The theme of a lot of my good deeds throughout this experiment have involved a combination of fundraising and running. This one is no exception. As I donated to my former basketball coach, mentor and friend's campaign to raise money for his 1/2 marathon endeavor, I began to think about the cause that he was running for. See, for each runner there is often a higher purpose than just the activity and pushing the physical boundaries. Often, it is about a higher purpose, whether that is setting a goal for oneself, becoming a better athlete, the drive of competition or giving to a charity. Philanthropy in endurance athletes often go hand in hand. Rarely do I do an event that doesn't contribute to some higher mission somehow. There is just something so pure and so inspiring in athletes who prepare and put themselves through agony (or what Coach considers "suffering") for someone else's cause. That's real sacrifice in action.
This race in particular is going towards Child and Family Services. The aim of this organization is to provide social services in order to strengthen families. It's a tremendous organization and one I hope you would consider donating too as well. You can donate to: http://www.active.com/donate/CFS2010/gstriclub