A Memorable Boston Marathon Experience for More Reasons Than One

Thank you once again to those of you who sponsored my participation in the Boston Marathon this year. You helped me raise a personal record total of $3,550 – and counting – for Children’s Hospital Boston.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your support.

I’m sure I’ll be writing more about this fundraising campaign in the near future, but while the marathon memories are still fresh in my mind, I thought I would at least give you the latest tally now and also let you know how I did as a runner.

Not only did I exceed my previous fundraising high this time around, but I also had a very good day on the course. My finishing time was 3:52:49, my best time in a marathon since 1987. In fact, in the six times I had previously run Boston since 1990, not once had I even broken four hours – until now. Go figure.

I’m giving all the credit to Hailey, my Children’s Hospital Boston patient partner, for inspiring me to run such a fast – for me – time.

Me and Hailey, at a Children’s Hospital Boston celebration last Saturday, just two days before I ran the Boston Marathon this year.

Hailey is a cute, little girl living with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a rare genetic disorder – characterized by bones that break easily, often from little or no apparent cause – for which there is not yet a cure.

Imagine, Hailey is only seven, but she’s already suffered more than 50 broken bones and undergone a number of serious surgeries.

If you knew Hailey like I do, you’d understand when I say that she was my inspiration in the Boston Marathon on Monday and the wind beneath my wings.

The Adidas “Reasons to Run” Campaign

Given my excitability in the days leading up to the marathon, I jumped at the chance to participate in the Adidas “Reasons to Run” campaign, which the German sports apparel manufacturer was conducting at the John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo over the weekend. Talk about appealing to your audience’s emotions. Cleverly creating a win-win situation, Adidas was distributing cards to all the marathon runners at the Expo, on which was inscribed the following message…

There are as many reasons to run the granddaddy of all marathons as there are runners. Write down your motivation to run to run on the sticker below then place it on the walls of the adidas Expo booth where you find your bib number. You can also visit the booth and tell our cameras live and in person why you run. View your reason to run on-line beginning April 17th.

 

In the 20 seconds or so I had to tell the cameras my “reasons to run,” I spoke of Hailey, Children’s Hospital Boston and running the Boston Marathon for charity, reasons that came to me first, before — tellingly — the fact that I enjoy the competition and being part of such a special event, just to name a couple others.

I run because I enjoy it, but it’s a much bigger thrill to run for a greater purpose.

To see for yourself what I had to say (and to see what an engaging, effective campaign this is for Adidas), go to www.reasonstorun.com. Once there, click on the “Launch The Site” button at the bottom of the page, which will open up a new window. After entering my name (Bob Cargill) and bib number (18479) in the search fields there, my recorded testimonial should upload and play.

Tags: fundraising pledge-based fundraising Boston Marathon Bob Cargill Children’s Hospital Boston Miles for Miracles running marathon running for charity

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