Dear Peace Trotters --

We're so excited to see you all tomorrow morning for another great Peace Trot! The 5K will start at 10 am, with the 1M beginning approximately 5 minutes later. Please allow adequate time for parking, check-in and pre-race preparations (stretching, water, etc.). Registration and check-in open at 8:30 am.

Online registration has closed but trotters can register at the event, so tell your friends to come along and make the event a success!

Reminder: Please bring a water bottle if you have one.

Driving directions: For GPS, search for the F. R. Newman Arboretum, Cornell Plantations, Ithaca, NY.
From downtown Ithaca: Take MLK/State St East out of Ithaca (towards Cornell). Turn Left on Mitchell St. and take a slight Left onto Ithaca Rd. Turn Right on 366/Dryden Rd. Turn Left on Caldwell Dr and Right on Arboretum Rd.
Parking directors will be available to help you find a spot.

Please join us for a whole weekend of celebration and community building:

Saturday, June 14th, 2014-- Peace Trot Mass: 4:30pm
Peter De Mott Catholic Worker House, 411 South Plain Street

Sunday, June 15th, 2014-- Post-Trot Picnic and BBQ: 2pm
Taughannock State Park, North Point
(Please bring a dish/grilling item/drink to share)

If you have any questions or concerns, please call Oona at 607-342-3908.

Happy trotting!

- Peter De Mott Peace Trot Planning Committee

We are only 5 days away from the Peter De Mott Peace Trot. Yikes! 

Five years ago, when Patrick O'Neill and came up with the idea to do the Peace Trot, at first I wasn’t sure that I wanted to do it. At the time I wasn’t a runner and didn’t think that I liked running. And I was just too sad.

Now, I have to say, I am so grateful that they came up with the idea because otherwise I never would have started running (our gently jogging). I love running. It’s been great to discover that I can do it. I feel so much healthier and I have discovered that I am a nicer person when I run. And as I run, it’s been a great way to feel connected to Peter. 

But this spring has been hard in terms of training for the Trot. Though I run throughout the year, in the month of March, I begin to train in earnest for the Trot. But this year I developed plantar fasciitis and I’ve had lots of trouble training. I have to say it’s been VERY challenging. I REALLY miss being able to run and I am having an even deeper understanding of how important it was to Peter. The good news is that I went to the podiatrist 2 weeks ago and my foot is already starting to feel better. Last week I was able to walk for a couple of miles each day without pain. And then the Doc gave me permission to run a mile each day for a couple of days, again no pain. 

Today I ran about 3 miles and still no pain. I’m looking forward to Sunday. I may be able to trot the whole 5K or I may have to walk some of it. But this I can say, it will be good to be moving and to be with great friends! 

Come join us. If you can’t come, order a tee shirt in solidarity. http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/

Dr. Cornel West presents a lecture entitled "Connecting The Dots: Poverty, Drones & Racism," held at the Tucker Missionary Baptist Church on April 27, 2014. The event was organized by The Upstate Coalition To Ground The Drones and The Syracuse Peace Council.

Hello all--

The Fifth Annual Peter De Mott Peace Trot is coming up in less than a week!  If you are planning to trot, now is the time to register (the online form closes at midnight on Thursday): http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/register.html.  Registering online helps us organizers a lot with planning and preparation-- and, for you, insures both a quick race check-in on the day of the trot, and that you'll get a t-shirt).

This event is volunteer driven -- and we could still use help.  We have jobs for trotters and non-trotters alike!  Please sign up here: http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/volunteer.html

New: if you or someone you know cannot trot, but would still like a t-shirt, we have an order form: http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/order-t-shirts.html

Join us as we practice running the course: Mondays @ 5pm and Wednesdays at 5:30pm.  Meet at the Sculpture Garden across from the ponds in the F.R. Newman Arboretum, Cornell Plantations.  Call Tom Joyce with practice run questions: (607) 277-7426.

Please help out with this fundraiser by getting sponsors-- they can support you by donating online, writing a check, or giving cash.  Read more: http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/fundraise.html.  For some ideas on how to do this, read Connie Thomas's piece: http://www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org/blog/connie-thomas-talks-fundraising.  Read the letter below to learn more about why we run this event as a fund raiser.

And finally a huge THANK YOU to everyone for ALL the support over the years!! We are grateful!!!



Dear Friends,  

We are gearing up for the 5th annual Peter De Mott Peace Trot.  As I write this letter I can hardly believe that we have been doing this now for five years! There are so many emotions that come up as I say that number. Working on this event has been great way for us to honor Peter’s life and work.  For me it weaves together many of the strands of who he was: running, supporting the work of the Catholic Worker and bringing together the community of family, friends and activists.  I am so grateful for all the incredible energy of the many people who have helped to make the Peace Trot happen.

Since Peter’s death, the Ithaca Catholic Worker Community has been meeting weekly at the house that now carries his name.  The house has been such a gift to us as we try, in our clumsy ways, to live the works of mercy and the call to be peacemakers.  

Over the past five years the Peace Trot has also become our community’s biggest fundraiser. What, you ask, do we need these funds for? So far we have used the funds for:

Paying down the mortgage of the house
Buying and installing a new wood stove
Buying new gutters
General house repairs
Printing
Transportation

During this past year our community has been able to offer hospitality to numerous people seeking a place to stay. We have a supper every first Sunday of the month and a weeklyTuesday night supper and meeting. We invite you all.  (See www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org for more information.)

In the great Catholic Worker tradition, going back to the 1930’s we oppose the “Works of War”.  Our focus has been bomb laden drones deployed from Hancock Airfield, near Syracuse, NY.  Many innocent people are killed in drone attacks in countries around the world. We call attention to these illegal (under international law) activities by the military command, including the President. As a result of this work, many from our community have been to court, and some to jail.  Needless to say there have been expenses incurred.

This year our goal is to raise ten thousand dollars from this fundraiser.  The money will help pay down the mortgage, pay house repairs (i.e. work on the foundation), supplies, travel, printing, and legal expenses.

We invite you to join us in this fundraiser. If you are able, send us a check or donate online.  Ask your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to sponsor your participation in the Peter De Mott Peace Trot.  Volunteer to help either on the day of the race, or during this time of preparation.

In Peace,
Ellen Grady, for the Peace Trot organizing committee, who are Tom Joyce, Oona GradyDeFlaun, Heather Scott, and Robert Sparks.

Connie Thomas regularly contends for the title of top fundraiser at the annual Peter De Mott Peace Trot.  We asked her to tell us how she does it:

"Once a year I personally ask good friends and relatives to make a cash or check donation to the Ithaca Catholic Worker in support of my participation in the Peter De Mott Peace Trot.  I tell them that the peace and social justice mission of the Catholic Worker community is important to all of us, not limited by age or religion.  They sign my support sheet and I take the money.   So simple!

This year on June 15, I will sweat my way around the Plantations and later write thank you notes to all supporters. 

In addition, I like the prizes and can always use another hammer".

See our Fundraising page for more information about how to do your own fundraising.

Tom and Rayna Joyce were at the finish line of the Cayuga Trails 50 (as in 50 miles), a national race held at Treman and Buttermilk Parks, late Sunday afternoon.  They were there to greet Amelia Kaufman who finished the race in something over 10 hours.  10 hours of running, unbelievable.  Amelia's one comment after the race was that she thought it would never end.  But she looked great and in good spirits.  Amelia won't be able to defend her Peace Trot title this year because she is going to Ireland to work on an organic farm for the summer.

Reminder: practice run tonight, 5pm, F.R. Newman Arboretum, Cornell Plantations.  Meet at the Sculpture Garden across from the ponds.  Call Tom Joyce with practice run questions: (607) 277-7426.

Tom Joyce and Florence Baveye have been some of the main practice run leaders in preparation for this year's trot.  This week Tom asked Florence a few questions about running-- since she has recently become more serious about it, completing the Burlington Marathon over Memorial Day weekend.

Join them and others at the Plantations Arboretum on Mondays @ 5pm and Wednesdays @ 5:30pm.  Meet at the Sculpture Garden across from the ponds.  Call Tom Joyce with practice run questions:  (607) 277-7426.

Tom: I actually haven't know a lot of people who have run the marathon; what is it really like?

Florence: To be honest, it was slightly boring. After running for a few hours you have two choices: meet some interesting people or finish sooner. Unfortunately, I did neither. The physical portion is really not the worst part, I didn't even get any chaffing or dehydration problems etc. The difficulties arose because I was really nervous before and I completely messed up the nutrition planning surrounding the race... lesson learned.

T: I know the worst thing that happened during your run, what was the second worst thing?

F: The second worst thing that happened during my run was that I didn't meet anyone during the race until the last mile. It really helps me to make friends while I run, but I didn't really get the chance on this occasion. My ill-fitting fanny pack probably was tied for second worst though -- I couldn't get it to stay tightly fastened!

T: I know that you aspire to end your runs on a happy note, i.e. being in a really positive state of mind, were you one of the happiest finishers of the Burlington Marathon?

F: After the free massage I definitely was! Maybe in the future I will manage it, but this time around I didn't have the ear to ear smile I was hoping for.

T: What has inspired you to become a runner in the last year?  And why did you aspire to run a marathon?

F: I honestly have no answer for you... I ran a 5K in the fall and felt so proud of myself that I decided I was going to become a runner! A couple of months later I signed up for 3 half marathons, a 26K trail race, and this marathon. I enjoy myself so much that I don't see an end in sight! I started out of impulse and I keep running for the runner's high, the social aspect, and the meditative benefits.  

T: It is often fun to meet someone new on a run, did you meet any new people while running the marathon?

F: Unfortunately, I didn't. 

T: What can you tell us about Burlington from running around there?

F: It's beautiful! The city is awesome and the suburbs are full of kind, enthusiastic people.

T: What else would you like to share about running a marathon?

F: 90% of the enjoyment and satisfaction comes from the training process. I found it all to be quite enjoyable, although it required a great deal of focus -- it really lends a new perspective on your life. 

T: Having run the Peace Trot course several times this year, what can you tell other runners about it?

F: It's gorgeous! You get some beautiful views of the plantations along the way as well as some excellent trail running in the woods -- a little bit of everything!