run with heart
This picture makes me happy, but it also makes me laugh. I look like I’m chasing a damn ice cream truck!
I was training for a half marathon that was supposed to take place in May and it was obviously cancelled. I was sort of hit-and-miss with running for a while, but decided I still wanted to complete the half marathon anyway. During a long training run, I thought about creating a virtual race with family and friends. I could invite them, they could run in their city and donate to a charity of their choice, and I could create prizes. I told Travis and one friend about it and they were both supportive! ... And then I got scared. What if it didn’t work out? What if the prizes weren’t good enough? What if I didn’t get ready for my own race on time? What if, what if, what if ...
Then about three weeks before I planned to complete my half marathon, I decided to go for it and invited others to join in. I sent out an email to family and friends who might be interested. I called it the Run With Heart Virtual Race and said the racers could choose their own distance and whether they wanted to walk or run. Enthusiasm came quickly, with some asking if they could bike instead. Why not?! I wanted to be as inclusive as possible. We all needed things to look forward to.
The event took place Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12. Most racers participated Saturday. I woke up to 3-4 messages from people sharing they already finished or were in progress. Distances ranged from 1 mile to half marathons for runners. Some bikers chose to ride for certain time limits, and one friend completed a 100K! I could seriously feel the positive energy that morning! Around 40 people participated from Washington to Virginia. Organizations selected for donations were varied - food banks, Black Lives Matter, research hospitals, families in need, animal shelters, an organization that helps survivors of human trafficking, the American Red Cross and others.
I ran my half marathon that Sunday. I woke up early and drove to the Bosque Trail in Albuquerque. There was beautiful cloud cover with sun rays peeking through and hot air balloons in the distance. I had the feeling of home in my chest. I was calm, and happy, and hoped the other participants felt that too.
That half marathon was the best thing I’d done since March when COVID-19 spread everywhere, mostly because I didn’t do it alone. My friends and family seriously show up and I’m grateful.
I’m so excited to do this again over Halloween weekend. This time the name of the race is Finish With Heart because we don’t all run. The goal is to finish, to give, to share and HAVE FUN together even though we’re all far away and/or not seeing each other as often as we’d like.
We’re heading into the last quarter of one of the weirdest years of our lives, and I’m hoping we can all simply finish this year, no matter what heartache or silver linings 2020 meant for us individually. If you’d like to join in, head over to my Finish With Heart Virtual Race page for more information and a link to register.