Bill ran to raise money for Project ALS, a New York City-based charity that funds research aimed at effectively treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  ALS, also known commonly as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurological disease that attacks motor neurons in the body and affects the movement of muscles.

 

For Bill, supporting Project ALS was a personal mission, as his fiancée’s aunt passed away two years ago from ALS.  Although this was Bill’s first time raising funds for Project ALS, specifically, he previously has been involved with several runs to benefit various other ALS-related charities.

 

“This was my ninth or tenth run for charity,” Bill said.

 

Bill noted that, especially on those rainy early mornings when it would be much easier to roll over and stay in bed, it inspires him every time he remembers that he is training not only for himself, but also for a greater purpose.

 

“It motivates you to train when you’re doing it for a cause,” Bill said.

 

Going into the race, athletes knew that there would be a heightened level of emotion, especially in light of the Boston Marathon bombings in April.  According to Jess, several miles were painted with a blue stripe in memory of the Boston Marathon bombings victims.  Athletes could also donate money for a blue ribbon, which they could wear in the victims’ honor as they ran.

“The spirit of this run was very positive.  We were running for the victims and people who couldn't complete the marathon,” Jess said.

 

Jess, 26, finished the race in four hours, while Bill, 31, completed it in just less than five hours.  As instructors and fitness lovers, they followed intense programs to train for the marathon.  Bill expanded his typical workout program, adding additional long runs on the weekend.  Jess began training about one hundred days prior to the race, looking up various training plans and compiling them into a single one.

 

Sunday’s marathon was Bill’s first full marathon, and it was a learning experience for him. “The first 20 miles and the last 6.2 are like two separate races,” Bill said. “Pace is the biggest thing.  If you start out too fast, you’re never going to finish. Controlling your pace is the best advice I can give.”

 

Jess had explicit advice for future marathon runners looking to improve their endurance and prepare themselves for the demands of a marathon:   “Mentally, there is truthfully not much you can do to prepare beforehand. It’s different for everyone.  Physically, doing long runs during training and being dedicated to your running plan every week helps.”

 

In support of its staff members’ dedicated efforts, Next Level Training is making donations to both Project ALS and Team for Kids.  Next Level prides itself on its commitment to serving members of the community, through involvement with and contributions to various programs, organizations, and causes.

 

“Just watching how they treat staff and clients, it is pretty inspiring,” Jess said of Next Level’s support of its employees and of the community.

 

Among the organizations that Next Level supports is Daytop, a substance abuse treatment program, to which Next Level donates money for every goal scored by a high school varsity athlete who trains at Next Level. This past month, Next Level held a T-shirt fundraiser and raised $2,000.00 for breast cancer research.  Next Level also provides the use of its facility once a month to the New Jersey Dare Devils, a team for children with special needs based out of Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange.

 

Donations for Project ALS and Team for Kids are still being accepted on behalf of Bill and Jess.  To contribute to Project ALS, please visit http://www.projectals.org/support-us/donate-now; donations to Team for Kids can be made on Jess’s fundraising site, found at http://www.runwithtfk.org/Profile/PublicPage/6632.

 

 

 

 

 

By Alexandra Gakos, Next Level Training