This NING will become inactive on July 20. Please see the following blog for all information about Mr. Parry's Endurance Challenge.
http://mrparrysendurancechallenge.blogspot.com

Media Attention
5/30/10 Endurance Planet Hour on enduranceplanet.com
http://www.enduranceplanet.com/?s=parry

5/4/10 Stewartville Star
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=78&ArticleID=3618
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=10&SubSectionID=92&ArticleID=3599

4/29/10 - 4/30/10
WCCO TV Story
http://wcco.com/education/jim.parry.run.2.1665084.html
WCCO online story
http://wcco.com/education/jim.parry.run.2.1666469.html
KTTC News
http://www.kttc.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=4743675&h1=Mr.%20Parry%27s%20Endurance%20Challenge&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=62234&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&rnd=44774543
Fargo, ND TV 6 Story
http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/32912/group/News/
Rochester Post Bulletin
http://postbulletin.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=990996&CategoryID=0

4/27/10 Endurance Planet . com podcast
http://www.enduranceplanet.com/the-endurance-planet-hour-12

4/27/10 Stewartville Star
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=3577&SectionID=7&SubSectionID=18&S=1

4/24/10 Rochester Post Bulletin
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=449210

2/23/10 Stewartville Star Article
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=18&ArticleID=3393

2009 Coverage
KAAL TV 6 stories
http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S897261.shtml?cat=10151
http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S920538.shtml?cat=10226
Stewartville Star articles
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectio...
http://thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=...
http://www.thinkstewartville.com/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSecti...

Mr. Parry's 24 hour run takes place from 8:30am April 29 - 8:30am April 30.

Come out during my 24 hour run and run, bike, rollerblade, or walk for as long or a short a time as you want. I would love to see you there! RSVP for the event to the left and respond to the BLOG post from me farther down on this page to let me know when you might be able to show up.

Welcome to the 2010 Mr. Parry's Endurance Challenge. Be sure to sign up at the right to be a member. 201 people have already signed up to accept the challenge!!!

Note: NING policy states that in order to become a member, one needs to be at least 13 years of age. Those younger than 13 should ask a parent to set up an account.

Your part in the challenge is to get out and be active. My part is to train like crazy and then run/walk for 24 hours around Stewartville from April 29-30. Read more below.

What physical activity do you like to do? Do you like to run, walk, bike, rollerblade, etc? The purpose of this challenge is to encourage Stewartville's youth and adults alike to get out and be active. By being a part of Mr. Parry's Endurance challenge, you are showing others that you are committed to an active, healthy lifestyle. Having a lifetime physical activity is an important part of that lifestyle. You do not have to do this alone. Find a buddy to work out with or join a team. What will you do to show your committment to your health? Endurance means the ability to deal with strain or stress - in this case, the ability to put up with the physical stress of exercise. How will you challenge yourself to endure?

Please feel free to invite anyone you know to join this challenge by using the Invite function above.

To know what is possible, test your limits.
To do this, you must push yourself beyond what you have ever believed you could do.

Now, the only remaining question is...WILL YOU ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE?

If you have any questions or comments, please send me a message through this site or you could email me at jparry@ssd.k12.mn.us

I grew up in Stewartville, attended each of the schools here, and now teach 6th grade here. I was introduced to distance running in the Spring of my 9th grade year by my PE/Health teacher. Little did he know that he changed my life that day! I knew when I left his class that I would be a runner for the rest of my life! That is the power that we all have in the lives of children/youth. I have run in hundreds of races, including 39 marathons and 6 ultramarathons (longer than 26.2 miles). Now it is my turn to try to motivate others! The idea for Mr. Parry's Endurance Challenge came to me soon after I started teaching in Stewartville and, before I knew it, became a reality with the first event happening last spring. I ran/walked 96 miles during those 24 hours...this year, I am shooting for more than 100. I have heard many stories about how individuals made big changes in their lives because of last year's challenge. Those stories motivate and inspire me!

Ask yourself "Can you give more?" The answer is most often "Yes."

What is your part of the challenge?
The challenge itself is pretty easy. All participants are asked to make the decision to be active and make it a priority in their lives. Both students and adults are encouraged to be a part of this challenge. There is no cost to you at all. You just need to be willing to put in a little effort. Participants are asked to log or record a total of 24 hours or more of physical activity from now until April 30th This is not 24 continuous hours, but a total of 24 hours over the next few months. You can run, walk, bike, hike, rollerblade - pretty much anything that gets you moving counts. Log your activity. If you don't have an activity log, simply record your time spent moving on a calendar or in a notebook. The point is that you need to record it somewhere. This is on your honor - you do not need to turn your logs in to me. They are for you to review your progress and hold yourself accountable. Here is a simple log that you can save or print. MR PARRY'S ENDURANCE CHALLENGE LOG 5.doc I have also included a Forum discussion at the bottom of this page where you can post any physical exercise you have done and thoughts about it. Let others know what you are doing to challenge yourself! Again - you can use any physical activity time - that means you can record the time you are actually moving around in PE class or the time you walk to school. That's it!!! Pretty simple. Then, if you choose to do so, you can come out on April 29-30 while I complete my part of this challenge. Run, walk, bike, rollerblade, etc with me for as long (or as short a time) as you are able. It would be great to see you there! What can you do in 24 hours?

What is my part of the challenge?
I run, so running is how I will challenge myself. I will be logging my miles ran and walked from now until April 28th on this page. Next comes the more difficult part for me - my challenge to endure. I will run/walk for 24 straight hours to show my commitment to this challenge. From 8:30am on April 29th until 8:30am on April 30th, I will be running laps around Stewartville, attempting to cover as many miles as I can. Last year, I completed 96 miles. This year I am shooting for at least 100. Will I be able to do this? I don't know, but I am going to try. I believe that one doesn't know what he/she is truly capable of unless they attempt to accomplish something beyond what they think they can do. 24 hours, how many miles?

Here is a link to the route I will be running around Stewartville.
http://www.walkjogrun.net/routes/current_route.cfm?rid=E37174E5-A7BF-92C2-7918C7571188B880

Here is a more detailed map with arrows if you have Powerpoint or Powerpoint viewer.
Endurance Challenge 2010 course map.ppt

The course shown is run counter-clockwise. The route begins at SMS, following the sidewalk along the west end and the south side of the school, through the SHS parking-lot and driveway around the SHS gym, then across the soccer fields to the pool, north on Main St, crosses at the lights, then south on Main to 6th St. SE. East on 6th, then south on Berg, left on 4th, right on 9th, then north on 5th. West on 1st St. E to the lights, crosses, then south 1 block to 2nd, west in front of Central Elementary, all the way to 7th, 1 block south, then east on 3rd, then south on 6th back to the middle school.

So...what are you going to do when things get really tough...quit...really???