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**2025 Team VPA applications NOW OPEN - NO INITIATION FEE UNTIL DEC 13TH**
Being in Service Leads to Charitable Challenge for Team VPA Athlete Joe

Being in Service Leads to Charitable Challenge for Team VPA Athlete Joe

On March 8, 2023, I will be running the streets of Pinellas County to honor International Women's Day and benefit the amazing organization Girls on the Run of Greater Tampa Bay! Please help me support their awesome programs which teach girls positive & healthy physical and mental habits for life! 

Why GOTR and Setting a Mile Goal For 12-Hours?
The decision was easy once I volunteered the first time. Yes, I had considered an environmental organization that I really like to volunteer for as well, but something really struck me at the first Girls on the Run Tampa Bay Spring 5k. 
The positive energy was palpable. The smiles were infectious. The love was visible. 
Encouragement abounded from every coach, Sole Mate, parent, and staff member. Every participant seemed eager to be a part of the 3.1 mile journey around the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. 
I had volunteered as one of the photographers for the event so I could get an idea of what GOTR was all about. As I wandered the pre-race festivities taking candid shots of glittery hair, amazing families, and excited participants, I could really feel that the shouts of, "Girls on the Run is so much FUN!!" was truly being experienced by everyone there. 
What I saw while taking pictures of the course, though, is what has endeared me to this organization. The smiles, the grit, the determination ...  the perseverance. It wasn't until the Fall race, that I really saw what GOTR is all about .. and what they are teaching the girls in their programs. 
In addition to all I experienced before, what I saw was the very last participant in the 5k. She had a pained, but determined, look on her face. She was already surrounded by several coaches and Sole Mates giving her encouragement and support as she approached the finish line. More coaches came as she got closer and closer to the finish chute. The entire way they never stopped with their encouragement and clapping. Along the finish chute, participants, coaches, parents, and staff were lined up along the fence as she started to pick up to a run again as she neared the finish line. Every person along that chute was cheering as loud as they could celebrating the accomplishment of their fellow runner. 
It was absolutely beautiful. 
Empowerment, celebrating each other's wins, exuding self confidence, mental toughness, emotional maturity ... all on display in the span of about 10 minutes. These are just some of the important lessons being taught by Girls on the Run to the future leaders in their programs.  
Much like the goals given to the participants in GOTR programs, I've decided to give myself a mileage goal for the 12 hour run to benefit them. On January 7th, I attempted a 100km race on the Croom trails in Brooksville and decided to drop out after tweaking my knee. So, since this fundraiser was the important event coming up for me, I've decided to use March 8th as my next attempt to hit 100km/62.2mi. Being ready and healthy for this 12-hour run was a deciding factor to not continue the Croom Zoom and potentially injure myself further then. 
I'm inspiried by the incredible positive energy of Girls on the Run and I hope you can join me in supporting them and the girls they so selflessly support. Find out more about GOTR Tampa Bay here: https://www.gotrtampa.org. 
To join me and my quest for 100km ... and benefit Girls on the Run Tampa Bay, please consider donating here: https://gotrtampa.harnessgiving.org/campaigns/9449. 
The future is bright because of the incredible programs of Girls on the Run! Join me in making these programs continue on for a long time to come!

MEET SOME OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS

In 2022 we had 100 Team Members. BE APART OF THE FAMILY AND SHARE YOUR STORY

Meet Team VPA member Renee @runtrails_eatplants . It is her second year on the team and she has been helping out behind the scenes on our IG @team_vpa and our FB pages"Life is too short to stay inside your comfort zone, reach for the sky. I’m Renee and I am an ultrarunner living outside Atlanta, Georgia. 14 years ago, I went plant based for my health and I never looked back. After a bad foot injury, I discovered I loved lifting as much as I love running the trails. So, at the age of 50 I added lifting heavy to my training plan. I am passionate about spreading the message that age is no limit and you can not only thrive on a plant-based diet, you can help end animal cruelty and have a positive impact on the environment too. So, get out there and go for it!"

Welcome to the team@monica.strattonSport: Triathlon, Cycling, Running

"I have struggled for my entire life with food. It seems everything I ate made me feel sluggish or sick. My husband and I decided to try the vegan lifestyle and we have never felt better. My digestive system is running so much better and I feel I have more sustainable energy through my workouts and life. Being vegan has helped me fuel better for all my races and training.
I am very proud to be a vegan athlete. I have seen what it has done for me and my performance in all my sports. I want to share my story of how being vegan has changed my life in terms of how I feel on a daily basis and in sport. Being a professional athlete my students look to me and how I live my life and I am very proud to tell them how much better my body feels being vegan "

Welcome back@rjsacksVeganism saved my dad's life many years ago. He had horrible blockages in his heart and faced stents and a very dangerous operation, or seeing what would happen if he went whole food no oil plant based. He reversed his heart disease and is healthy as ever and still vegan. He never needed heart surgery. He is now 61 years old and still doing distance cycling rides. I started changing what I was eating during high school when my dad switched his diet. I made the complete switch after I met my boyfriend, a collegiate vegan runner at the time. I was mostly looking at veganism through a health lens until I met him and he helped me face the ethical dilemmas of eating animal products as well. Since I went vegan, my sister went vegan, my mom went vegetarian almost plant based, and my brother (who I thought would never change) has cut a significant amount of meat and dairy from his diet. My dad, boyfriend and I are all vegan cyclists currently. My whole immediate family is very open to veganism and eats vegan at family gatherings. Being vegan has been easy with supports like mine.
I feel strongly about spreading a positive message and hopefully helping make a change. Veganism saves so many animals, it can save people like my dad, and can save our planet. I can show other athletes that vegans aren't frail and sickly, we can compete and do well without eating animal products.

Welcome to the team@prost_1969I had high cholesterol high blood pressure and was 40 lbs over weight. The doctor said statins for the rest of my life because high cholesterol was in my family so I took things into my own hands. Since then I lost the 40 lbs and reversed all the other issues . I now also realize the impact going vegan has on the animals and the environment. I love cycling and running and by joining the team I can reach more people and show them that you can’t just survive without the use of animal products but thrive!!

Meet Team VPA athlete Shari. We are glad she joined us Meet“Hi team, this is my first year with Team VPA. I'm overjoyed to have found this team. I adore the mission statement because it reflects my beliefs too. I'm 48 years young, a small business owner, yogi, group fitness instructor, and outdoor enthusiast. My primary sport is Triathlon, but running will always be my first love with more than 6 marathons under my belt. Vegan for over 15 yrs. Before that vegetarian for 3 years. My biggest vegan athlete accomplishment was completing my first Ironman last year after many years doing Triathlons. This year I'm looking forward to enjoying long cycling tours in Europe! Follow my adventures on IG @sparks_vegan”

Welcome to the team@mattd_team_vegan_athletics"My name is Matt Dellaro. This is my first year as a Team VPA member as well as my first new year as an endurance athlete. I decided last February to buy a road bike and start cycling again after not having done it since my teens...I'm 51 now. I heard about short course triathlons and decided to see what I could do. I have 3 sprints behind me now as well as a 5k and 8k trail running races, a 5k road, two 10k races and a half marathon. I'm looking forward to longer triathlons as I get more comfortable with open water swimming, and working up to a 70.3 or even a 140.6. I've been vegan for over 8 years, and am so loving this new chapter in my life. Thanks to everyone at Team VPA who has been so helpful, supportive and just plain cool."

We are so glad you joined us@barefootjei"My name is Jérémie alias@barefootjei, I'm 28 years old and I'm from Normandy in France.

I have been vegan for 3 years now. I'm vegan for the animals! I'm so happy to have joined the team and to wear our colors in my country.

In 2022 I will be running every day to raise funds that will be donated to two Vegan associations.

My goal for 2022 is a 55km in May and another probably longer race by the end of the year."

"My name is Gloria Perez and I live in sunny Southern California. This is the first year I'm on Team VPA. I have been vegan for 4.5 years. I made the switch after my son inspired me. Becoming vegan has been one of the best decisions I've made for my health and of course for the animals and for the planet we all share. I have 3 sons and 2 grandsons. I've been running for 8 years. I've ran many distances, but my favorite distance is the half marathon. I enjoy both road and trail running. I also enjoy backpacking, cycling, lifting weights, OCR and traveling. One of my goals for this year is to start racing duathalons. I'd also love to do R2R2R (Grand Canyon). I'm also currently learning to speak French. "