We Think Deborah Can

Support Deborah in running a 10K while helping homeless youth

Deborah Gitin
Volunteer and donor , 12 years

Support Deborah's Campaign!

Donate





The total I've raised pays for:
  • 3 years of support
  • and 2 housing assistance
  • and 6 pairs of socks

Donations

NameAmountLocationDate
Nicole Auerbach, Friend$100New York, NY03/02/2010
I know you can.
Eugene Gitin, Uncle Gene and Aunt Gail$35Miami Beach, FL03/02/2010
You go girl
Joel Wattenbarger, Friend$150Brooklyn, NY03/02/2010
Go get 'em Deb!
Leslie Callahan, Friend$100Philadelphia, PA03/02/2010
Keep running, Deb. The most I can do is jog and not for very long. Good luck.
Ernest Chen, Partners in Bavarian Crime!!!$100San Francisco, CA03/03/2010
Andrew Clarkson, Friend$100Natick, MA03/04/2010
Deb, you ROCK!!!! xxx, laur, andy, elliana, & emily.
David Bond, Friend$100Rochester, NY03/04/2010
If dogs run free, then why not we across the swooping plain?
jean sullivan, Friend$60UK, CA03/06/2010
Hi Deb, I've run 3 @10k (the last one 10 years ago) and it's a great feeling when you cross the line, so keep going and enjoy!!
Malia Brink, Friend$100Washington, DC03/08/2010
Very inspiring! Go Deb!
Mitchell M Gitin, Dad$100San Francisco, CA03/08/2010
To spur you to finish, imagine Sarah Palin is running after you! Love, Dad
Carter Wall, Friend$100Medford, MA03/10/2010
Go Deb go!
Julie K Walters, Friend$50Moss Beach, CA03/11/2010
Lois J. Brandwein, Friend$25Brewster, NY03/14/2010
Hi Deb, We're thinking of you - have a great run!
Anonymous, Friend$35San Francisco, CA03/20/2010
Go Deb Go! (NPK)
Stephanie Rogerson, Friend$20Truckee , CA03/22/2010
You go girl!
Charles and Sandi Brown$25West Palm Beach, FL03/25/2010
Niku Thomas, Friend$150Philadelphia, PA04/09/2010
Runners rule! You're the greatest Deb - so proud of you. (Take care of those knees)
Faye Halpern, Friend$35Wellesley, MA04/09/2010
Best of luck!
A Kirsten Baxter, Friend$60West Orange, NJ04/09/2010
Run, Deborah, Run! You're doing a great thing. ;-)
Peter Laub, Friend$100Oakland, CA04/09/2010
Elizabeth Wei, Friend$100Concord, MA04/09/2010
Good for you, Deb! Keep it up! xo Liz
Anonymous, Friend$35Richmond Hill, NY04/09/2010
Christina Craig, Friend$20Temple Terrace, FL04/09/2010
Heide Leighty, Friend$35Houston, TX04/09/2010
Yay! Go Deb!
Holly Troeger, Friend$35Elkhart, IN04/09/2010
There's more than one Speedy in the family! The Beans are rooting for you!
Christina Swindells-Nader, Friend$35Vancouver, BC, CA04/09/2010
Go go go! With that cheering squad, you can't fail!
Patricia Washburn, Invisible Friend$35Portland, ME04/09/2010
What a great cause! You rock.
Lisa Quartley, Friend$60Brooklyn, NY04/10/2010
Elizabeth Horan, Friend$200San Francisco, CA04/11/2010
Way to go on the running Deb! And ATC looks fabulous -- thanks for letting me know about it.
Anonymous, Friend$60Berkeley, CA04/11/2010
Go Deb! I'm impressed with your commitment.
Alice Kaufman, Friend$100Redwood City, CA04/11/2010
You are doing a great thing!
Paul Schlaud, Friend$100Austin, TX04/15/2010
Roman Kramarchuk, Friend$75Berkeley Heights, NJ04/19/2010
Congrats on this latest undertaking - combining good and good things. Glad to be a (very) small part of the effort. Other than this running thing, you're still the same Deb, right?
Shira & Priscilla Rosenwald, Cousin!!$36Philadelphia, PA04/20/2010
Good Luck and we love you!
nancy theran, Friend$50southborough, MA04/27/2010
Of course you can! In fact, you already did.
Erin Stiegler, Friend$60Saint Louis, MO04/28/2010
Micah Brown, YOUR BOODLE$2San Francisco, CA05/07/2010
i love you MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK ON YOUR RACE MOMMY!!!!!!!
Mitchell Gitin, Dad$35San Francisco, CA05/08/2010
How about some more updates, daughter? Love, Dad
David Blumenthal, Friend$100Montpelier, VT05/14/2010
Go go go from the Shearmenthals!
Adele Feldstein, Friend$35Falls Church, VA05/14/2010
Go Deb Go!
Alysia Hazelton, Friend$25San Francisco, CA05/14/2010
We're cheering you on! Love, The Hazeltons
Mitchell Gitin, Friend$60San Francisco, CA05/14/2010
Dear Daughter: Congratulations on getting to this point. If someone can help me get to Mountain View on Sunday, I will be there to cheer you on. Perhaps MB can give me a ride there! Love, Dad
Darcy Wheeles, Friend$150Alameda, CA05/15/2010
Yeah! Go big!
Anonymous, Otter$36San Francisco, CA05/16/2010
Go Deb Go!
Mitchell Gitin, Father$60San Francisco, CA05/16/2010
Congratulations, Deb, for achieving your goal and in such a fast time and in such great shape! I am so, so proud of you. Love, Dad
Karen Bodner, Friend$50Upper Saddle River, NJ05/17/2010
Congratulations on a great run!
Anonymous, Friend$35New York, NY05/18/2010
Neil Phillips$25Cheverly , MD05/18/2010
Laura Rosenbury$310St. Louis, MO05/18/2010
Beth Baron, Friend$100Richmond, CA06/24/2010
Yay, you did it! I go running... but races? No way! I'm so proud for you.

Goal

To run the Shoreline Race for Literacy in Mountain View THIS SUNDAY, May 16! Woo-hoo!

I chose this goal because

Last year, I became a runner. A very slow runner. This year I will push myself farther! It may take me an hour and a quarter, but I think I can run a 10K (6.2 miles).

Also, please note the best rooting section in the world, pictured to the left.

I'm helping because

At the Crossroads makes lasting connections for lasting change - in its clients' lives and its supporters'. Change has a sneaky way of taking hold, and that's what I am hoping for with this campaign.

I've been donating to, and volunteering with, At The Crossroads, since its inception in 1997. Many of you already know what a special place ATC is. If you don't, I invite you to poke around the website and find out. You won't regret it.

About At The Crossroads

ATC walks the streets of San Francisco, reaching out to homeless youth and young adults on their turf. We work with young people who others have given up on, who would not get help without us. Since we started 10 years ago, we have worked with more than 5,000 youth, helping them build outstanding lives.

Updates

Posted by Deborah on 05/18/2010

I DID IT! The race was lovely, at a beautiful park with my family there to cheer me on and an excellent post-run breakfast.

I didn't feel like I was going that fast, but I guess that race-day adrenaline spurs you along, because I came out with a very respectable time of 1:05:41 (unofficial; I haven't seen the results posted yet).

What should I do next?

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Posted by Deborah on 05/13/2010

My race is in THREE DAYS!!!

I have had ups and downs in motivation, but thanks to you I have kept running three days a week, every week, during the campaign. Even though work has been a bear and I haven't been getting enough sleep, you've been keeping me going.

Last week I did a nine-mile run on the treadmill! And a couple of weeks ago I did a 6.5 mile, slightly hilly run, outdoors. I have also had some days when it was tough to do four miles. It's still a mysterious process to me.

But, I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

Please cheer me on this Sunday, virtually or in person, at the Race for Literacy at Shoreline Park in Mountain View. And if you haven't donated already, please do! Thank you all. Deb

Adele Feldstein wrote:

Go Deb Go!

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Posted by Deborah on 04/08/2010

I write this week with news of progress toward my goal, but also with sad news.

My friend Kathy O'Reilly passed away on March 21st, after a struggle with ovarian cancer. She was a wonderful person and was the person who gave me the little nudge I needed last year to get started running. I will miss her encouragement and her kindness greatly.

***

I have passed several milestones in my running since I last updated:

1. First ten-minute mile (on the treadmill, but I'll take it!).

2. Have exceeded race distance in my training several times! (longest run so far is 7.65 miles on the treadmill, in 85 minutes; longest run outside has been about 4.8 miles, with some hills)

3. Broke 15 miles weekly total last week.

I have kept running three days every week so far (though I will have to run both tomorrow and Saturday, after running today, to not break the streak).

In the next few weeks, I will keep plugging along and work on increasing my speed in my shorter runs.

I'm very grateful for all of your support and for the $1200 we have raised so far. Please keep it coming. I hope to exceed my initial $2000 goal in the two weeks to come so that I can increase the goal as the race approaches!

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Posted by Deborah on 03/04/2010

So glad to see the initial run of donations from friends and family far and wide. I realized that the first 7 of you to donate represent almost all the major stages of my life (except Baltimore/DC; c'mon guvvies, give it up!) and are people that I have known from 13 to 24 years (or 39 in the case of my dear uncle and aunt). So either it's been a while since I made any new friends, or I am very lucky to have so many wonderful old friends. I vote the latter.

Longest long run yet today! 5.85 miles in 65 minutes, on the treadmill. Getting close to race distance. Let's hope my knees hold up.

jean sullivan wrote:

Hi Deb, I've run 3 @ 10k's(the last one 10yrs ago) and it's a great feeling when you cross the line so keep going and enjoy!!

Tim P wrote:

Keep up the great work! You're almost up to the 10K distance

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Posted by Deborah on 03/02/2010

Have kept running 3x/week, mostly indoors, and have stretched out my running time. Broke five miles for the first time in this training period -- 5.4 miles in one hour on Feb. 26. Now trying to increase my longest run to race distance, and focus on increasing speed in my shorter runs. I ran a half-mile at 6.0 mph at the end of my run yesterday!

Nicole Auerbach wrote:

Woo Hoo! You kicked butt getting to 5K, and I know you can do 10!

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Posted by Deborah on 01/21/2010

As if 1/21 I have been running three times a week, with distances around 3 miles. Still a long way to go!

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