A convenient list of twitter handles for the Team Captains is here.
 • Sean Astin, TEAM #Run3rd Founder @SeanAstinI love running. I'm 42 years old, I've been married 20 years and have three daughters. Every time I lace up my shoes, I know I'm doing something good for my life. Every time I sign up for a 10k or a marathon, I know that I'm setting a good example for my family. Every time I read a #run3rd dedication I know I'm doing something important. I always make sure to take in the scenery, to marvel at the beauty of the natural world while I'm running, but I can't help analyzing every mechanical detail of every practice and every race. I thank heaven for my ability to run, it is a gift and what's more it's fun! "Running makes me a better everything" |
 I never set out to be a runner and fell into it by accident. Last summer a few of my friends signed up for the TinkerBell Half Marathon and encouraged me to do the same. I was intrigued but never thought I could run 13 miles. NEVER. The thought of it really terrified me into training hard. I learned a lot about my body and limits during that time. And when I ran that entire half marathon and crossed the finish line, it literally changed my life. I did something I never thought I could do, and that runner’s high (which up until that point I honestly thought was a myth) lasted almost a week. I was hooked. “It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” |
 I'm a 37 year old mom and TV/movie/book geek who woke up one day and realized I was horribly out of shape. Just after that epiphany, Sean inspired me with his own marathon running. You see, he was taking #run3rd dedications, and that really touched my heart. I sent him my dedications, and he tweeted me back accepting them and promising to run for ME. That got me thinking… Why can't I learn to run? Wouldn't that be a good way to get in shape? And so… I did. This journey has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. I run my first 5K in September, and while I won't promise to run it in a certain amount of time, nor will I promise to RUN the whole race, I WILL promise to finish. Whether I'm running, walking or crawling, I WILL cross that finish line. I'm proud of what I've accomplished and I truly hope that this is the first of many, many races. "For those who didn't believe in me, for those who did, for myself and to show the world that you can be unstoppable… Just run." |
 I’m a slow paced, fun loving, big hearted, asthmatic, newbie runner with ADHD. My titles include wife, mother, Coach and California native. As an Adapted Physical Education Specialist, with a degree in Kinesiology, I ‘coach’ children, K-12, with severe disabilities. They in turn inspire me to accept myself for who I am, and to be the best I can be. I ran my first 5k, motivated to raise money for Desert AIDS Project. I didn’t enjoy the training process at all, but loved the race day excitement! I quickly discovered exercise induced asthma was the reason it wasn’t fun to run, but also discovered my ADHD loved me for burning off the extra energy! So with many ups and downs, I just kept going, and in January 2013, the day after my 49th birthday, I ran my first half marathon at Disneyland! It was there my #Run3rd story began! The Tinker Bell Half Marathon was abuzz about Sean and the purpose of #Run3rd! #Run3rd has kept me running, because it isn’t about me, it’s about connecting and running FOR others. I have been running 3rd, with all of my heart, ever since! I’m so very excited to be a part of the #Run3rd team and to just keep going… How long it takes is irrelevant as long as you keep on going. —Rick Warren. |
 I have been married to my sweetheart for over 17 years and we have three beautiful daughters. My running story starts in 2005, when my wife and I took up running to get back into shape. I joined Team in Training, raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and completed the Disney Full Marathon in January 2006. I learned that why we run is unique to each of us and is often more than just the physical challenge on race day. It may be to spend time with friends, to lose weight, to raise money for a cause, or just for that runner’s high. But we all come together to run on the same path. After this race I wanted to give back to the running community and created two successful online forums for runners and walkers to share our experience and knowledge: the Disney Marathon Weekend Facebook group with almost 1000 members participating in runDisney events, and the Pacebook Running Club (PbRC), with several hundred members throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and even South America. I actively participate in numerous distance races each year with my wife, daughters, and the many friends I have made in the running community. It is important that we support and challenge each other. When I happened across the #Run3rd mission I instantly knew I had to be a part of Sean’s vision. I’m honored to have been selected as a Team Captain and look forward to meeting as many #Run3rd members as possible at upcoming events. “Often the hardest and scariest step we take is that very first step out of our front doors.” |
 I’m a 42 year-old mom and geek, married to a wonderful woman who has been by my side for 15 years. I’ve been a medic, a cop, and right now I do the books and human resources for a Speech-Language Pathology clinic in Albuquerque, NM. I have a side business making custom leather goods. I also play hockey. No really! I started running to improve my game and found I actually like it. My clinic works primarily with the developmentally disabled, and I am inspired every day by their ability to be enabled. I saw the #Run3rd campaign and thought “What a great idea!” Then I thought, “Well, why not?” My first event will be the Duke City Marathon. I plan to recruit fellow SLP employees to recruit their clients to participate in the 5K walk, while I #Run3rd for everyone else in the half marathon. There is a lot of planning and practicing ahead of me, but this is going to be a lot of fun. I cannot wait to see “our guys” (as we call our clients) cross the finish line! "Dare to be extraordinary!" |
 I use to run when I was a kid, until after completing a 2k run in 13 minutes, I promptly had my first asthma attack. I never ran after that. I’m 32 now, single and have been active in other ways that didn’t require running. My asthma is exercise induced which makes it hard, and I was sick of my body and my fear controlling what I wanted to do. When I heard of what Sean was doing with his run and the #run3rd dedications, I began to read those dedications. The things people said, gave me the courage to start running again. Although I fight asthma all the time, it did NOT stop me from running my first 5K on Aug 18, 2012. Just because someone says it can’t be done that way, doesn't mean you can’t find another way to do it. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, stop you from achieving a dream you may have and then set out to achieve it. Not for the reason of those who told you, you couldn’t, but to show that great things can happen no matter what the odds. —Me |
 I'm a 32 years old from the Seattle area, not the type of girl that you look at and go "oh, she's a runner!" I used to be; back in college I'd run every day and went from huffing my way through a quarter mile, to running 10-15 miles in no time flat! But, as sometimes happens, life post-college proved to be more chaotic than I'd planned, and my daily runs dropped to bi-weekly walks, and then slipped away altogether. And then life threw me the curve ball. In August of 2012, a week after the Run For Your Lives 5K, I was hospitalized with acute disseminate encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Essentially, it's a short-circuit in my brain that left me with blurred double vision, no balance, and minimal control of my own body. After months of rehabilitative therapy, I'm back on my feet and not taking any moment for granted. I run 1st for me, for my recovery, and for trying to capture every moment that I nearly had stolen away. I run because I can, and because for a long time, I never thought I could again. I run 2nd for my family and friends, without whose support I wouldn't have pulled through. And I #Run3rd for everyone who's starting over, overcoming challenges, and who never thought it could be possible. It IS possible. I can do this, and so can you! |
 I’m a 27-year old from Fremont, CA, a yoga, crossfit, crochet-loving bookworm-meets-Disney fanatic all wrapped in one. I taught swimming for almost 10 years to kids from 6 months to 5 years. From the minute I could walk, soccer defined me, and ultimately led to a scholarship for a college in Colorado. I was in the best shape of my life. After I moved back to CA I hung up the cleats. Last year I found myself single after 5 years, heartbroken and out of shape. I was trying to be my old self again, yet was having a hard time. I decided that I needed a fresh start, so a friend and I signed up for the Tinker Bell Half last year. It was my first long distance run for ‘fun,’ and right after my break-up. My friend ended up flaking out, leaving me to run alone. It became a life changing experience! This was the first time I realized how much I missed running. In the end I’m thankful to both people. The solitude of that 13.1 miles alone with my thoughts surrounded by thousands of strange faces who were smiling at me, giving words of encouragement and high fives despite not knowing me was exactly what I needed. I felt like they were there for me. #Run3rd allows me to pay that feeling forward. I hope to inspire other people the way Sean and the #run3rd community has inspired me. Positivity, finding the beauty in every thing/place/one and living in love with life is the way I try to live. I run for you, for those who can’t and those who’ve lost their way. I look forward to meeting you all! "You don’t have to be great to start, but you do have to start to be great." |
• Leah Gutierrez @LeahMari11Sunny Southern California is where I was born and raised and continue to call home with my husband and our 3 children. My first venture into the world of running was in 2007. My husband and I ran the Disneyland 5K and didn't train for it at all! It was just a fun thing to do. Since then, running has become so ingrained in our lives that we truly consider it to be a family pastime. It seems like every month, someone in the family (including the kids) has a race scheduled. There are many reasons I run: for the enjoyment of it, for the "me" time, for the challenge, etc. Above all, I run because I CAN. The ability to do this is a blessing that I don't take for granted. "No matter how fast or how far you run, each step is part of a journey that can be one of the most inspiring and fulfilling experiences you will ever have." |
 My name is Michael Hornsby and I am 18 years old. I started running at around age 13 and have loved it ever since. The best way to describe what running means to me can be told through a book that is near and dear to my heart: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." |
 I'm a geek whose hobbies include gardening, playing with ferrets, and noodling around on assorted Apple devices. I'm not a runner, though I do try to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. I recently started walking and did my first 5K walk in October 2012. #Run3rd allows me to be part of a community with the simple yet powerful goal of encouraging activities that benefit both body and soul, through running/walking and by honoring and sharing the things that matter to others. "Find what you love, then do it with passion and your whole heart." |
 I am 58 years old, married 33+ years, mom of 3 adult children, one Angel-baby, gramma to 3, and mom-in-law to 2 lovely women! I have watched over this past year as Sean developed #Run3rd, and as more and more people have been inspired to take their place alongside him. It has been amazing and humbling to witness. I've not run for many years. With type 2 diabetes, cold-air and exercise-induced asthma, and a physicality more suited to a Hobbit hole (short, round and overly fond of the pantry!) my running days are behind me. But I can walk! And I shall! Purpose not Pace, for me! I dedicate each step to my family and friends, to you for all that y'all "carry", and with gratitude to Sean. Good for me, good for my family, and in the spirit of the power of critical mass and collective action, good for all of you! Thanks to all of the Captains ahead of me, and welcome to those yet to come! This past year: "I feel thin, sort of stretched like butter scraped over too much bread." And now: "I think I am quite ready to go on another journey." — J.R.R.Tolkien |
 I have been married for almost 20 years and am proud mom to a 13-year old. I'm a teacher on Special Assignment as the Director of the Teaching & Learning Collaborative. TLC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to design and facilitate professional development in mathematics, science,and technology for teachers in grades K-12. A few years ago, I did my first 5k and was hooked. What I love most of all about running is how supportive people are. People you don't even know are cheering you on—and I love the finish line moment. It is such a great feeling and I wanted to bring that energy to our organization. Now, we coordinate a Signature Race Event, the Pi Day 5K, to generate excitement about math & science for teachers, students and families. I discovered the #Run3rd idea during the Tinkerbell Half Marathon. I'm getting ready for my first Princess Half and was following the tweets; I was instantly hooked! I could see the excitement in what I was reading and was inspired even from few thousand miles away! "Remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." —Henry Ford |
 I'm a 36-year old working mom of two little girls and live in Michigan. I'm new to running but have learned the more you train, the better it feels! I decided to sign up with Team In Training (TNT) and run a half marathon. My first TNT race is at the end of May and I'm looking forward to it! I've enjoyed running so much that I signed up for two more half marathons in September and October! It is such a wonderful feeling when you finish a run or a race and realize what you just accomplished. I love #run3rd - it lets me run for several causes and people all at one time! It also gives me inspiration and motivation to continue!I #run3rd for YOU! "I may be slow, but I'm still lapping everyone on the couch!" |
 I’m a mom, wife, and Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) in San Jose, CA. I completed my first ½ marathon in 2007 and haven’t looked back since. I am proof that ANYONE regardless of size, shape, or age with the determination, drive and heart can run. #Run3rd has given me the opportunity to mesh my professional and personal life. I choose to run for myself as well as for the children I work with who demonstrate a wide array of communication disorders. I #Run3rd for them! “Running is the ideal relationship; it doesn’t pass judgment, care about who you are or what you look like. It’s always there rain or shine just waiting for you to take it on.” |
 • Heather Stewart @captainstewieI'm so stinkin' excited to be part of the team! In September 2010 I decided that I need to take control of my life and my health. Since then I've lost over 80 pounds and realized that I LOVE to run! My first 5K in March 2011 was my gateway drug, after that I was hooked. Since then, I've run over a dozen 5Ks, a few 10Ks and 5 half marathons. I'm not fast, but I'm determined! I learned about #Run3rd at the Tinkerbell Half in January and was intrigued. I'm 38, single and graduating with my Bachelor's in Communications this June. I also sit on the board of the Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund which offers grants to young adults fighting cancer to help lessen their financial burden. #Run3rd gives me an opportunity to support other causes that motivate and inspire me. This year I'm doing 10 half marathons and competing in my first sprint triathlon. 2013 LA Marathon… here I come! It's hard to beat a person that never gives up. —Babe Ruth |
 • Cheyanne Witte @CheyGirl1I am Cheyanne Witte, a 36 yr old married Travel Agent. As a working mother of 3 girls, it's hard for me to find time and money to contribute to causes I believe in. Recently I found out that my friend Kristine was not doing well. I looked for ways to help her, but unfortunately lack the money to help financially and am too far away to help otherwise. It makes me extremely sad and angry to feel so helpless and useless. However I found a way to help in a self-productive way—I discovered #Run3rd. Now I can dedicate my runs to others and let them know that I am thinking of them every day I run. I am new to running and #run3rd came at the perfect time to motivate me both mentally and physically. I will be running my first 5k in July and I couldn't be more excited. I love the run3rd message so much it gives me the motivation to strive and power though no matter how easy it may seem to give up! "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." —John Bingham |
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