Hey guys–happy Friday! It’s a long weekend for most of you (not me) so I bet people are even more anxiously awaiting the end of the work day! Today, I want to share with you something really special that I have been a part of recently. So, back in April a few of my running friends were posting often about all the miles they were logging for their “buddies.” Curious as to what this was about, I asked a few of them questions about this program and landed on the IR4 website.
The basics: you sign up, they match you with a special needs child, or adult or even a sibling of a special needs person (you can pick which group you prefer). Then, once you are matched, you run FOR that person, you dedicate your miles to them and post to them pics of you doing so through their Facebook page. Don’t worry, if you don’t run, you can jog, workout, whatever. The main point is that you are doing something that your buddy may or may not ever be able do. You create this great relationship with your buddy and their family and it’s pretty freaking amazing.
So, I signed up and waited, and waited. Each week there was a wait list that was posted and I started in the thousands (yes plural), and each week I would download the wait list document and search for how much I moved up.
Well, on November 9th (almost 7 months after signing up) I received the email that I was finally matched!!! I was SO excited!! I have been matched to a young girl named Lexie who just melts my heart and I have seriously loved dedicating all my miles to her. I talk with her and her Mom daily through the Facebook page and messenger and she is the reason I signed up for the two races I just ran at the end of the year. She motivates me to get out there, even when I don’t want to! I am forever grateful for this organization and love that #IRun4Lexie I can’t wait to dedicate all my 2016 miles to her!
I know a lot of you are runners, even if you aren’t a runner but like to work out…if you are looking for some extra motivation or heck, just want to do something nice for another human, sign up here!
Additionally, if you have a special needs child/adult that would love to have someone run for them, you can contact Tim Boyle, through the IR4 blog or the IR4 facebook page.
With that, I hope you have an awesome weekend–do something fun, get your sweat on and relax! I’ll see you next week!
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Question of the day
Anyone else here have a IR4 buddy? If not, are you interested in signing up?
