$1217 by 12/17: Still I Run Challenge

Over the summer, one of the more fulfilling experiences I was apart of was raising money for a family in tribute to their relative who lost their fight to anxiety and depression. We were able to rally a community together for the common good and it put the good will of people and human nature on display for all to see. I’ve lost people close to me too. The people we lose aren’t just a statistic, a face on the screen, or a sad story. They were someone’s mother, someone’s cousin, someone’s childhood best friend, someone’s friend, someone’s supporter, someone’s school mate, someone’s daughter, someone’s pharmacist, and someone’s reason to smile. There’s a part of that person in everyone that is broken and is never the same afterwards. That void never gets filled, and if you’ve ever had to go through this kind of situation before, you know there is no going back. You just hope that things can be normal again one day.

We’re all going to face our demons. Some have it worse than others. You build callouses in the mind fighting through the rough times, and there are the lucky ones who can dig themselves out of it. Whether you realize it or not, nobody is an island. Your success is the sum of the community you have, the friends who can help carry you through the valleys and take you to the peaks.

The greatest tribute you can give to your pain, and to that period of growth in your life, is to use your position of success, of empathy for the rough times, and pull other people out of their rough patches. We’re all one community, lets act like it.

My goal is simple. For my Birthday, on December 17th, I want to raise $1,217. A Donation of $35 will get you:

• A Spot in our Precision Run Class on 12/17 @ 7:45 pm
• A “You are Not Alone” Wrist band designed custom by Momentum Jewelry

Any and all other donations are welcome. We all have the choice to seek out self-indulgence or enhance our community. Help me give my 29th Birthday meaning. Take the ownership for being about something bigger than yourself. All proceeds go to Still I Run, which is a community of runners that empower each other through their mutual support, and the catharsis that comes from taking ownership of your life through exercise. Lets model that behavior with the Precision Run Studio at Equinox. Let’s build on that.

Don’t stop at letting your donation define you. Let the way you treat the people around you do that. Give people your time, attention, energy, empathy, care and lets all help each other rise up together. Be proactive, don’t stand on the sidelines expressing condolences when we all know we can do our part to make a better world. That’s worth more than any money to any charity out there.

All proceeds go towards Still I Run, a non-profit community dedicated to bringing together running and mental health. The mission of Still I Run is to promote the benefits of running for mental health, defeat the BS stigma around mental health, and provide a safe community for people to share their stories. Having a mental health condition can feel very lonely and isolating, but Still I Run exists to let others know they aren’t alone.

Thank you for your support and generosity!

Runners: Start your own fundraising challenge for your next race by clicking here.