Several months ago I decided, if I made it this far in my training, I would set up a fundraiser for the Brain Injury Alliance. I felt that this blog, and everything I’ve gone through, needs to amount to something. So, I’ve set up a pledge drive for each mile that I complete up to the total race distance of 103 miles. Now this isn’t like my nephew’s school fundraiser that I was conned into donating to by my brother.  It was a running fundraiser, which I liked, and thought that was much better than trying to sell chocolate or popcorn.

My brother:

“You can donate per lap.  He’ll probably run 10 laps.” (these are short laps, not 1/4 mile).

Me:

“Okay sure, how about $2 per lap.”

My brother – a week later:

“Ummm…so he finished 30 laps. ”

I was fairly proud of the kid, and I happily wrote my check and put it in the mail. Never fear folks, you don’t have to worry about your intended donation tripling, and you can donate even just $0.25 per mile or less. I promise I will not go farther than 103 miles, that seems plenty far enough, especially when those miles have 20,191 feet of climbing. That is a lot of uphill and downhill. But it is a beautiful course, and for 30+ hours (yes I said 30) I will be climbing up and down, and up and down, and up and down those hills.

Running has been an anchor for me this past year. It has given me hope, it has distracted me, it has helped me heal. When I run, the fog lifts, and it is the only time I really feel normal. The Brain Injury Alliance is a non-profit organization that helps people with Traumatic Brain Injuries, and their families. They are a resource to find doctors, therapists, support groups, and financial assistance. They helped me, and now I hope to give back.

So here is the link to my fundraising drive – Running Out of the Fog – 100 miles for the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado