Today I ran the local Terry Fox 10k. It was a very windy and wet morning but by the time that the run started conditions were perfect for running. I used it as a speed workout for the Bellingham Bay Marathon that is coming up next weekend but really that was just an excuse for being out there. I found inspiration in passing all the walkers on the out and back course. There were cancer survivors, elderly (including one woman on a power scooter), and a number of small children. Many of the people were visibly out of condition, and very few people actually wanted to run in the event, opting for a more sociable walk with friends. But still they were collectively very inspiring because they were out there participating and helping to raise money for cancer research in Terry’s name. That was a lot more meaningful than how fast you can run the 10k.
If you are as old as I am you probably have strong memories of Terry’s heroic effort to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. The fact that he would be out there every day running is all kinds of inclement weather, with his painful shuffle hop step on his primitive prosthesis put all of us who claimed to be runners to shame. Then when he had to announce that he was going to have to suspend his run to concentrate of fighting another cancer, it was such a moving experience that I am sure I was not the only one with tears that day. Year after year I try to participate in a Terry Fox run to help “keep his dream alive”. When our children were young I used to walk, and later run it with them. That is another milestone that is long behind me, but I still try to support the Terry Fox Run every fall, and it is wonderful to see the young people who weren’t even born when Terry died out there participating.
Andy Warhol used to say that in our fast paced and high tech world that everyone would have 15 seconds of fame, and then the focus would move on to the next “big, new thing”. Terry Fox’s Run and his memory have been inspiring people for over 30 years. He has an enduring legacy, and for what? For wanting to do what he could as an individual to help others. It really demonstrates what an impact a single person can have… if they believe that they can do something and are prepared to perserve. As I try to raise funds for self-help projects in Nepal I am inspired by the leadership of Terry.
Running for Nepal 