at another fundraiser in the city for Haiti to give shout outs and inspire those people. I am overwhelmed with emotions right now as I write this because of the love and support I felt last night and for the success of the campaign so far. Last night, we pulled in $3175 at the door and coupled with the $280 from the raffle, we raised $3455. Not bad for one night. I don't know the exact number, but with the donations we have already received, this might put us around the $5000 mark or very near. This is incredible. Great work everyone!

I'll be honest with you all since you have helped me with this campaign: last night probably saved my attempt. Quite frankly, I was starting to hit a low in my motivation and confidence. A nasty little cold has crept up on me and I was feeling sick and weak last night. On top of that, I was just exhausted from everything. I am in the midst of the most intense/important part of the training, and I am hurting and the sickness started wiping out the rest of my energy. Work has been extremely busy with many little projects. I even forgot for a moment that it was my birthday last week until my family called to wish me a happy birthday (seriously). With the injuries and setbacks with the shoulders, I was even questioning whether I would be able to pull off this feat. I was very nervous for the fundraiser, wondering if anyone would show up, then the rain came, and I thought that would deter many from showing, etc. The stress coupled with the physical toll that the challenge has presented started to really knock me back a bit. Endurance challenges are not new to me, my body can handle this; however, this is the first time that I do this while having a full time job (as opposed to only being a student). The training is seriously like a part time job on top of my already full time job that already feels like time and a half. I was hitting a low point and losing motivation, which was horrible timing because I am five weeks away from March 7th and need to be very highly motivated. But the love and support and seeing Mr. Smith's so crowded and people having a great time truly inspired me. Walking around, people I didn't even know where asking me if I was the "dribbling guy" and friends introduced me to their friends as the "guy who is dribbling the marathon" and people were very kind and had sincere words of encouragement.

This all started as a joke, with me saying I could easily break the record. Then I had a heartbreaking conversation with a highly qualified student (who I was going to write a letter of rec to Stanford for) who told me that she was not going to a four-year school because she could not afford to take the SAT II's and pay for the application fees. After taking out my credit card and paying for her, I emailed Christine looking for help on how we can make something happen and use this challenge as a quirky gimmick to get some attention. Little by little, we brought people along to compose our core team and we developed Upward Bounce. Originally, I thought we could raise a couple hundred or maybe $1000 and help fund the current seniors in SCP and get them to college. I had dreams of raising more, but tried to remain grounded and wanted to just at least help out a few students because I cannot stomach seeing these qualified students being turned down because they cannot afford the college application process. I just thought: "I just need to get them to college, that's it! They'll do the rest." But then with everyone's hard work, we are nearing the $5000 mark. We have had an incredible fundraiser. We have had some shout outs on radio stations. We are also on the verge of getting a sponsorship and an ad campaign in the local newspapers. I am passionate about what I do. I teach because I love it. Helping youth see the power of education and the love for the thirst of knowledge and growth for intellectual maturity is the most rewarding work that I have done. I don't mind putting my body through this challenge and putting in all this work, if it means that we can help even one student reach their dreams of college. Because of that, I am very thankful that you have helped us get to where we are.

I woke up this morning feeling so inspired, I was ready to hit my 16 mile run. I had to hold myself back in order to allow my body to rest a day and do it tomorrow instead. But I feel rejuvenated and inspired to continue to work on raising more money, raising awareness for equal educational opportunities, and to continue to get myself ready for this marathon. There is no doubt in my mind that I can break that record. 3:48:23 is the only thing I am thinking about right now. I will cross that finish line, even if I am crawling on my knees and pushing that ball with my nose. I am committed and focused on getting myself in the best possible position come March 7th. So thank you very much for your support. Let's keep pushing and doing what we are doing.

Much Love,
Pablo

As you can see, we've got tons of support and lots of momentum. Let's keep this up! I'm proud and grateful for everyone that is stepping up to the plate to do important work for our community.

Kev

Injury Updates

People keep asking about whether or not I get hurt doing this, since it is probably not a natural motion to run a marathon and dribble a basketball for so long. At first, I was not going to mention any injury, but after talking to a few people, I decided to share so that everyone gets a realistic view as to what happens and the risks when doing something like this. The preparation for the marathon has helped me decrease the normal amount of injuries and pains that one experiences in intense training like this. Every once in a while, I get a little pain or soreness (shin splints, sore muscle, tight muscle), but nothing too serious has occurred in my legs.

The dribbling was not causing any problems to my shoulders at first. But this was when I was dribbling on my sides and not alternating between hands. While this form was better for my shoulders, my body was twisted slightly and I used more energy. So, I experimented with different dribbling techniques on long runs. I found that the most "natural" motion that mimics my natural running motion was when I would actually cross-over every dribble. My running form was not altered much, so I was able to run faster without my upper body getting as tired. I went on a 10 mile run using this cross-over dribble, and it felt great. However, the next morning, I woke up and noticed my shoulders sticking out slightly (see picture). There was absolutely no pain, however, it was not normal. I got checked out and have attended physical therapy to help. Luckily, I caught it early on-- I have inflammation of the AC joints (yes, both shoulders). While it is not pretty, it is relatively pain free, only sore every once in a while.

Despite this little setback, I have adjusted my upper body workouts and am being careful. I took a break from dribbling and am slowly working it back into the running. While this form made me faster and was easier, I am probably going to have to rely on another form of dribbling to avoid further shoulder issues. I am closely monitoring my shoulders, however, I am still determined to continue with the challenge. With constant icing, physical therapy, and strengthening exercises thanks to the therapists and trainers, I am confident that I will still be ready to go on March 7th!

On this day...

...we are all observing MLK Jr's accomplishments and those all around the world that have fought for Civil Rights. King not only fought for equal rights for African-Americans, but for all citizens regardless of color.

It is his (along with the countless other Civil Rights leaders and participants) words who inspire me to keep working towards achieving equality for all. He is a big reason that I, along with my team of supporters on this campaign, are working hard to help support the students of Stanford College Prep reach their dreams of higher education. The best way to achieve equality in this society is to become educated. Let's keep Dr. King's dream alive and do what we can to support those around us to achieve their dreams, continue their education, and be advocates of human rights.

In the spirit of King, and all those that fought for our rights, I leave you with the inspirational words found on Civil Rights leader James Chaney's tombstone:

"There are those who are alive yet will never live.
There are those who are dead yet will live forever.
Great deeds inspire and encourage the living."

-The Upward Bounce team

How do you train for something like this?

Everyone keeps asking me what my workout plan is for this dribbling marathon. Later on, I will break down each segment of the workouts and give examples and pictures, but for now, I will give a general overview. I could just try to run with a basketball and see what happens, but then I might hurt myself and/or not run very fast. I am looking for the optimal performance, so I took a more holistic approach to this marathon.

The workout plan was developed with my good friend, Chris Gaines (check out Chris’ website: www.performancegaines.com). The training is very similar to the training that one does for regular marathons, but there are a few twists. I still need to get my body in shape and used to running a long distance, however, the major difference in this endeavor is the upper body. Dribbling a 7-9 pound basketball for 26.2 miles exhausts your upper body. The energy expenditure when running with the ball doubles. Runners always talk about hitting “the wall” around mile 18-20 in a marathon. When dribbling a basketball, that “wall” hits A LOT sooner (around mile 13-14). Usually when your legs tire, your upper body keeps you going, but in this case, the upper body is exhausted as well. So, Chris and I based the training around high intensity training. Basically, I am getting very tired very quickly so that I feel like I am hitting “the wall” early in the workout, and then practicing pushing through it. This helps me develop more stamina, but more importantly, helps me gain the mental strength to push through, which will essentially help me finish the race.

The training program is also based around preventing injury. There is extensive stretching (both dynamic and static) and foam rolling pre and post-workouts. The running includes a long run, speed/interval work (track), tempo runs, and resistance band training. I also cross-train twice a week (biking and swimming). I also work on coordination and balance (trying to dribble a ball when you are exhausted at mile 23, even for an NBA player, can be challenging). Finally, I spend a lot of time with resistance training (a little weight lifting) to strengthen the core, upper body, and legs. Including stretching, workouts, cool downs, and stretching again, I tend to workout around two hours a day (at least).

This was just a short introduction to the workouts and preparation for this race. It is important to know that when I began this training, I was already running and working out frequently, and have been training for this for a good amount of time. I have also done many endurance races before, including marathons and triathlons, so this is not the first time I do something like this. I do not recommend someone who has never run before or has done very little endurance training to just jump out and try something like this in such little time. You can do it, but you are more prone to injury. Basically, my training involves getting the heart rate up very quickly, tons of stretching and foam rolling, and lots of ICE!

If you have any questions or comments about the training, let us know.