Saturday, February 27, 2016

Joining JP's Team!

I signed up to run the Ottawa Half Marathon last December and I thought I would just run it for myself. But then I met Jean-Paul Bédard during a fun run with Black Toe Running in Toronto, and I decided that I wanted to be part of #JPsTeam. Read on to find out why!



We were very excited to be running 10K on the coldest day of the year! Felt like -35C! Amazing photo by JP's Team's photographer, Mr. Edison Yao.
I initially learned about Jean-Paul Bédard through his Triple Marathon at #STWM last October. I read about what he was doing and thought that not only was it a crazy feat, but it was so great that he was using running as a way to promote awareness for his story! I treated it as just another motivational story to keep in the back of my head, but nothing more.

Fast forward to Saturday February 13, Black Toe Running's Fun Run with JP. I had stumbled upon this event through Facebook and decided that it'd be cool to run downtown, since the streets in Barrie weren't that safe this time of year. I arrived early and saw JP but didn't walk up to say hi... 'cause I wouldn't know what else to say! Before the gang headed out, JP gave a short talk about his story, and how he's launching JP's Team, a movement to unite runners and create a community to promote awareness about sexual abuse. 

I've never met an elite athlete before, but JP's humble and approachable vibe was not what I expected from someone of his athletic accomplishments. He seemed to be long time friends of the owners of Black Toe Running and there were lots of laughs shared around the room. JP moved around during our run, greeting runners in the front and back of the pack alike. I did chat with JP very briefly while we ran, saying that I was also running the Ottawa race, but only 1/8 of his distance. Before I left Black Toe Running, JP personally said bye to me and even gave me a hug! Hugs are awesome. Therefore hug givers (aka Huggers) are also awesome.


Since that fun run, I've seen more of JP's efforts to promote JP's Team on social media and even heard an interview of his (I'll include the link later in this post). Slowly, JP's beyond marathon distance running goals and the mission of JP's Team became more than "just a good cause". Now I've done runs for charity in the past, and I've found that I'm most engaged with a cause when my story really connects with it. And since I'm a list lover, what better way to share why I'm so excited to be a part of JP's Team than a list?!

Why am I part of JP's Team? Because...
  • This year I have a goal of living Bravely and I feel that JP's role as an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse embodies that idea. I'm inspired by how JP shares his story, motivated by his bravery to stand up for himself and others, and I want to be a part of his cause!

  • I believe in community and seek connection. I used to just run alone. Since meeting my relay team friends last year, I've come to appreciate the social benefits of running with others. But it's still hard for me to reach out to create new connections. The idea of meeting more friends through running and broadening my "running community" only recently came to me! In fact, running has often been known as the sport where beginners, every day runners, and elite athletes all start at the same start line. But it's rare for us, "average" runners, to ever meet the elites. Here's JP, someone who trains for ultra-marathons, coming out to run with strangers in the middle and back of the pack just for fun. Now that's the type of community I want to be a part of! "It's way cooler at the back of pack." Damn right JP!

  • I run for my mental health too! Part of JP's running story is how running has helped him combat his struggle with mental health and addiction issues. Everyone has mental health, but not everyone knows how to take care of it as much as their physical health. Running has certainly helped me through some rough patches so I can definitely relate to how powerful running is in that regard!

  • I believe that sharing your passion can change the world around you and I want to be around people who inspire me. When JP talks about how running has changed his life, that resonates with me. This decision is more than just the thought of "Why not run for a good cause?" I want to continue sharing my passion for running with others and how we can be a part of the change we want to see in ourselves and around us!

  • I want to be a #Upstander rather than a Bystander! Up-stand-er (noun): Opposite of bystander. A person who stands up. Not a person who stands by.
I have a goal of raising $500 for The Gatehouse, a registered charity in Toronto whose mission is to provide support, resources and advocacy on behalf of those impacted by childhood sexual abuse. Did you know that sexual abuse touches the lives of 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys?

Please donate at the link below to support me and JP's team to raise awareness to help survivors, both big and small! Every little bit helps!

If you'd like to learn more about JP's story, I'd recommend giving the following interviews a listen:
If you'd like to join #JPsTeam, and fundraise as a runner or as part of the "cheer squad", don't wait a minute longer! E-mail JP at: runjprun@gmail.com 

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