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Hello everyone! Today, I want to share my incredible experience participating in this year’s Terry Fox run at my school. It’s an event we look forward to every year, and this time, it was even more special as it marked the last year of my time at this school. As the oldest students on campus, we had the opportunity to take on leadership roles, and one of the responsibilities that came with it was participating in the Terry Fox run with the younger kids.

Before I dive into the details of my day, I want to address a common question that often comes up regarding the Terry Fox run: Why do we continue to do it if cancer research receives ample funding? Well, the short answer is that we shouldn’t stop. While we’ve made significant progress in cancer research, we haven’t found a cure yet. So, until that day comes, raising funds and awareness through events like the Terry Fox run remains crucial.

Now, let’s get back to the event. My partner for the run was a young boy named Mickey (not his real name, of course, but let’s call him that). We were tasked with running seven laps around the school’s playground pavement area. Mickey’s enthusiasm was infectious, and he was incredibly excited to run with me. We completed seven laps, and Mickey’s determination was evident as he got back up every time he stumbled with a goofy smile. He was truly a trooper.

During the run, Mickey’s mom joined us, taking pictures and occasionally running alongside us. Mickey was so fast that we completed seven laps in no time. He even stopped to take a sip from his water bottle, showing his determination to finish strong. It was heartwarming to see him push himself so hard.

After the run with Mickey, I had the chance to participate in the school-wide Terry Fox run in the evening. I managed to complete nine laps around the entire school yard. Each lap covered a distance of 0.75 km, which means I walked a total of 7 km in just 15 minutes. To put it in perspective, that’s quite a distance covered in a short amount of time. I intentionally slowed down to savor the experience.

As a part of the event, we received stickers to write the names of the people we were running for this year. Additionally, we got temporary tattoos, which were pretty cool and painless, though they left a little mark on our skin.

As a reward for our efforts, we all enjoyed Freezy treats. It was a refreshing way to wrap up the run, and it felt great to cool down after all that exercise.

But the Terry Fox run wasn’t just about the physical activity; it was also about teamwork and community. Before the run, we had to choose our roles for the event. Some of us were in charge of the music playlist, while others handled tasks like preparing cones and mapping out the route. There was even an ice cream truck nearby, but unfortunately, budget constraints meant we couldn’t indulge in any ice cream, much to our disappointment.

My role for the day was managing the music playlist, and I must say it was a blast. We had a mix of pop songs, old classics, and energetic running tunes. My personal favorite was “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John. It might be an old song, but it’s timeless and gave us all the motivation we needed to keep going.

In the end, the Terry Fox run was not just a run; it was a day filled with excitement, camaraderie, and the joy of contributing to a great cause. It reminded us of the importance of coming together to support cancer research until we find a cure. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, but for now, let’s keep running toward a world without cancer. Thank you for reading, and I’ll catch you later!