I'm thankful to Asics and Forerunners for their generosity in getting me geared up for the race. Thank you to Mike Campbell-Burns, our gregarious coach who helped inspire us Joe Runners before and during the half marathon.
I'm thankful for the experience itself- being healthy enough and just crazy enough to take on this challenge!
The race itself was gorgeous. I'm not just talking about the sunshine, the cool breeze, or the several thousand other runners who ran with me last Sunday morning.
The really gorgeous part? That was the volunteers - especially the young people and kids who stood supporting us on the sidelines. Offering water, gatorade, gel packs. A group of young adults with spray bottles around the 17km mark (and PLEASE, organizers, can you order a few hundred MORE of those and set them up along the course!?!?!). Strangers cheering us on during the last few kms or those painful last few hundred meters.
The smiling folks at the medical aid station. The overly handsome police officer directing traffic (Don't worry, husband, I had sunscreen running into my eyes at that point and chocolate gel smeared over my left cheek). The volunteers at the finish line who clapped for every man, woman, and child who crossed/staggered/ rolled/ tripped their way across the finish line.
I thought the race was over at 9:30 that Sunday morning. But I was mistaken. When I dragged myself up the stairs on Tuesday morning and logged on to my computer, I was floored by the generosity of my charity's sponsors.
Friends, family, co-workers had all chipped in. But there were others. In my case, three perfect strangers who had donated huge dollars in support of teen adoption.
I'm thankful to Chuck Reid, Stephen Langhjelm and Peter Van Diepen, who together donated almost $500 towards the Adoptive Families Association of BC's teen adoption program. I couldn't believe it. These three gentlemen are strangers to me.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Today I'm heading out for my first long run since the half marathon. There's an extra spring in my step knowing that the kindness of strangers really made this run a success.
