My wait went down to the wire, the last day to be accepted to a team was November 22nd, and I just squeaked in at 3:24pm. If you've read this blog since about August, you know I've been waiting a while for this. Actually I've been planning on running this year since about 2:15pm on April 15th, 2013 (seconds after finishing my first and only marathon thus far), and right now I couldn't be happier to be a part of 2014 for 2 reasons:
1) The Shawn Thornton Foundation. Last year, I ran for Team Stork, a fantastic organization dedicated towards not only health babies, but educating parents and helping those in need raise healthy babies. It was an incredible group of people, but unfortunately this year I've changed jobs, and thus had to find a new charity. I couldn't be prouder to join Shawn Thornton.
For those of you who don't know, Shawn plays hockey for the Boston Bruins, and is the epitome of a leader on and off the ice. Whether it's standing up for his teammates after a cheap-shot, hosting a charity golf tournament with Daniel Paille and Tuukka Rask, hoisting his 2nd Stanley Cup, holding his annual Cuts for a Cause fundraiser, or just showing up at my new place of employment to shake hands, inspire hope, and promote the Jimmy Fund, Shawn is a prominent figure in the Boston community.
Please take some time, look up his foundation, look up his work around Boston, read these stories. I hope it inspires you as it's inspired me. I hope to have even 1/100th of the impact Shawn has on a daily basis with my fundraiser, but I couldn't do it without you, the reader. Which brings me to my other reason I'm pretty excited to run this year.
2) Last year was pretty intense. Simultaneously one of the best and worst days of my life, though I prefer to think of it more in a positive light than a negative one. The atmosphere of the city was electric all day, I couldn't get enough of the crowd, the energy, other runners cheering encouragement to each other, all the stories that ended up coming out of that day, my other friends running, the support from my friends and family watching on phones or live, everything. It was such an incredible experience for me, one I wouldn't have forgotten anyways even if nothing happened afterwards.
However, something did, and those events changed me, the Boston Marathon, and the city itself afterwards. We came back, we got stronger, and we came together. The outpouring of support for the victims - even for me, though I was physically fine - was overwhelming. People across the country and even the world were asking where I was, how I was. They still ask. The OneFund still gets donations by the thousands. The spirit of the city of Boston still shows every day, on shirts, pins, bumper stickers, license plates, hats, gloves, you name it - but more importantly in the actions of the residents. There are so many incredible stories that came out of the tragedies of 4/15/13, and throughout my training and with this blog I'll try to share some of those with you, because truly that's a huge part of my inspiration to run this year.
In short, I hope to inspire people to help others through my training this year, just as I've been inspired to do this by people I know and admire.
One way you could help RIGHT NOW, is to donate to my cause, and help support the amazing work Shawn Thornton does through his foundation. Since I've just spent the last hour or so reading and writing about it, I decided to start the party myself and donate. Your move, blog reader.
Note to self: keep it shorter next time.
