You have heard me go on and on about how much I love my running friends so please indulge me again today. When I saw that the Wednesday Word prompt was “Beauty” I knew I had yet another opportunity to highlight my running crew. After all, tis the season to highlight the beauty and kindness we see in others. Let me tell you a little bit about how theBeauty of Running Friends Extends Way Beyond Running.
The Beauty of Running Friends Extends Way Beyond Running
The fall season of Girls on The Run concludes this week. Being a nonprofit group, all of the coaches are volunteers. Our program has grown significantly the last few years and this fall we had a record breaking 60 girls sign up. I was ecstatic at our numbers until I realized that we would be grossly under staffed for coaches.
I sent out a panicked post to my Moms Run This Town group, and immediately 4 of my fabulous friends stepped forward to help me out. These friends have no connection to the school and do not even have young girls. They selflessly offered to give their time and effort to the GOTR program twice a week for 10 weeks. The beauty of running friends extends way beyond running.
Like so many of you, I was deeply saddened by the destruction of property and loss of life from the recent hurricanes. I knew I wanted to organize some way that I could help out. My old college roommate was from (and still lives in) Puerto Rico. When her home town was devastated, I knew that I wanted to focus on helping out families there. I heard about an organization Adopt A Family USVI that pairs you with someone specific in one of the US Virgin Islands or PR.
Once again, I went to my group to ask for small donations. I had committed to “adopting” 5 families figured I would supplement beyond what I received from donations from our group. My friends were asked to bring anything they wanted to donate to our Holiday Party last weekend.
They arrived with bags and bags of items to donate. Much to my delight, we exceeded our 5 boxes of donations by almost double. We will be sending out 9 boxes today of much needed necessities to families in Puerto Rico. Once again, my running friends went way above and beyond to help me out. I was blown away by their generosity and kindness. The beauty of running friends extends way beyond running.
Thanks for again letting me gush over how truly blessed I am to have this wonderful group of women in my life.
Linking up
Running on Happy and coach Debbie
Thank you for helping Puerto Rico! I know things are still not good down there. 🙁 We went to Dollar General and donated a lot of items to Puerto Rico when they were doing a benefit in Harrisburg.
Things are still terrible there hope this small amount will help
What an awesome group you have! I love that you all came together to help others.
They are pretty amazing!
What a great group! My niece participates in Girls on the Run in North Carolina, so I can’t tell you how much it means to know that there are such great and caring coaches out there. And the way your group really showed up for sending things to PR and the USVI speaks volumes. You’re so lucky and I agree that runners have some of the kindest hearts and are much more than just running friends.
Runners really are such a fantastic community to be a part of
How amazing! I love that you shared your idea of helping families in Puerto Rico and that your running friends were able to donate so many items. Sometimes I hate saying “running friends” because they really are just my “friends” at this point 🙂
Yes that is so true!
I am always so amazed at your fabulous group of friends!! You are truly blessed. xoxo
Thank you and I truly believe I am blessed to have them in my life
That is wonderful you have such a special group of ladies surrounding you. I am from a small town with a handful of runners. It’s very cliquey here and I can’t seem to fit in. BUT two years ago I met some wonderful women from Alabama, one state over and I’ve developed a close friendship with one running friend who lives about an hour and a half away. We will be meeting up this weekend for a race and several other runners. I’m slowly making new connections and friends even though they are not in my own community. It’s been an answered prayer! Thank you for sharing!
That was how I felt when I first met all my runner buddies. They are out there you just have to find them and hope you do.
Running friends really are the best. I wish I lived closer, I would have loved to help out with Girls on the Run.
I wish you did too! You would be a perfect coach for them plus we would have lots of fun hanging out together 🙂
Love this so much!
I coached a GOTR team last spring and had so much fun!
I am so glad that you had the chance to coach as well. It’s really such a fabulous program
It’s amazing how your friends can really step up to the plate when you need them. The Adopt a Family organization sounds wonderful, that’s great you were able to send PR so many donations!
They are quite an amazing group of ladies!
What an amazing group of women! That is true beauty for sure. I’m kind of bummed my girls are now too old for GOTR but I still help out as long as they’ll have me. 🙂
Oh yes my daughter is way past it but it’s fun to give back and I love to work with that age.
Sounds like such an incredible group! Need to find some running ladies in my area!
You should check to see if there is a moms run this town group near you.
Love this post! Sounds like a lovely group 🙂
I am very lucky to have them
You are so lucky to have such a wonderful group of friends!
I know I really am!
What a sweet post. You’ve got a great girl tribe, Deb.
I am so very lucky!
love all this! thanks for sharing! community is so important as is giving back, that’s awesome that you’ve found some fantastic ways to do so
Thanks really warms my heart
Yes, indeed, running friends are more than just friends who run. 😉
Yes we are!
I love this! When I was training for my first marathon, a lot of runners & triathletes who I’d only met casually a few times really stepped up to help me train and donate money for fundraising. It really is a great community.
I bet that was such a great help to you!
And YOU are the best GOTR coach and chapter leader — you bring out the best in everyone else. 😉
Thanks that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said!
This got me all teary! Your running friends are pretty amazing!
They really are quite an amazing bunch
Love that you guys worked together for this great cause! I totally agree, running friends really become great friends beyond running.
They sure do!
What a wonderful post! Thanks for sharing! You truly do have great friends!
I feel very lucky to have them in my life
This just blows me away. I love it when people come together like this. There’s so much other news now *cough cough* that Puerto Rico has dropped off. We need to remember they are still suffering!
they really are still suffering so much down there. I really felt a connection in a small way because my friend grew up there.
You have some amazing friends who really step up in big ways – happy that you have such wonderful women in your life.
I feel so truly lucky to have them
This is such a great idea for giving back during the holidays! I am going to check into this program as the USVI is near and dear to my heart!!
OH good! They do still need so much help
That’s amazing that your running friends were able to step up and help out like that! Running friends really are the best 🙂
Yes they sure are!
What a great cause, Deborah! Good friends are so crucial and I’m glad you have such a great group.
I’m proud of your running friends for contributing to the next generation of women runners and to the world. Back in my day my skating friend organized me and some others to be a track team. It was the first year of women’s track at my high school, and we started the season with no coach at all. As far as USVI and PR, I’m glad that you and your friends were able to provide some very much needed help.
Thanks so much!
What an incredible mission you were able to organize and exceed your goal for. The families in Puerto Rico that receive these boxes are going to be so thankful for all of your effort.
thanks so much feeling pretty good about it!
That is a beautiful thing 🙂 It is good when someone (you ) has the gift to bring folks together for one purpose!
Runner friends really are the best!And it sounds like you’ve got some great ones.
I am truly very lucky!
It sounds like you have some amazing friends, but that’s not surprising because the running community truly is beautiful.
Thanks for linking up!
I could not agree more!