Why you should get in on the last days of discounts

First, it's a no duh. Who doesn't like to save money? But more than that, here's why it makes sense to get in now:

1. Save money. We mentioned that.

2. You're in for your wave time. Wave times have already filled up, so you can get a more optimal time if you sign up now.

3. We'll be unveiling obstacles and other neat new features for this year shortly. When you see them, you'll want to be in. But then there won't be a discount, so you'll have to pay the extra money. Don't pay the extra money if you don't have to, right?

4. But if you do or you don't, all money (100 PERCENT. ALL.) goes back to the Barber National Institute and its mission of making dreams come true for children and adults with disabilities.

What's better than that, right?

What's Beast Blitz Day all about?

     Beast Blitz Day isn’t about spreading a word. Yes, sure, we’re letting people know that the final chance for registration discounts end on May 31. We’re going around telling people about it, too – you’ll see us around Erie on May 28. Feel free to take pictures and tag them with either #beastonthebay or #barberblitz.

     Beast Blitz Day – and the Barber Beast on the Bay itself, really – is all about a feeling. We’re trying to get across a feeling. The feeling of crossing the finish line on September 12. The feeling of watching as someone in the Adapted Course receives a medal and smiles from ear-to-ear. The feeling of curiousness a child feels the first time they gaze upon our green, furry mascot better known as The Beast.  And, for a few final days, the feeling of getting a discount on a great day come September 12.

     If you’re reading this, you probably know what the Barber Beast on the Bay is. It’s a 10-mile obstacle course challenge held at Presque Isle State Park to benefit the mission of the Barber National Institute to help children and adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges. The Beast on the Bay features sand, water, mud, and everything else Presque Isle State Park has to offer. It’s, as we say, the ‘Nature of the Beast.’

     But you aren’t just signing up for a one day event. We’re going to have a blast on September 12, but you’re not signing up for that day alone. You’re signing up and registering to make a difference in the lives of those we serve at the Barber National Institute. We’re on a daily mission to provide the best possible services to those we work with.

    

     We appreciate all the support from the community, and days like Beast Blitz Day are our way of giving back. We’ll be taking pictures and touring the city with The Beast. The Beast will deliver breakfast for ten to a lucky workplace. We’ll continue to promote the Barber Beast on the Bay and all that comes with it up until the day of the race. Then it’s dance parties, warm-ups, taking on obstacle courses, and celebrating at the end of it all. We’ll see you there.

A New Challenge in Beating the Beast

Patrick Eller has thrown down the gauntlet for anyone thinking about registering for Barber Beast on the Bay.  “I challenge everyone to become a fundraiser.  Don’t take the easy way out and just pay the money.  People like to make a donation to charity when you let them know that you are going to put yourself through something to get it.”

Patrick Eller, #3, takes off from the starting line at last year's Beast

Patrick, an Erie native who has been on active duty with the Army since 1999, knows a little something about raising money.  He was the top fundraiser in 2013 and 2014, bringing in more than $3,500 for the Barber Foundation over those two years, and has already raised more than $1,700 this year. 

What’s the secret to Patrick’s success? “Social media, social media, social media,” he said. Patrick reaches out to friends and colleagues around the world to let them know what he is doing, and holds random drawings every month for everyone who has made a donation.  He gives out small prizes, such as gift cards, that have been donated.  At the end, all of his donors will be eligible to win an iPad mini that has been donated.

Patrick with his inspiration, daughter Braelyn.

For Patrick, the decision to support the mission of the Barber National Institute was a personal one.  His daughter, Braelyn, was diagnosed with autism when she was 18 months old, and has made tremendous progress with services from the Barber Institute.

“I know that the Barber Institute does so much for families and children.  I have personally been affected and I know so many other people who have been affected, that I wanted to do something to give back,” said Patrick.    

Last year, Patrick enjoyed the competition from other fundraisers who were trying to catch up to him in the top spot, and is hoping for the same friendly rivalry this year.   So enjoy the benefits of becoming a fundraiser:

-Get a free or reduced registration

-Be eligible to win prizes yourself

-Feel good about supporting an organization that helps more than 4,200 children and adults with intellectual disabilities and mental health challenges every year.

To earn a free registration, commit to fundraising $550; for $50 off registration, just raise $300.

If you’ve already registered but would now like to fundraise, let us know at BarberBeast@BarberInstitute.org and we can refund your fee and change your status.  If you’re still planning to register, check out the fundraising page at http://www.active.com/donate/BarberBeast2015

How to Rejuvenate Your Runs

As exciting as it gets!

Are your exercise routines as exciting as 2 a.m. infomercials?

If you're asking yourself, 'Man, do I really have to work out today?" you're doing it wrong! Exercising isn't always going to be as fun as other activities, but you can put your own spin on it to make sure you're enjoying it when it's going on. How? Think outside the box! Or, more specifically, think off of the treadmill!

Our friends at Active.com, where you sign up for the Barber Beast on the Bay, have several suggestions for types of runs that cure boredom. One suggestion, as interesting as it may be, is "trash running."

"Log a few miles, beautify your local surroundings and get in a few hundred lunges and squats while you're at it. Trash running involves picking up trash while you run. Simply don a pair of washable gloves and head out with an empty garbage bag along your usual route, pausing to stoop and pick up any trash you see along the way. Yes, this is really a thing. Many communities across the country have trash runner groups, complete with regularly scheduled meet-ups and Facebook pages. Google "trash running" to see if there's a group in your area. If there's not, why not start one?"

You'll find the rest of that article here:  http://www.active.com/running/Articles/5-Runs-That-Kill-Boredom

Give it a shot. If not trash running, perhaps there will be something else that

From "Getting Off the Couch" to Beast Veterans

John (far left) made the step to become a Beast veteran.

Two years ago, John and Lisa Meyer say they were tired of feeling out of shape and overweight. They took a big step, deciding to “get off the couch” and become more active.

Today, the couple feels like very different people. It’s been a long journey, but they are now “veterans” of Barber Beast on the Bay and a series of other athletic events and races. They say that they couldn’t have done it without each other, and a group of friends that has supported them from the day they started.

John and Lisa, both teachers in the North East School District, had been athletic in high school but then family and other commitments got in the way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In 2013, they heard about a weight loss challenge from fellow teacher and friend, Elaine LaFuria. The “58 Day Challenge” was a friendly competition organized by Erie chiropractor Steve Krauza that encouraged participants to exercise and eat well – focusing on natural, unprocessed foods. The person who lost the highest percentage of body fat would win $3,000.

At the end, John came in second place—missing out on the jackpot but winning something even more valuable. John and Lisa had both started exercising with “Team Adrenaline,” a work out group also founded by Dr. Krauza. There, the couple found the structure and support that made the difference. “We had done weight loss programs before but never exercise,” said John. “So, we would lose weight and then put it back on.”

Lisa (842, far right).

Team Adrenaline focuses on an “organic workout” with exercises such as lunges and push ups mixed in with sprints and running in different settings – such as up and down sets of stadium bleachers. But equally as valuable is the camaraderie that the couple experiences with other group members.

When some members of the group were signing up for a Tough Mudder, John and Lisa decided to join them. “We aren’t really runners but knowing that you have signed up for an event really helps you stay in shape,” said John.

Since then, Lisa has completed half marathons, while John has done a few 5Ks and the Presque Isle Triathlon. And they both participated in last year’s Barber Beast on the Bay. Going in, John was concerned about all of the running on sand, but said it wasn’t nearly as difficult as he feared.

“We signed up with Krauza's Krazies and had a blast completing the challenge with friends to support a cause that is near and dear to our hearts,” said John.

As teachers, John and Lisa both work with children with special needs every day. They are also the parents of three children, including their 15-year-old son Brett, who has autism.

“We try to do anything to help groups working with autism,” said John. “So the Beast on the Bay is a fun and challenging way to support a great organization that helps people dealing with their own challenges.”

 

Karen Forcht's Story of Success

     With just four months before last year’s Barber Beast on the Bay, Karen Forcht wanted to be out training for the event.  Instead, she was in a hospital bed, recovering from major surgery. 

But that set back did not keep the 42-year-old Erie resident from realizing her dream of beating the beast.  “To this day, I am unable to fully express the feeling that I had crossing that finish line,” said Karen.

     Karen describes herself as “not the typical 10-mile obstacle course participant” and said that she had never run more than four miles at one time.  But she stared working out with “Team Adrenaline,” an exercise group led by Erie chiropractor Dr. Steve Krauza.   Many of her fitness friends had signed up for Krauza’s Krazies, Steve’s Beast on the Bay team, and Karen caught their enthusiasm.  The team loves supporting events that help great causes, and Karen knew people who have personally benefitted from services at the Barber National Institute.  “That sealed my fate to try the craziest thing I have ever done,” she said.

     Karen planned to train hard through the spring and summer leading up to the event.  But then, she became ill and underwent a hysterectomy at the end of April. 

     “That meant any training would have to be put on hold, which really had me worried because I needed all the training time I could get!”

     When Karen resumed her exercise program in June, she wasn’t sure what to expect.  “It turned out that even though I was WAY behind everyone else, I was still able to complete the workouts.”

     Still, Karen wrestled with a voice in her head that told there was no way she could finish. “I mentally committed to finishing half the course, and then gracefully bowing out after our half-way party,” said Karen. 

     Not wanting to disappoint her teammates, Karen told only a few people about her plan.  Even the morning of the event, she thought that she would stop after five miles. 

     But then, as she began the course, Karen began to believe that she really could finish.  First, her husband, Brian, surprised her at the start line and then cheered her along the course.  Then, team captain Steve Krauza kept his word and never left her behind.  “He never once doubted that I would finish, and though we didn’t say much, his presence was so motivating,” said Karen.

Karen was also encouraged by the number of people—including complete strangers—who shared kind and positive words.  “Never in my wildest dreams would I have imaged that people would have been so encouraging,” she said.

     Exhausted after the ten mile challenge, the only thing that stood between Karen and the finish line was the steep hill on Peninsula Drive leading into Waldameer Park.  The entire Krauza’s Krazies team was waiting, and several teammates came back down the hill to help Karen and a few others get to the top.  “If you’ve never had 60+ people cheering for you, it is incredible,” said Karen.

     But most of all, Karen realized that she was a lot tougher than she thought she was.  She said she overcame worrying about what others may be thinking, and took the course at her own pace.  She felt an “accomplishment in raising money and awareness for a community resource that has touched so many lives, and in overcoming my self-doubt and displaying mental and physical toughness that I never knew I had.” 

     As a daily reminder, Karen keeps the finisher’s medal on her desk in the IT department at Erie Insurance.  And, she’s already registered for the 2015 event.  “I just hope that I can inspire at least one other person to do something great for their community and to do something for themselves that they didn’t think was possible,” said Karen.  “If I can do this, anyone can!”

While you've been gone...

It's been a while since we've had a blog post. That's what happens when you're gearing up for one of the biggest, baddest and Beastliest (is that a word?) events in Erie. Things get busy. But in the upcoming days, weeks and months, we'll have some great things ahead for everyone preparing for the Barber Beast on the Bay, which takes place on September 12 this year. If you thought last year was great, just you wait!

If you haven't been following along with us on our Facebook page, we ought to raise your registration price ;)...instead, we'll just give you a link and say go like us! https://www.facebook.com/BarberBeastontheBay. 

Here's a rundown of some of the things we've done or seen in the last few weeks:

-Over 550 participants already signed up to tackle the Beast. (Females are currently beating the males).

-Fundraiser Patrick Eller taking on the fundraising trail with no mercy, raising nearly $1,500 already.

-We've collaborated with a class at Penn State Behrend to get their ideas on Beast-related opportunities. 

-Erie Reader crowned us the Best Athletic Competition of 2014. 

-Finalist at Erie Sports Commission for Local Event of the Year.

We're a big deal and we're only going to get bigger! Bring out the Beast in you.