The sport of running is like no other sport! In addition to the physical, emotional and spiritual benefits of running, we use running to raise money and awareness for important causes.
"My friend wanted to know if I could run a race on October 28th. Her sister and brother in law both died by overdose leaving her teenaged niece and nephew. It's in Plymouth and she said she wished it were closer because she'd really like to have me there. A portion of the proceeds of the race go to her sister's children's Trust Fund." ~Ruth Anne
Although we were not planning to run any races during our training season, it was a no brainer that we should take a week off from our long training run schedule on the road to Bermuda Half Marathon III (especially since we are ahead of schedule) and register for the 6th Annual Trick or Trot 5K happening a week from Saturday.
The opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions here in Massachusetts. One often thinks of people dying by overdose as junkies in a back alley somewhere with a needle stuck in their arms. Yet addiction can affect anyone in any station in life as what happened to Nicole who died in 2013 and her husband Jay, an attorney, who died in June of 2016 leaving behind a trail of tears and trauma. My nephew died by suicide as a result of drug addiction in March of 2011.
The running community is addressing the crisis of addiction through helping people in recovery to maintain sobriety through running. There are many groups out there who provide a healthy living community, support network and the joy of running as a way to support recovery.
After I posted this on Facebook:
Team McManus is going to take a break from running long and strong on 10/28 to run a race to support a great cause. One of Ruth Anne's friend's sister and brother in law died tragically as a result of drug overdoses. They left two teenagers and part of the proceeds of the The 6th Annual Trick or Trot 5k to a trust fund for their children. Laura Donahue Brady - this is in your neck of the woods in Plymouth. Would you like to join us? We are taking it nice and easy because as it says on the website BEWARE: While all the roads are paved there are hills...but we know that life happens on the hills. Here's the link to register http://www.southshorerace.com/6th-annual-trick-or-trot-5k10k---october-28-2017.html
I was amazed by the response. One of my friend's said she is not back to running but would come cheer us on; another friend said it's a great race for a great cause and another friend said she couldn't run but would cheer us on from the North Shore and would like a link to donate to the Trust Fund.
Runners rally around each other. We run for our health and wellness but we also run with passion and purpose.
When we ran the 2009 Boston Marathon, we raised over $10,000 for Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I took the first very tentative steps on my healing journey. Tom raised almost $10,000 for Childrens Hospital in 2011. Ruth Anne ran the Nashville Half Marathon to raise money for St. Jude's Hospital. We have also donated to many of our friends' Fall Marathon fundraising efforts for Parkinson's Disease, Ronald McDonald House, Red Sox Foundation and the Houston Food Bank.
Whether supporting our friends' fundraising efforts or taking a pause from our training plan schedule - it feels wonderful to run for a cause.
Follow this link to register for the race.
Here is the address to donate to the Webster Children's Trust Fund: Rockland Trust Webster Childrens Trust Fund
Pilgrim Hill Rd
Plymouth MA 02360
See you at the finish line!
To going the distance with strength and courage
From my heart to yours,
Mary
Be sure to listen to my interview with Keith Cartwright, "From Polio Survivor to Boston Marathon Finisher" by following this link.
Be sure to visit my website by following this link.
My books are available on Amazon.
Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life
Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:
And my latest and greatest book - Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):
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