High Cloud Foundation - Because Dreams Come True

Hello All,

On August 17th, 2009 I had an bicycle accident while I was doing the Reston Century.  What they diagnosed as a torn adductor muscle turned out to be a large pelvis fracture. Not knowing this, I remained focused and with a bit of pain I completed  Ironman Florida on November 7th.

Now, it has been 6 months after this bike accident happened and I feel much better. So this past Sunday I went ahead and ran a 10k after 6 months of not running at all.

My goal was to not be fast but to test my legs and see if the bone was actually healing. So I headed to the start line and with a bit of hesitation and courage I started running. It was an incredible feeling after not having run for 6 months; it was almost like I had to re-learn my own running techniques.

I was trying to hold a 9 mile pace and be very careful with my bone injury however after mile 4 I started feeling a bit of discomfort, not pain but a bit of pressure on the leg…so I slowed down and I continued enjoying the course, the hill, the environment and the entertainment.

When I crossed the finish line, I was more than convinced that I am a Triathlete and a Runner at heart. I had a great time enjoying the challenging course, I was very happy with the weather and very content that I was able to finish without a serious pain in my broken hip.  I really loved running in my new UA apparition running shoes which carried me to the finish line without pain and yes I drunk tons and tons of Snapple orange drink and water before and after the race!  Superb! That was the magical combination!

When I saw the results after the race, I noticed that I had held a 8:16 mile pace. Not a bad start for not having been able to run for the last six months! I was very happy and anxious to do it again!

When I finished, I went to pick up my Snapple bag and Matt and we headed to the pool for a 2 mile swim. It was a great run-swim brick!

Now I leave with you with the thought of the week which was taken from The Outliers, a book that I just finished reading:  “The people at the very top don’t just work harder or even much harder than everyone else, they work much, much harder. Achievement is talent plus preparation and opportunity”  Malcolm Gladwell.

Okay, friends, another great weekend is ahead of us! Stay tune for more updates! More fun to come!

Cheers and Hugs,

Adriana Anderson

High Cloud's work with Maasai schoolchildren in Kenya's Rift Valley Province continues, even as adverse weather continues to plague the region. The punishing drought that lasted through much of last year has ended, but the rains that have brought relief have also caused damaging floods.

Joseph Ole Tipanko, leader of the Maasai Good Salvage Outreach Organization (MAGSA) and a High Cloud partner, said floods hit his village in December and January, killing four people. Two were his students.

The Kenya Red Cross reported that heavy rains and flash floods continued into March across the country.  It said 18 people died, and at least 12,000 people were "in dire need of relief aid."  The floods caused extensive damage to property and food supplies, and precipitated fears of contamination by water-born illness.

In addition, the floods prolonged problems with the supply of livestock, which many Maasai people rely on to survive. The Red Cross said that more than 1,500 animals went missing during the flood.

Already, the drought had killed off many cows, goats, sheep, and donkeys.  The losses forced many Maasai pastoralists to leave home and school to search for fertile grazing land.  Even though the dry period has ended, the available animals not suffice to make a plentiful living.

"There is much pasture for our livestock, but few livestock are there to feed on the pasture since most of them died during the drought period," said Tipanko. "People still struggle to find what to eat since there is less milk, and cows and goats to slaughter for food, or to trade to buy the limited foodstuffs at the markets."

Despite these conditions, High Cloud and MAGSA have continued school programs aimed at improving both academic skills and self esteem.  These projects have been lending educational support and food to more than 100 children in Ntashat Village. Students have completed spring exams and have been on a break for the month of April.

Rachel Herbers, High Cloud's liaison to Africa, said that the community's ability to keep school going through harsh conditions proves its resilience and dedication to education.

"While one could imagine being devastated by these challenges, the perseverance and commitment of people like [them] to still focus on a more hopeful future is humbling," she said.

In addition, Herbers said this dire situation calls to mind how complicated the problems of developing nations can be.

"When first hearing about the droughts, I'm sure everyone was hoping and thinking, 'If only a little bit of rain would come,'" she said.  "But now we can see that the rains did come, and not only are they too late to reverse the damage in the case of the lost cattle, but the rain in itself has caused damage as well. The susceptibility to the forces of nature is so much more evident in Joseph Tipanko's case than I would ever experience in my life in America."

Hi All, what a wonderful night at the Bicycle Pro Shop in Georgetown! We met with our Team mates, had a chance to chat about our upcoming races, share some war stories of recent races and ended up buying great goodies!  Cannot wait to go back for more!  By the way, they have a great store on Duke Street in Alexandria as well (http://www.bicycleproshop.com/)

Here are some pics with all of us and Serge – he is an incredible guy!

Here is Zach big time styling our awesome Snapple Tri gear:

Now we leave you with something to think about at the end of this beautiful week:

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other Abraham Lincoln

For Immediate Release April 12, 2010

For more information, please contact Alan Levine (571-238-1729, alan@hybridpedals.com)

PEDEGO AND BIG WHEEL BIKES TO UNVEIL NEW ECO-FRIENDLY ELECTRIC BIKE

ON THURSDAY, APRIL 22 -- EARTH DAY

(Arlington VA) -- To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, Big Wheel Bikes will introduce Pedego Electric Bicycles to the DC area.

"We will demonstrate Pedego's complete product line at Big Wheel Bikes, 3119 Lee Highway, in Arlington, at Lyon Village Shopping Center, from 3 PM to 7 PM on Earth Day," said Alan Levine, the Pedego distributor in Arlington, Virginia.  "We are very pleased to be aligned with Big Wheel Bikes. We feel that their 39 years in business and unmatched service makes them the perfect dealer for Pedego Electric Bikes. From Big Wheel's Arlington location, riders can easily test-ride the bikes on the Custis Trail, which offers a good combination of gentle slopes and steep uphill climbs.  Saving energy is the key to America's future, and every bike we add on the road is one less car.  We can actually take cars off the road for good."

Levine invites any official who has ever spoken about saving energy, reducing carbon footprint, or other green initiatives, to attend the unveiling.  "On Earth Day, everybody talks the talk, and some walk the walk.  Let's see who rides the ride," challenged Levine.

Pedego, based in Irvine, California, offers the highest quality and most unique electric bicycles in America. Pedego Electric Bicycles enable anyone, regardless of age, ability, or physical condition to rediscover the joy of bike riding. Pedego Electric Bicycles function as ordinary pedal bikes, but at a touch of the throttle, the zero-emissions motor silently kicks in to assist the rider to surmount even the steepest of hills. Riders can choose between pedaling, using the motor, or both. Pedego Electric Bicycles can travel distances up to 30 miles at speeds up to 20 MPH on one four-hour charge from an ordinary wall plug.  The battery is detachable for ease of charging, and the charger is similar in size to a laptop charger.  Under Federal Law, electric bikes do not require a driver's license or registration.

Eric Fingerhut, founder of International Cycling Law Association (eric.fingerhut@cyclinglaw.org) will attend to answer any legal questions about electric bicycles.  He noted that electric bicycles are legal under Federal law. "H.R. 727 is perfectly clear. If it has two or three wheels, a motor less than 750 watts and a maximum speed of less than 20 mph when ridden by a 170 pound rider, it's a bike,” he said.  “In my view, the states which require licenses and insurance for electric bikes are impeding their acceptance and usage by the general public and, in essence, preventing Americans from reducing their carbon footprint."

One of Pedego's models, the patented Umbrella Folding Bike, folds up in one second.  When folded, Umbrella Folding Bikes are small enough to carry in the trunk of a car, store in a closet, or roll onto a train.  "This bike is very powerful, and the easy folding feature makes it perfect for commuters, boaters, RV owners, or anyone who can't store a full sized bike," said Alan Levine, co-founder of Hybrid Pedals, the DC area distributor of Pedego Electric Bicycles.  "All of our e-bikes offer a fun, smooth and stylish ride."  Pedego also offers a full-sized beach-cruiser-style bike, available in a wide array of color choices.

"We like to call it recreational exercise. Boomers love this bike because of the ease of riding and the fact that they can ride longer distances and not be afraid of hills," Levine added.  "Every person who goes for a ride comes back with an ear to ear grin."  Pedego Electric Bicycles are manufactured to last, using high quality beand-name components. Both models are designed for urban transportation or recreational exercise.

In particular, Pedego Electric Bicycles are ideal for persons with health issues, such as heart or respiratory issues, or other conditions that would prevent them from riding a regular bicycle.  "Pedego Electric Bicycles are also a good choice for amputees or wounded warriors who want to get back on their bikes," said Levine.

According to Don DiCostanzo, founder of Pedego (don@pedego.com), "Electric bikes are helping people of all ages get back on bicycles and coincide with this country's need to get more fit."

Big Wheel Bikes has locations in Alexandria, Arlington, Bethesda, Georgetown, and Potomac.  Big Wheel Bikes will serve as the official repair and maintenance center for the innovative new Pedego Electric Bicycles. For more information about Big Wheel Bikes, see www.bigwheelbikes.com  

In particular, the new Pepsi Pedego bike for food delivery will be unveiled.

Among the invitees are Arlington County board members, Virginia State Assembly members, Washington DC City Council members, and DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, an avid cyclist.

The Italian Store, next door to Big Wheel Bikes, will provide refreshments and food.  Dr. Delivery, an Arlington-based multi-restaurant delivery company, will provide live entertainment during the unveiling.

For more information about the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, see

www.earthday.org/campaigns/official-earth-day-2010-campaign

For more information about Pedego Electric Bikes, and the unveiling, see www.hybridpedals.com

Author: Patrick Montjourides published on UNESCO In an effort to understand the disparities in education both within countries and throughout the world, UNESCO created this view that displays the distribution of children ages 17-22 with less than 4 years of schooling.

About this Viz The vertical black lines represent the average education poverty (children with less than four years of schooling) for each country. The orange bars specify the differences in education poverty within population groups (Wealth, Language, Ethnicity, etc.). A very wide orange bar shows a group with high education marginalization. Take C.A.R. for example: although education poverty averages an astoundingly high 89% (89% of all children 17-22 have less than 4 years of schooling), the orange bars span less than 15% so we can tell that there are relatively small disparities between groups in the country. Conversely, in Niger only 30% of the wealthiest group is in education poverty while over 90% of the poorest group is.

Hi All, this is an amazing interactive graph that displays all HI Ironman finishers over time broken up by average and fastest. If you interact with it a little, you will see how close the average Ironman athlete is now with the fast pack...definitely a huge competition in the swim. Should we say that strong cyclists and runners may be the determining factor in the difference between an average Ironman athlete and the fast pack? Maybe it is a combination of natural ability, preparation, opportunity and a great spirit. Now we leave you with the thought of the week: When you want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true Paulo Coelho

The PeasantMan Reaching The High Cloud Triathlon
presented by The High Cloud Foundation, DC Tri Club& Team Snapple!

DATE: July 25, 2010

TIME: 8:00 am EST

LOCATION: Sandy Point Park and Beach, MD

MORE:

From the Organizers of the Cloud Snapple Half Marathon, comes the PeasantMan Reaching The High Cloud Triathlon!

The Triathlon will be at the beautiful Sandy Point State Park and Beach on July 25th 2010 for only $5! As part of the PeasantMan experience, there will be an open water swim component in the waters of Sandy Point.  It will then be followed by a bike ride that will go through beautiful historic old town Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy.  The run will be within the grounds of Sandy Point State Park.  The bike ride will be a fixed distance of about 25 miles.  The swim will have a 700 meter-ish and 1,400 meter-ish option.  The run will have a 5k and 10k option.  There will be a T-1/T-2 area.

If folks want to show up just to only swim, bike, or run .... that is also acceptable.  This is a training day with a picnic in a social atmosphere as opposed to a competitive one.  No one there will be tracking your time.  You go and handle things at your own pace.  Come out and have fun with folks who share your passions.  All proceeds will help the High Cloud children and Achieve kids.  It's fun day and a fun event....Did we mention that it is only $5!!

Go to the following website to register for the PeasantMan!  In the last two days, we have had 100 registrations so sign up soon!

http://www.highcloud.org/peasantman

For more information please contact the PeasantMan Race Director, Tuan Nguyen, at peasantman@highcloud.org

Please join High Cloud and our partner charities at a spectacular Running Festival occurring May 1st and 2nd!



See the following site for more information on the Running Festival as well as a link to register:

http://www.highcloud.org/runningfestival