Brad Kapma's Fundraising Page

This is Me

This is Me

My Daughter and I at the Waitakere 11km last year

My Daughter and I at the Waitakere 11km last year

My Wife Megan, and I

My Wife Megan, and I

PAGE CREATOR:	Brad Kapma
EVENT:	adidas Auckland Marathon 2008
EVENT DATE:	2/11/2008

Couch Potato to Marathon Runner

Hi There,
Thanks for taking the time to have a look at my Heart Racer Website.

With less than a month left before the big day, I thought it would be timely to update this page a little, and also say a big THANK YOU to those who have supported with a donation (By the way, it's not too late to donate some more!) Heart disease is a serious problem in this country, and if we work together, maybe we can make a difference!

My Story:
I wish I could say that I've been running for my entire life. But I can't! I starting running for the first time in May 2007. Why? Well after watching another episode of "The Biggest Loser" and other programs of the like, I started to think… If I don't do something soon, I'm gonna need to be on a TV Program like this!
So with the nobel motivation of wanting to lose some of the extra kg's that I had packed on over the years, and to increase my general level of fitness, I started to run.

Couch Potato to… Err Runner
I remember my first attempt at running, everything hurt. Feet, knees, legs, arms and chest. It was a dismal (comical) attempt to run a single round of the local park, without keeling over from exhaustion. I found out just how poor my fitness level really was!

My Top 3 tips to keep going.
Looking back, there are three things that have kept me going, and they are…
1) Buy REAL running shoes! Cross trainers are fine… for cross training, but you wouldn't believe the difference that real running shoes make. For me it solved the sore knees and ankles!
2) Get a Heart Monitor Watch. I have a Polar F11, and can HIGHLY recommend them. By monitoring my heart rate, I could adjust the intensity of my training, allowing me to go further and longer.
3) Keep a running Log! Either on Paper, the internet, or a spreadsheet. Record every run, distance, time etc. (also record your weight)

It's about Motivation
With good running shoes, the pain of teaching your body to run is reduced, which helps! With a Heart Rate Monitor recording everything, you can measure and appreciate your workouts more. (And they are a lot of fun!) Your running log tracks your progress, counting up a month of running, and setting goals to beat it next time. Believe me when you count up a years worth of running and see how far you have come! You WILL feel great!

Don't Give up!

Couch Potato to 1/4 Marathon Runner
In Late 2007 I participated in the Waitakere 11km event. An exciting achievement for me personally as it was then that I realised how much I had improved, how far I've come and how much I enjoyed Running! This also proved to me that if you really set you mind on something, you can achieve anything.

Couch Potato to 1/2 Marathon Runner
The 22km Half Marathon this November is an exciting challenge, one that I'm really looking forward too! I've set my mind on this , and with your help we can really make a difference! (More on that Below!)

Why the Heart Foundation?
Cardiovascular disease (heart, stroke & blood vessel disease) is the single leading cause of death in New Zealand. It causes 40 percent of all deaths annually in our country - making it more deadly than all forms of cancer.

The nature of who is affected by it is changing. New research shows that young adults in their 20s and 30s are being admitted to hospital for heart attacks more than ever before, and that this age group is dying at a faster rate than people of the same age in previous generations. Much of this change is due to unhealthy lifestyles - poor eating habits, lack of physical activity and being a smoker.

But the good news is that many risk factors for heart disease are preventable, if people make healthy lifestyle choices.

So, help me as I join the race to beat heart disease.

I've signed up as a Heart Racer to raise money to support The National Heart Foundation of New Zealand. By donating through my webpage you will be helping the Heart Foundation continue its vital work in research, cardiac rehabilitation, education programmes and resources.

I'll do all the hard work (train for and complete the event), but I really need you to make a difference to the hearts of New Zealanders.

5 Minutes! 5 Dollars! 5 Friends!

The concept is simple, you take five minutes to visit this site, donate (at least) $5 dollars to the heart foundation, then challenge five of your friends to do the same!

I know times are tough at the moment, but I also know some simple math. Your $5 dollars added to your friends $5 makes a total of $30. Add that to the next level (assuming all your friends did the same!) and you can take some pride in knowing that you sparked a total donation of $155 for the heart foundation. (I'll let you work out how the total would be if the next level donated as well)

So go on, don't be shy, take the next step, make a donation and make a difference!
Select the "Make a donation" button below. Its simple, fast and totally secure and the money goes directly to the Heart Foundations bank account.

(If you live in New Zealand your donation is tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.)

DATE	NAME	AMOUNT	COMMENT
My Online Sponsors To Date:
31/10/2008	Martyn Capstick	$30.00	All the best Brad…!!
30/10/2008	Ben Robinson	$10.00	Good stuff Brad!
30/10/2008	Michael@Paymark	$20.00	Solid effort Brad.Great idea, great cause. Go well!
27/10/2008	Sarah W	$20.00	Really admire your willpower
23/10/2008	Carolyn Hargreaves	$25.00	All the Best for your Marathon
1/9/2008	Bob Harvey	$50.00	Kia kaha and best of luck - Bob Harvey
25/7/2008	John	$20.00	Good luck with the marathon and fundraising
10/7/2008	Vern and Jenny	$20.00
8/7/2008	Control Concepts Ltd	$75.00	Good luck Brad.
1/7/2008	Caryn	$25.00	Good on you Brad. Good luck in your marathon
1/7/2008	Samson	$20.00
1/7/2008	Rex and Fay	$20.00	All the Best
30/6/2008	Ralfie	$5.00	Hard to believe, so good on you mate
26/6/2008	Rob McVicar	$30.00
25/6/2008	Pat Faucher	$8.00
25/6/2008	Terry & Kimberly	$50.00	Way to go BRAD! Well done bro! I don't want to play squash against you any time soon!
23/6/2008	mags	$5.00	great effort Brad-what a change in your life in just over a year
23/6/2008	P Barnard	$25.00	Good on ya mate - could be a Speights ad
23/6/2008	Steve Taylor	$25.00	Some things are just too hard to imagine!!!! Good luck bradman.
23/6/2008	Kevin & Paulina Cudmore	$10.00	Good for you Brad, keep it up!
23/6/2008	Theo	$100.00	Way to go
23/6/2008	Murray	$31.50	Go Body… Go Body… Go Body… and if problem persist, please see doc,cause I'm to far away to do any thing… Good luck Brad
22/6/2008	Andrew Faucher	$7.00	Y'all do well and make us proud. LOL Katie and I wish you good luck!!!
22/6/2008	Gerhard	$25.00
7/6/2008	Sharron Ashe	$5.00	Wishing you great success with your goals!
7/6/2008	Grace	$5.00	I look forward to seeing you run across the harbour bridge … Run Forrest Run
7/6/2008	Melissa	$5.00	Go go Daddy run for the heart people
7/6/2008	Megan	$15.00	Well done honey, I am so proud of you.
28/4/2008	Anon	$5.00	Way to do Dude! What an Awesome Idea.
21/4/2008	Alison	$15.00	What a cool achievement to do a half marathon. Way to go big bro!!

	Total Raised Online:	NZD$706.50
	Total Raised Offline:	NZD$0.00
	GRAND TOTAL:	NZD$706.50
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Heart Racer webpages are created by individual members of the public. Any views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Heart Foundation. If you have a complaint regarding the content of this page please contact us.