By: Michael Eaton
Are you a risk taker? Do you like to make friendly bets among friends on sports? Do you like to see your money go towards good causes? If you answered yes to any of those questions, or maybe all three, then keep reading as I have a story that may just perk your interest.

As many of you know, in 2012 I ran in the Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston, Texas. It was my first marathon and to date is still the fastest I’ve run for the distance. Well, 2016 is quickly approaching and so its time once again to prepare for the trials. But before I can do that I have to qualify. This November I’m running the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I will need to run under 2 hours and 18 minutes in order to just qualify for the trials. If I run under 2 hours and 15 minutes then I hit the “A” standard, which means not only do I qualify to race, but the USATF will cover my travel and housing to the race. Neither of these times are easy to hit, but I believe with proper training I’ve got what it takes to hit the mark on November 1st.

As extra motivation for me this fall I’m using my marathon as a way to raise some money to help build a well in Peru. Jessica and I went to Peru this June for our honeymoon. We had wonderful time exploring the natural beauty and interesting culture of the country. While there we also saw firsthand the extreme poverty that many people in the country face. I’m partnering with Janji Running Apparel and Living Water International to raise money for this project and I want to invite you to help.

So here’s where risk taking comes in. Take a moment and think about how much you’d be willing to donate to my campaign. Ok, do you have a number in mind? Good. Now this is your base amount. If I run the qualifying time of under 2:18 I want you to give that amount to help me build a well. Got it? Good. Now here’s the gamble. If I fail to run the sub 2:18, I want you to cut that amount in half. Yep, that’s right, I want you to give less if I fail to reach my goal. This will keep me honest with my training and hopefully get some of you interested in how my training and racing is going in the build up to November 1st. But I’m not done. Go back to that base amount. Now let’s say I have an incredible day and run the Olympic Trials “A” Standard of sub 2:15. Take that base amount and double it! Yep, give twice as much, cause I’m going to have to give twice as much to hit that kind of time. Ok, if you’re a little confused I’ve written out below how it works.

Michael’s Wager:
Base Amount (Sub 2:18): $250
Slower than 2:18: $250 / 2 = $125
Run Olympic “A” Standard (sub 2:15): $250 x 2 = $500

Hope that clears it up, but if not leave a comment below and I’ll try and sort it out for you a little more clearly. Anyway, I want you to think on this, pray on it if you’re into that, and give based on what comes to mind. Once you’ve got your number leave your base amount (what you’ll give if I simply run under 2:18) in the comment section below (if you’re not comfortable with that then at least write it down on a piece of paper and save it). That will keep us all honest when November 2nd rolls around and I come to collect. If you’re not into gambling or just want to give an amount regardless of how I run you can just go to my Living Water International page right now and give.

I’m half way through my training for the race and things are looking good. I’m feeling stronger every week and the mileage is slowly climbing up. I just got back from the USATF 20K Championships in New Haven, CT and it was a scorcher. I finished 17th overall and my time was right in line with my current training paces and predicted fitness. I’ve still got lots of work to do and need to help and encouragement to push me across that finish line. I’ve got two more races lined up before the marathon, the Hudy 14K in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 20th and the Bedford Half Marathon in Bedford, Indiana on October 4th. Anyone who wants to come and cheer me on at either of those events is more than welcome and I’ll thank you in advance. Finally, since I’m all about celebrating accomplishing goals, I’ll be throwing a party to celebrate the race and the donations sometime after in November. More details on that to come, but why not celebrate the good things in our lives?

One last thing. My newest sponsor and the people that really inspired me to raise this money, Janji, is an awesome company run by some great people with a powerful mission. Every piece of apparel sold gives money to a variety of charities they have partnered with. Janji means “promise” in Malay, and Janji’s promise is to use the power of running to fight the global water crisis. Their motto, Run for Another, has inspired me to do more than just race for a time or to win the race, but to run in a way that inspires others and myself to go beyond ourselves and do good for another. So whether you’re a weekend warrior, professional, amateur, or first time jogger, do what you do, but do it for more than yourself, do it for another. Thanks and God Bless.

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