Sandy Hook Virtual 5K race reports

On Saturday, December 29, 2012, most of the Team #Run3rd Captains took part in the Sandy Hook Virtual 5K, one of several running events being held to support the Newtown CT community after the terrible shootings at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Sean Astin, Andrea Barber, Christina Boulard, Tony Conticello, Heidi Corrado, Sarah Diamond, Michael Hornsby, Linda Iroff, Laura Lawson, Heather Slawinski, Lupe Steele, Heather Stewart and Cheyanne Witte all participated. Some of us did it a day early (Linda, to avoid impending snow), some a day late (Sarah, after recovering from a bout of vertigo), and when Christina and Cheyanne were unable to run due to sick child and unexpected surgery, respectively, in true Team #run3rd spirit, Heather Stewart added their miles to hers!

Here are reports from some of the captains.

Sean Astin's race report is here.

• Submitted by Laura Lawson @GrammaHobbit

On December 29, 2012 I participated in the Sandy Hook Virtual 5K Run/Walk in support of the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. This was my first event under the banner of #Run3rd.

My event started the day before with my 5 year old granddaughter, Laci, helping me to decorate the shirt that I would wear for race day. It seemed fitting. Laci seemed to quickly grasp my minimal explanation of what I was doing. She worked solemnly at adding hearts and designs and, her own idea, a "letter" to the children of Sandy Hook.


I had planned to walk indoors, but after I got off from work and went home to change, the day had turned about perfect. At 4:35 in the afternoon, it was in the 40's, barely a breeze, and wall-to-wall sunshine. I began my walk.

I do not listen to music when I walk and this day was strangely quiet. My walking path was a series of paved trails at the community park adjoining a local high school. I had the place to myself, and even that suited my mood. My thoughts never strayed far from Sandy Hook. The victims, the survivors, the school staff, the responders, the friends, the families. So many lives forever changed. So much pain.

Recovery, and the grieving process, which is indeed helped by a world full of love and support, is still, ultimately, a very long, solitary walk. There are no shortcuts, no way through except by one step at a time. For one hour, and 10 minutes, I walked for Sandy Hook. I will walk for Sandy Hook in all the rest of my journeys. My heart so aches for them all.

This was the right first #Run3rd event for me, the first of many to come. It felt right, and meaningful, the least I could do.

~~~

• Submitted by Lupe Steele @LupeSteele

On a cold rainy Saturday morning, my Husky Grace and I took to the road to run a 5K dedicated to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. As with every #Run3rd race, I prepared signs that listed the names of the individuals I was running for; in this particular case, I attached a picture along with names of those that perished at Sandy Hook Elementary School (see above).

Lupe and Grace

Grace and I set out on our 5K, but the thrill of running was not the same as in the past. I felt the need to listen to music that symbolized the emotions that so many of us felt when we learned of the shooting. My run took me by a children’s park where I ran past a family who was lifting their bundled little one onto a swing.  I had seen this scene play out many times before during my trips to the park with my two boys yet, this time that same scene became much more memorable.

The events of December 14, 2012 stirred up a variety of emotions for us all. It was personally heartbreaking because I am a mom of a 1st grader and I work with young children. I cannot pretend to understand the sorrow that many are feeling; I take comfort in knowing that I will do what it takes to help the families and nation heal even if it just starts with a 5K run in their memory. “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” 

~~~

• Submitted by Heather Stewart @captainstewie

I would like to preface this post by saying I was born and raised in California. I don’t dream of a White Christmas; Christmas to me is making hot cocoa on a cold night and wearing a sweatshirt and maybe some gloves. I get cold when it’s 50°. It’s the same if you told me it was hot at 90°,  I would laugh…that’s not hot.

Soooo, when I had to run 12 miles for marathon training yesterday in the low 30’s and it was raining, I wanted to stop. But I had made a commitment. I made a commitment to run a marathon in March and it doesn’t train for itself. I made a commitment to live a healthier lifestyle.  I also made a commitment to run a 5K to honor the victims of the Newtown Massacre. And I made a commitment to run for those team captains that couldn’t.

When my fingers were freezing and I wanted to quit, I thought about the little lives that would never know the joy of running through a finish line. When it started raining and  I wanted to quit, I thought about the young teachers who wouldn’t know what it’s like to have children or grandchildren. When my legs felt tired and I wanted to quit, I thought about the brave adults who sacrificed their lives to save the children in their care.

So I #run3rd Saturday December 29. I kept running so I could remember those who can’t any longer.

• I run 1st for me, a marathon doesn’t train for itself
• I run 2nd for my family: I ran for my #run3rd family Cheyenne and Christina who couldn’t run for themselves.
• I #run3rd for Sandy Hook