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Volunteer
This year the 2:23 Foundation, local running groups, the Running Industry Diversity Coalition, and other organizations are challenging runners to participate in a memorial run, fundraise for DEI non-profits, and engage in conversations.
This past weekend I volunteered at the Uwharrie Mountain Run 8-16-40 miler race at the mile 5/35 (for the 40 milers) aid station (mile 5/11 for the 16 milers). While I was there I snapped photos of the racers coming back along the course. The full album is available on Facebook, but here’s a quick glimpse of the highlights!
On Saturday in the middle of a 12 mile long run I suffered my first pure running injury. Sure, I've had aches and pains and black toenails and soreness before, but a true running injury? 15 years of running and it finally happened: I tripped on a sidewalk, went sprawling, and tore up my knee. Seven blood-soaked miles later I finally limped back to Fleet Feet at the end of my run.And while I might have had the misfortune of tearing up my knee on a run that morning, local kids had the good fortune of getting a nice big box of books donated for First Pages!
I am tired. Good heavens, I'm tired. Exhausted from work, exhausted from running, exhausted from all the anxiety that keeps me awake half the night - just exhausted. But I had to go to this rally. I had to go. It's important. It was and is so important. It was time for me to stop pontificating, for me to stop spurring everyone else to action while I napped in the wings. It was time for me to show up or shut up.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is on Monday, and I know several people who always participate in a "Day of Service" activity. The idea is that MLK Jr. Day should be a "Day On, Not a Day Off" - and while I don't have the day off work on Monday I've got a little free time in the morning so I'm looking for ways to participate.
I posted yesterday about The Displaced Period Project and 5K and 1 mile "Ugly Sweater Fun Run" to raise money for menstrual supplies for area shelters. (No seriously, check out their GoFundMe page here! https://www.gofundme.com/displaced-periods) The write-up yesterday included just a fraction of the photos from the event - check out the full photo gallery!
We're not supposed to talk about it. We're not supposed to normalize it, or have any evidence of it, or even try to do anything about it to make it better. Let's break all those rules. "It" comes once a month. It's totally normal. It's all-natural. It's your period. Aunt Flo. "That time of month." Shark week. We have all these euphemisms so we don't have to talk about it, but maybe we should. The Displaced Period Project works to reduce the stigma, raise awareness, and raise funds for purchasing products for local shelters with a GoFundMe page and an Ugly Sweater Fun Run.
Thanksgiving...Black Friday...Small Business Saturday...Cyber Monday...and now Giving Tuesday! Some of these names and days may be cringe-worthy (I'm looking at you, Black Friday), but #GivingTuesday is something I can get behind. Now in its fifth year #GivingTuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and is a movement to connect communities and promote charitable giving. As part of #GivingTuesday I'm really excited to participate in a book drive and fundraiser for First Pages, but there are plenty of great organizations to donate to if you've got some change leftover after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.
