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The Phoenix Chapter of the Chron’s and Colitis Foundation is sponsoring a training program that helps you get trained to run or walk a half marathon. The Program is called ‘Team Challenge’ and helps you to train for the marathon while you help raise money for a great cause.

‘Team Challenge’ is now recruiting teams for our Kona, Hawaii and Napa-to-Sonoma Wine County Half Marathons.

Information Meetings for the Kona & Napa Summer Season:

Saturday, February 21, 2009 @ 9:30 am – Red Mountain Multigenerational Center (Mesa)

Thursday, February 26, 2009 @ 5:30 pm – Trader Vic’s (Scottsdale)

* You are asked to RSVP to these events so they can save you a spot

For more information please visit the Team Challenge Website:

http://www.ccteamchallenge.org

Popularity: 11% [?]

That’s right, on Saturday November 8th starting at 7 AM you get a chance to Outrun the FBI and have your money go to a great cause!  The Phoenix FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBICAAA) is sponsoring the first ever ‘Outrun the FBI’ race benefiting Educational programs for schools and parents on the safety of the internet.  I have been told that all money raised for this event will stay in state so all the money raised will help kids and adults around the state.

So why is the event called ‘Outrun the FBI’?

Well it’s a 3.1 mile/5K race where runners and walkers will get a head start.  Sometime after the racers/walkers are into the race the FBI runners will start and will try to outrun the field.  All of those runners who beat the FBI will get a special “I outran the FBI” T-shirt. The race is open to individual runners and teams (must have at least 5 to a team and no more than 10 to a team).

Once runners cross the finish line, there will be a wide array of food, music, demonstrations by the FBI and other cool things to do.  You don’t have to participate in the run to enjoy the family friendly fun, food, and music.

Check-in for the race begins at 7 AM and the Race starts promptly at 8:00 AM.

There will be awards handed out in many age categories and for teams as well.

Race Fees:

Before Oct. 31, 2008: $25/individual, $20/team member (teams must be 5-10 people); After Oct. 31, 2008: $30/individual, $25/team member

If don’t plan to participate in the run but want to donate to this worthy cause you can submit your donations online here:

http://www.active.com/donate/outrunthefbi5k

To register for the event and more detailed information, please refer to this page:

http://www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm?event_id=1602407&assetId=b3310c36-e349-44b2-963f-8b46e4d18322

Popularity: 11% [?]

Ok other than our site.  Hee hee.

Anyways, I got an e-mail from the Executive Director of the Maricopa Council on Youth Sports and Physical Activity with a link to what I believe to be one of the greatest resources for public Park/Sports/recreation facilities in the Valley of the Sun. The site is Called ‘Spaces to Play’ and is a site devoted to finding places to play sports around the valley.  The site is going to always be adding features over the course of the coming months so don’t think this is a be all/end all list.

Here’s the types of information you can find on this site (that is located around Maricopa County):

• Where to play Outdoor Volleyball (Sand)
• Where to play Baseball/Softball
• Outdoor Basketball
• Running Tracks
• Public Golf Courses
• Off-Leash Dog Parks
• Running Track (as in circular tracks at High Schools and Colleges)

I personally am an avid outdoor Volleyball player and this site is a godsend as there are many parks around the area that are just simply full sometimes when I want to play.  The site centers around a Google map that shows the resources available for you to go check out.  For example, if you select soccer your location results will appear as soccer balls on the map of the Greater Phoenix area.  You can click on the given sports Icon on the Google Map and you will be shown the location and address of the given park.  You can scroll in to a greater detail to get an exact location of a park, golf course, track, or Volleyball Court.

I have been told that one of the next features on the site will be hiking trails around the valley.  I know there’s a lot of hikers out there that would love this kind of information.  As soon as we find out about it, we will let you all know!

Here’s the link to ‘Spaces to Play’.  BOOKMARK THIS NOW!!!

http://www.spacestoplay.org/map/

Popularity: 8% [?]

This is the first post in a new Category called ‘Outdoors Stuff’. There won’t be very many entries in this category right now due to it being the Monsoon season and triple digit temperatures. In the odd day that it’s cool enough to go out I wanted to draw up a simple map of the Scottsdale Greenbelt based on one of the shorter Bike Rides I used to train for a triathlon a few months ago.  You can go on some of the trail or all of it depending on how hot it becomes or how much you want to explore the belt.  Granted, if the Monsoons dump a ton of rain many parts of the Greenbelt will be closed from flooding due to the crappy drainage there is in the Greenbelt.

Here’s a detailed map of the Greenbelt trail From Scottsdale to Mill Ave in Tempe and back.

Popularity: 29% [?]