Sunday, July 14, 2013

One Small Step Closer to a Smile


This morning I ran a half marathon. It was my first time participating in the Sevathon, an event that recognizes, supports, and nurtures a spirit of giving. Today I got a feel of how many people it takes to plan an event of that scale. It was a humbling experience to see so many volunteers helping out of the goodness of their hearts. Some helped runners and some passionately represented their cause by raising awareness. These volunteers have a busy life yet they take the effort to make time for others who are in need. I’m even more inspired to volunteer.

I ran for Maitri, a non-profit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area that primarily helps families suffering with domestic violence, emotional abuse, cultural alienation, human trafficking or family conflict. Approximately 1.5 million women are physically assaulted annually in the United States. Domestic violence has no place in our society!

This run was also to give confidence to my parents, who were worried about the chipped bone in my foot. I ran the Sevathon at a comfortable pace. The weather couldn't have been better, and the scenery was beautiful. We ran alongside the bay, so it was nice to have a surplus of fresh air. It was wonderful to have my brother cheer me on. On my 12th mile (my final mile) I took a wrong turn and ended up running half a mile off the course. I had to remind myself every now and then that I was not here to race.

I successfully completed the half-marathon… plus an additional mile. I can continue my training for the Ultra with a little bit more confidence. This was definitely a small step towards reaching my goal to make a difference in lives of kids with the cleft birth defect

.

No comments:

Post a Comment