Monthly St. Jude Heroes Newsletter

OCTOBER EDITION

You + Me = We

We know that times are tough and we want you to know that we are thinking of you and your family! We'd love to know what YOU are doing to stay fit, healthy and productive with fundraising!

Please email me, [email protected], and let me know what fundraising tips & tricks you would like to share with your fellow Heroes. Do you have a fun email that you are sending to your friends & family? Let me know.

HEROES SPOTLIGHT: Stephen Thompson, Krum, TX Nine years ago, I suddenly, with less than a week to prepare, lost my left leg do to a rare aneurysm. Absent of inspiration, my mind drafted a bleak future void of the vibrant everyday activities I enjoyed just a few weeks earlier. Fast forward to December 2019, and I completed my FIRST half as part of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon. The morning was frigid. I was seriously doubting my commitment and acutely listened to the increasingly louder and louder voices in my head to quit before the race even started. Around mile 5, we entered the St. Jude campus. The streets were lined ten rows deep with children, parents, professionals, and volunteers. At that moment, I realized my participation provided all with the vision of what's possible. As I passed by children with amputations, you could see the wonder and promise emerge from their soul. Despite the doctors, nurses, EMT's, prosthetists, and physical therapists along the course insisting there was no shame in quitting, the children deserved more. I suggested they walk with me. This was undoubtedly the most significant physical challenge of my life to date! I could barely move for days afterward. Within a few days, I recommitted to doing it all over again in 2021, this time at Texas Strong including my 74 year old father-n- law!

THANK YOU:

TOP HEROES: A huge shout out to our top ten current fundraisers in North Texas! Collectively you have raised $25,495! Thank you for your commitment and dedication.

1. Reagan Hales, $6,000, TCS 2. Pete Puckett, $3,170, United Airlines RnR San Francisco 3. Jill Gilbey- $3,500, TCS New York City Marathon 4. Richelle Ziebarth - $2,115, 45th Marine Corps Marathon 5. Michelle Spera- $1,950, St. Jude Memphis Marathon 6. Pamela Jasper - $1,850, Bank of America 7. EJ Wrzesinski - $1,820, St. Jude RnR Nashville 8. Dawn Welch- $1,815, Bank of America Chicago Marathon 9. Nadia Tellez - $1,765, Bank of America Chicago Marathon 10. Sarah Ussery- $1,510, St. Jude Memphis Marathon Page 2 FUNDRAISING

St. Jude Heroes Virtual Series Experience- What you need to know

Month Theme Run Week St. Jude Heroes U September TOGETHER 9/21–9/27 21 @ 6 pm –Guest speaker: MEB Keflezighi! Leading the Way Topic: Overcoming obstacles; Re-watch it here Meb Keflezighi is the only runner in history to win the , the New York City Marathon and an Olympic medal.

October HOPE 10/26 –11/1 26 @ 6 pm CST – Guest speaker, Tony Reed, NBMA Fueling the Cure Topic: Goal setting Tony Reed, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the National Black Marathoners Association. He was the first Black person in the world to have completed on all seven continents and his running clothes are artifacts with Washington DC’s Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture. November INSPIRE 11/23 –11/29 23 @ 6 pm CST – Heart & Soul • Heart and soul to your WHY • Listen to your body • REST -go hard, easy run day • Get back to your motivation December BELIEVE 11/30 –12/6 11/30 @ 6 pm CST Finish Strong • Celebrate your accomplishments • Run your race • Finish strong -enjoy race day

BRING ON THE BLING! Raise $100 each month to receive your medal for each month you fundraise.

Need help with fundraising? Join us for a National No More Cancer Rally fundraising party.

When patients receiving chemotherapy finish treatment, St. Jude celebrates with a No More Chemo party.

Help make more celebrations possible for the kids of St. Jude by fundraising at our own No More Cancer Rally. ~ Details coming soon! Page 3 TRACK YOUR RACE

Heroes participating in I’m Still In #forStJude

A. Download the St. Jude Heroes APP 1. Apple devices - Click on the “Connect to RTRT.me runner tracking app has been added to our SJMMW Apple Health” icon experience! This year, it’s getting a pandemic-proof upgrade, allowing 2. Android devices – Click on the “Connect us to run together on race day from where you happen to be! Learn to Google Fit” icon more. 3. Provide authorization to retrieve your This app give you access to: activity data  a live interactive map that allows you to see your progress on your course in real time Note: If you don’t allow all categories to  live audio updates that provide mile split times to help with your sync on iPhone, you may receive the pace following message and will need to sync all  live results and race leaderboard displayed both in the app and on health data. Go to Settings from your home our results page screen > Scroll down to the Health app > Select “Data Access & Devices” > Select [App Here are your next steps: Name] > Select “Turn all Categories On”. 1. Download the RTRT.me App 2. Connect and claim your profile to the distance(s) you are running. B. Track your Run You should’ve received an email about this. 1. From the home screen click on the 3. Review your location settings and update profile by adding a lower right icon called Get Active and click on “My Activity” photo. My Activity” tab 4. Complete your practice run. This helps prepare you for race day a. Your historic activity data will and is required before your tracking begins. automatically from either an Apple 5. Run your race and track your finish time. On race day, Sat., Dec. 5, Watch or Garmin if it’s already you'll see a countdown in the app. The race will start promptly at connected. 7 a.m. CST. b. If you do not have an activity

tracking device, you can record your Please note: The RTRT.me app is the only option to submit your race activity by clicking the green “Start” time. button and press the red “Stop” to Features for Spectators: complete your workout. 1. Download the RTRT.me app 2. Strava integration will soon be available. 2. Search events, and choose your participant’s 2020 St. Be sure to join the St. Jude Run Club in Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend Virtual Experience. Strava. 3. Search participants. Find and follow your participant(s). You can track multiple participants at one time. You'll get push NOTE notifications for each tracked runner, including estimated finish time. St. Jude Heroes App: Please note: you must enable event messages in the app to  NOT REQUIRED but activity tracker receive push notifications and SMS live updates. encouraged for fun and to log training workouts Note for Teams: When you view your profile, you will see your  Will track individual run distance but will teammates listed as well on all distances. Once a profile is claimed not specifically recognize they completed and their race begins, you will be able to track under their respective the “Together 5K” for example race distance.  Leaderboard is based off total miles run with the app. How to connect your Strava to RTRT. Click here.

Page 4 OTHER RACE UPDATES

A. Rock ’n Roll:  Two races left in 2020: RnR Nashville and RnR San Antonio  Transfer deadlines have passed  Need to fundraise: RnR virtal option still have to raise $500 min;  Transfer: if you did not complete in time of deadline or want to change your event race  If you need to make an update to your race transfer, please email your local RNR race inbox. o DEADLINE: End of September to update any transfers if you missed the deadline. If you need the email address for the RNR inbox, refer to the transfer email sent when we shared the postponement information. Each race is different. • If you choose to participate in a RNR virtual race you will have to raise a minimum of $500. o Note: To redeem your virtual finisher bundle post-race you will have to get a code from us first. This process will help with recommitment/card charges. • Fundraising dollars will be moved to your new race starting in January. Your current fundraising page should still be open and accepting gifts. o Note: Be sure to opt in to the I’m Still In so you can also earn medals and their Halo recognition items.

MUST READ FOR ROCK ‘N ROLL UPDATES: Undecided Runner Scenario #1 – 2020 Race is returning in 2021 If a registered athlete has not made an alternative race selection, RnR will work with the participant to make an alternative race selection (which could include a Virtual Race transfer option) via direct email communications. If the participant does not make a selection by Thursday, October 15th, the runner will be transferred to the same race in 2021. These 2020 races fall under this scenario:  Washington, D.C., San Diego, Seattle, Virginia Beach, San Jose, Savannah, Las Vegas

Undecided Runner Scenario #2 – 2020 Race is NOT happening in 2021 If a registered athlete has not made an alternative race selection and the original race that was purchased is on hiatus in 2021, RNR will work with the participant to make an alternative race selection (which could include a Virtual Race transfer option) via direct email communications. If the participant does not make a selection by Thursday, October 15th, the athlete will be automatically transferred to a pre-determined geographically relevant race. The only exception is the RNR Denver race. If the RNR Denver registered athlete does not make a selection by Thursday, October 15th, the athlete will be automatically be placed in the Virtual Race transfer option. Below you’ll find the automatic transfer race pairings:  RNR Atlantic City -> RNR Virginia Beach  RNR New Orleans -> RNR Savannah  RNR Philadelphia -> RNR Virginia Beach  RNR Clearwater -> RNR Savannah  RNR San Francisco -> RNR San Jose  RNR Denver -> Virtual Race Transfer Option  RNR Chicago -> RNR Nashville

B. 2021 Virgin Money – October 3, 2021  Application opens mid-September with 8 spots to fill  Fundraising commitment is $10,000  Deadline to apply is 10/31  Interviews begin in November  Team announcement the week of 12/07

Page 5 OTHER RACE UPDATES

C. Walt Disney World Marathon & Disney Princess Half Marathon  Just recently announced they will be virtual only. o 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon and 2021 Disney Princess Half Marathon will now be virtual only events. Attached are the emails that we sent out 9/28 notifying Heroes of the options available to them.

MUST READ FOR runDISNEY PARTICIPANTS:

St. Jude Heroes who have met their 2021 fundraising goal o Virtual - Your race entry will be transferred to the virtual event in the race you are currently registered for. No additional fundraising is required. o Drop - St. Jude Heroes will forfeit their race entry. St. Jude Heroes who have NOT met their 2021 fundraising goal o Virtual - Your race entry will be transferred to the virtual event in the race you are currently registered for. St. Jude Heroes will be required to complete their fundraising commitment during the virtual event. o Drop - St. Jude Heroes will forfeit their race entry and will be released from his/her fundraising commitment o All Heroes will need to complete the survey linked in the email by Friday October 2nd to let us know if they would like to run in the virtual race or be released from their fundraising commitment as a St. Jude Hero. NOTE - if a Hero would like to participate in the virtual event at a different distance than what they are currently signed up for, please email me at: [email protected].

Good luck to the heroes participating in October in: • St. Jude IRONMAN Memphis 70.3, October 3. Be sure to check your inbox for the virtual weekend activities • The London Marathon Virtual Event (October 4th) • The virtual Bank of America Chicago Marathon taking place October 5-11. The original race date is October 11.

OTHER:

St. Jude Heroes Training Talks

Join us for the next St. Jude Heroes Virtual Happy Hour where we will join several markets to hear from two St. Jude Hero training coaches to talk about how to start your first race and choosing the right gear. Please note the new date and time.

Save the date: Wednesday, October 21 @5:30 PM CST Meeting URL: https://alsac.zoom.us/j/92522598573?pwd=ZFhOK2ZQeGlFYkhXRU5hRXJDbElQdz09 Meeting ID: 925 2259 8573 Password: 579893

During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital presented on the state of childhood cancer with NBC News anchor Willie Geist featuring St. Jude Executive Vice President Charles Roberts, MD, PhD, and ALSAC President and CEO Richard C. Shadyac Jr. Miss it? Don’t worry, catch up here.

JOIN US: St. Jude Heroes- North Texas Facebook group