It is a Wonderful Life (Stanley Park to Second Beach)
After crossing the bridge, we cavalcaded into Stanley Park, us and our R41P homecoming Posse’! The excitement was building with each step as we started our 2 km run through re-growth (from the storm of 2007) and 2nd growth forest (protected long ago by forward thinking early Vancouver leaders). Our Police escort fully intact and leading the way towards 2nd Beach and our imminent 2nd meeting spot for supporters (with SISU’s help as a beacon with some tasty HYDRADE for all).
My heart was full of emotion as I remembered running along Terry Fox Courage Highway back in late June and the gift my childhood hero had given me to just keep going, inspired by his desire to give back and make a difference in someone’s life who had cancer. I offered my thanks as we ran by and knew he would have made this spot in the park, had cancer not forced him to finish in Thunder Bay.
This section of Stanley Park was another homage spot for my other hero, my Dad. He and I used to park here after his post stroke therapy sessions and share stories as we munched on our brownbag lunches, courtesy of the care home that looked after him before he went to heaven and joined my sister.
Thanks Dad. Thanks Terry. Both your lives had a huge impact on the person I became and your courage to make a difference succeeded, (especially with the guy (me) running along with his partner in crime and their posse’ 30+ strong).
On to 2nd beach, where a collection of you guessed it, family, friends and supporters from the 4 corners of our lives, were awaiting our slow run towards them. Even two of my longest “very best good friends, Sniffy and Farnsworth” (John Pyper Ferguson and Chad Willett surprised us as we ran along). Our consortium of get them home folks finally met as we made the 2nd Beach field and after big hello’s and holy smokes you’re kids have grown we changed the “Miles Ran” to reflect the years worth of marathons.
Steph and I climbed up onto Racy, with Amber above catching the action, as well, our video/photo pros, Rob, Frank and B, positioned expertly, all intent of capturing this momentous event. The feelings as the “Miles Ran” read “11,000” was the culmination of a lifetime of asking questions of what could we do to help change the world. That question of how to give back, answered many years later on a flight to Detroit, which then set in motion on December 9th 2006, 2 people committing to run “a lot” and for a passionate belief in what the run stood for. This now almost completed 2½-year journey, 28 feet deep in the richest experiences two people could have ever imagined, was plastered for all there to see and share in the celebration together. I think the picture of us pretty much sums it up!
Tomorrow. Part 3!
Hi Matt! Heard about you and Stephanie’s journey from Pyper. I am living in Sask and Pyper was here doing a movie. It was so good to hear about you and it didn’t surprise me that you were taking on the planet. Good man! And you look very happy. So good to see. I will keep your and our cause in mind as I have an online business that I am always looking for great ventures to put some funds into (however little it may be). I would like to chat further about this sometime and see if I can help. (If you don’t remember me, you were the one that got me into acting classes, when we worked at the White Spot) You’re to blame! Cheers and congratulations to the both of you! Magnificent.
Comment by Tammy Rae — Tuesday, May 19, 2009 @ 8:31 pm
Hey there you two. Well, I always new that you could do it. And I’m so glad that I could and did read your daily blogs and kept track of your progress with the GPS and maps on the runforoneplanet site. I almost felt like I was with you all the way around.
Sadly, bad health had to keep me away from the beginning of your run and alas, the end of your run as well. But I hope I can find a way to be a big part of the path that will be taken on the next leg of this journey that we call: “Run For One Planet.”
I have moved, and just got out of hospital. I need a new phone as the old one has finally given up the gost. But I will be intouch soon as I did recieve your message and will contact you soon.
Until then my friend.
Jim
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