My race calendar is pretty predictable year-in and year-out. In April, I run the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run (if I get in) and the GW Parkway Classic. In June, I run the Lawyers Have Heart 10K. In July I run the PVTC Go Fourth 8K. In October, I run the Army 10 Miler. Still, whenever the time comes to register for the Lawyers Have Heart, I hesitate. I just don’t like this race! Between the time of year (mid-June) and the route (the last mile in the blazing sun on the Whitehurst Freeway is brutal), this 10K is much harder than any 10 mile training run. But this race has become important to me for more personal reasons than chasing a PR or at least trying to beat the line.
According to the history on the Lawyers Have Heart website, the LHH was founded in 1991 as a way for the Washington, D.C. legal community to support the American Heart Association, to help fight diseases which significantly impact people in the high-stress legal profession. Over the years, the LHH has raised more than $8.5 million to benefit the American Heart Association, whose mission is building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Why do I run the Lawyers Have Heart to support the American Heart Association?
- I am a lawyer.
- I want others to know that lawyers do have heart, despite our reputation for being heartless!
- I want to spread the word about the importance of taking care of yourself, even if you have a stressful, sedentary job.
(My desk on a stressful day)
- Heart disease is the #1 killer of women.
- Unlike many diseases, there are things we can do to reduce our risks for heart disease.
- There is still much to learn about preventing and treating heart disease.
- Despite being fit, active, and at a healthy weight, I got a DVT on a long flight to Australia on my birthday.
- Despite seeming healthy and being active, my Dad died suddenly from heart failure.
Please consider joining me in supporting the American Heart Association. You can donate through my donation page here or through the link on my side bar. You can donate in honor of a loved one, or you can make your donation anonymous.
I’m frustrated that the donation page emphasizes large donations because even small donations can make a big difference in the fight against heart disease. According to the American Heart Association webpage:
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American Heart Association
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How Your Donation Can Make a Difference…
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$5
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Provides resources for one of 200,000 You’re the Cure volunteers to encourage their local, state and federal lawmakers to make changes on important issues such as menu labeling and state health programs.
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$5
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Teaches more than 100 adults save a life by recognizing the signs of heart attack or stroke and how to administer CPR or use an AED. Provides a wallet card they can keep in their back pockets for reference.
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$10
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Makes it easier for people to find AEDs in public places. This donation covers the costs of placing nine identification stickers in public places, directing people to these devices that can save someone’s life. Congress mandated the public placement of AEDs in response to AHA lobbyists.
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$10
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Provides informational videos and brochures to lead a Power To End Strokecampaign and heighten awareness of the impact of stroke in the African-American community.
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$15
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Reaches 100 African-American or Hispanic individuals with heart disease and stroke prevention information, and encourages them to participate in Search Your Heart, our cultural health program.
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$15
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Highlights stroke risks for 50 individuals and gives them a better understanding of how they can help prevent cardiovascular disease.
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$20
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Helps healthcare providers prevent heart disease in women by translating American Heart Association science into evidence-based guidelines for their practices.
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$20
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Allows church and organization leaders to launch our cultural health program,Search Your Heart, delivering information to help people in the African-American and Hispanic communities to reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke.
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$25
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If one of every 50 people in the United States made a donation of this size, the American Heart Association could award more than 1,000 qualified researchers with the grants and scholarships that were not funded this past year. This critical research could lead to the next generation of advancements in preventing, treating or even eradicating cardiovascular disease.
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$25
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Empowers 25 underserved African-Americans to help end stroke by educating them on topics such as risk factors, prevention and healthy eating.
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$30
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Educates two healthcare providers via webinar about Get with the Guidelines-Outpatient or any of our programs that continually improve clinical care.
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$40 a month
for a year
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Sends a doctor or scientist to the International Stroke Conference to learn the latest advancements in the treatment and prevention of stroke.
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$50
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Provides information and inspiration to help four stroke survivors maximize recovery and independence with a subscription to Stroke Connection, a bi-monthly periodical and our biggest outreach to stroke families.
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$100
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Engages 1,000 women to learn their risk of heart disease by conducting their own Go Red Heart CheckUps.
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Thank you for your support!
Have you ever run for a cause?
Is there a specific cause that is near and dear to your heart?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
I HAVE! To fight ovarian cancer…
That's a really great cause and also one that's dear to me. Heart disease runs in my family and my father passed away suddenly from a heart attack when I was young. I've also trained and competed with Team in Training, another cause that's important to me. I find that it makes a big difference when you training for a cause. Makes you push yourself a little bit more.
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