Run

This is a photo of me and my sister (I am not wearing a vest). We are walking just after crossing the finish line. We finished in 38 minutes. I walked for three 1 minute intervals and we sprinted at the end to make it under 40 minutes. I was running in the inaugural Canadian Army Run. I know this type of run is done each year in the US, this was our first in Canada. Almost 6700 people were registered, there was a 5K and a half marathon.

What can I say. WOW. It was pretty amazing. Inspirational actually. And not just because it was my first run, not just because I was running with my sister and my best running buddies, not just because I was surrounded be 3000 people of all ages and sizes. The thing that touched me the most, and I didn't really expect this, was being surrounded by army personnel. Reg Forces, men and women who train every day and do tours of duty in places like Afghanistan. Who put their lives on the line so that I can be free, and feel safe to run anytime I want to. They are inspirational.

Our run started at 8am. At 7:45 the injured soldiers who were participating in the 5K started. We all clapped and cheered, but the full emotion was lost on me due to nerves and excitement of starting my first race. As we were running we can upon a veteran (they all looked young, my age or younger) who had lost his arm and had a slow laboured walk. He was very upbeat and saying hello to runners and they passed him. A little farther on we passed a double leg amputee who was clearly having a hard time with the walk, physically and emotionally. Seeing him struggle, watching his friend help him remain steady. It was hard to see. How hard it must be for him, emotionally, to be surrounded by all these able bodied runners when he is still adjusting to his artificial legs (he had bow spring type artificial legs). We passed a woman with one leg missing and a quadrapeligic in an electric wheel chair. My sister and I wondered what kind of horror these people must have witnessed. Their LAV hit by and IED, a suicide bomber, a gun battle. These heroic people who put their lives on the line. Who may be considere lucky to have escaped with their lives. Who struggle with pain and difficult memories daily. They inspire me. To keep running, to keep upbeat, to be thankful everyday for what they do.