The fab folks of Charity Miles have found a way for active people to make a difference doing what they already do, what they already love.  Best of all?  Charity Miles lets me feel like a superhero :o)

You just download the *free* Charity Miles App to your Smart Phone, swipe to choose any one of several charities you’d like to champion & then press Start to begin tracking your miles. Your total distance – whether you clock your miles Walking, Running or Cycling – translates into awareness & funds raised.  Sponsors have already donated thousands upon thousands of dollars; all you have to do is use the Charity Miles App to claim those dollars for the charity you choose to champion – AKA become a superhero for.

Walkers & runners earn 25 cents a mile & cyclists earn 10 cents a mile. You can earn funds for the same charity organization every time or switch it up and #SpreadTheLove like I do.  Seriously, how cool is that? It’s super easy & seriously awesome in terms of motivation & making a difference.

Since discovering Charity Miles I use it for every training ride, whether for the BP MS 150 (which I did in April) or the upcoming San Diego Tri Challenge for Challenged Athletes Foundation (in October).  I use Charity Miles when I ride with the other recumbent trike riders & handcyclists who belong to Houston’s chapter of Achilles International at our work outs.  I turn on Charity Miles when I run errands with my trike – like the drug store or post office – and when go for walks with the dogs.

I’ve logged over 1500 miles so far, raising money for the causes I care about, helping those charities make a difference. These charities change lives for so many folks, so, when you think about it, I’m acting as a superhero #ChangeMaker for the world every single time I get out there, turn on Charity Miles, and RIDE :0)

I. Love. This. App.

I’m off – right now! – for some more superhero-ing.  This morning (like most) I choose to pedal my recumbent trike for Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

I’m raising funds & awareness in the name of one of my real life heroes & biggest inspirations.  I’m raising funds & awareness in memory of my beloved Grampa Parker.  I’m raising funds & awareness in honor of my best friend’s mother, the beautiful, courageous & strong-willed Margaret.  I’m also raising funds & awareness in honor of another dear friend’s father.  I don’t even know him, have never met him, in fact – but I love his daughter & I love his two smart, hilarious, adventurous grandsons.  I want him to be around, as healthy, active & happy as possible to enjoy & mentor those gorgeous boys.

Here’s the kicker – what I super-duper ADORE about Charity Miles:  As I’m superhero-ing through my training rides using my Charity Miles App – watching the dollars rack up as I pedal, pedal, pedal for Michael J. Fox Foundation – I’m simultaneously raising funds & awareness for Challenged Athletes Foundation.  Ever since discovering Charity Miles, my training rides have been a two-fer in terms of funds & awareness raised.  While preparing for the Lone Star Bike MS earlier in the year, I was pedaling toward a cure for MS and my chosen charity organization for that day’s ride.  How can you not love that? How can you not take advantage of that kind of double-opportunity to do good? You know what Phil Keoghan – another of my real life heroes! – says, right? No Opportunity Wasted!

So go, check out the Charity Miles website & App and choose your favorite worthy cause.  Or do like I do, choose a few!  Then, when you’re walking, running & cycling, we’ll be like the Superfriends.

We’ll be Charity Miles Superheroes, combining our efforts for good, for change.  We’ll be one great big tribe of superpowered movers & shakers, raising funds & awareness for the causes that most need it, for the people (& furry creatures, too!) who most need it.  We’ll be changing lives.  Which, when you think about it, means we’ll be changing the world.  Just by doing what we were already doing – Walking, Running, Riding.

These are my favorite causes on Charity Miles, though they’re all worth Walking, Running & Cycling for.

Wounded Warrior Project

ASPCA

Achilles International

Autism Speaks

Pencils of Promise

Girl Up

And my favorite of my favorites, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

My only “complaint” about Charity Miles is that I don’t have a way to turn all of the miles I  swim into dollars for the charities I love.  Maybe someday!

Gene Gurkoff on Charity Miles:

“We don’t want people to open their wallets, just tie up their sneakers.”

~          ~          ~          ~          ~

I still need somebody to do the swim and/or run portion of the triathlon on my relay team for the San Diego Tri Challenge!

And I still need a sponsor – any business or organization – who’ll make a donation and/or help with travel expenses in exchange for my wearing a jersey & flying a flag with your name/brand/logo.  Might this be you?  Might you know somebody?

This will be my first triathlon since MS came-a-vistin’ to my life.  I’m raising funds & awareness for Challenged Athletes Foundation, an organization devoted to making a difference in the lives of folks with illness & disability who need our help to enjoy a more active, independent, wild-&-wonderful life.  Like this guy, JJ.

Wanna make a difference?  You could pass on my story & donation page:  email, Tweet, Facebook post – anything you can think of to spread the word would be an enormous to help to me.  And, more importantly, to CAF :0)

Here’s where you can donate to my San Diego Tri Challenge adventure.  And you may read more about my motivation for this ride & the marvelous Challenged Athletes Foundation in my previous blog post.