I Run 4

I've been struggling with my runs lately.  I seem to have lost my motivation...  Or at least trying to motivate myself.

But then I remember who I run for.  I run for a little girl in Florida who can't run for herself.  She was born with half a heart and a missing chromosome.  She has a feeding tube and a trach tube.  She can't do a lot of things for herself, but that doesn't stop her bubbly personality from showing through.

Sweet Pea has a runner too.  Someone she can motivate to keep going when they think they can't.  

And in return, I am encouraged and inspired by someone wanting to run for Sweet Pea.  

These two matches came about through a group called I Run 4.  It was founded on the simple phrase "You can run for me anytime."

As founder Tim Boyle says on the website: 

"We all have friends who say “run some for me” because they don’t WANT to run… what about those who physically CAN’T run?  After an inspiration from a close friend who was battling bilateral hip dyspasia – Founder Tim Boyle found a whole new inspiration to run.

The mental and emotional encouragement for both runner and honorary runner is proving to be a whole new level of motivation and awareness.  Runners are able to find a whole new sense of purpose in their running while sharing who they are running for and bringing awareness to diseases and disabilities of all types." 

Right now they are looking for people (adults and children) with special needs to match to their runner waiting list.  If you have a child, or are an adult, with special needs, please sign up and see how inspiring it can be to have a runner!

If you are a runner (or walker!) sign up as well, but know there is a wait for matches right now.  Let someone who can't become your motivation for doing what you can.

To find a runner to be matched with or to find someone to run for, click the “Match Me” link. Just sign up and when you get matched – dedicate your runs/workouts to your match!!  You can make signs, tshirts, body paint, whatever you want to do to make your match feel special!!  Upload pics and tag the child’s parent on the facebook group!  Give  your running a whole new motivation!!