Sunday, February 5, 2012

Run for the Cookies (And For Sherry) on February 11

On Saturday, February 11, Wayne Kevin and I will be running in the annual "Run for the Cookies" 5k (me) and 1 mile (him). In addition to our official "cookies" race bibs, we will also be wearing this bib on our shirts:


Sherry Arnold was a runner from Sidney, Montana, who was abducted early on the morning of January 7, 2012, and murdered. Two men are in custody, for this crime (her body has not been recovered). For more facts about the case, visit this link:

This case has resonated with me for so many reasons, including the fact that Sherry was a mom, wife, and runner. I can't change the outcome but I can do my part as a member of the running community to tangibly show my support.

Sherry's cousin, Beth, of Shut Up + Run, has created a virtual run as a way to show Sherry's family the support of runners (and anyone willing to move) from all over the world. The plan is to do this on February 11. And it's simple: run, walk, crawl, row, bike .... whatever ..... a 5K (3.1 miles) while wearing Sherry's bib. Here is Beth's original post explaining this event.

This is simply a support/awareness run. However, there is a way to donate toward a fund for Sherry's children here via the "donate" button.

If you participate in the virtual run, Beth is encouraging you to submit pictures that she can share with Sherry's family (see a few of the early birds here). If you choose to do your own post about this (great idea, dontcha think??!!), please send the link to Beth so she can share it with the family also. Her email address is beth@shutupandrun.net.

To recap the instructions for participating in the virtual run on February 11:

Print out the bib:


A pdf is available here: http://www.races2remember.com/images/previews/Sherry.pdf

Then: 
  • Mark your calendars
  • Print out a running bib and pin it to your shirt
  • Gather your friends, your running club members, your families
  • If it’s wet where you are, “laminate” your bib with postage tape and punch holes in it
  • If that time doesn’t work, go when you can (the official time for the run is 9 a.m. M.S.T.)
  • GO. Run as far and as long as you want. Walk, hike, cycle, rollerblade if you don’t want to or can’t run.
  • Please share this on your blogs, Facebooks and Twitters
  • Keep it simple. Just run with Sherry on your minds and hearts.
  • You can also connect with this event on Facebook
Let's show Sherry's husband, Gary, and Children Holly and Jason that they are not alone.

(Runners at the Sidney (Sherry's hometown) event will release helium
balloons that have notes to Sherry attached during their February 11 activities.)

5 comments:

Mom is the Only Girl said...

What an awesome way to remember her and to bring awareness to safety! My heart goes out to her family and friends.

Unknown said...

My thoughts and prayers are with that family who lost a loved one.

This is a scary thing. As a runner, I don't think of this possibility. People always ask me if I worry when running in the morning. I don't.

Unknown said...

oh, I'm supposed to tell you I found you on Monday Mingle

bailey said...

hey i found you through a blog hop and am now following you. i hope you can follow me back at
baysbooks.blogspot.com
thanks

Cookie’s Mom said...

This is such a great idea! I'm not a runner (bad knees), but I love that you brought the running community together for such a good cause. Thanks so much for sharing this post for the Best of the Blogosphere, Febuary edition!