Last Updated: 10Oct04
Apache Junction, AZ, 18 Jan 04
These people spent half the day running the Lost Dutchman Marathon and then helped me run it again for my Senior Birthday Run.
Genevieve Bricker, spent most of the day directing traffic and runners at a congested intersection along the marathon course. The semi-retired school teacher then drove me from the finish line back to the start for my second marathon run of the day. She gave me her personal cell phone and checked back with me after grocery shopping. She did not have to do anything for me and she had spent the morning helping other runners. I can vividly remember her saying after finishing the course for the first time, "I really didn't think you would do it!"
Grady McEachern, was the race director for the Lost Dutchman Marathon. I emailed him a month ahead of the marathon asking for advice on a birthday run. He confirmed the possiblity of a birthday run and invited me to give it a try. When picking up my runners stuff I couldn't understand why people were congradulating me for my birthday until I realized Grady had my race packet marked "BIRTHDAY."
In the dark, two hours before the race, I was running part of my extra five miles and Grady rolls up in a truck to see if I was lost. Then he guides me to the bus pickup area.
Well into my second run of the course, near sunset, Grady and Wendy Davis checked on me and offered food, drink, and rest. Grady then walks with me for several miles while keeping two coyotes from getting too close to my tired carcus. After the sun went down while running in the dark, Grady and Wendy showed me where to turn and kept traffic away from me. When I started to get cold, Grady lent me his coat. After 57 miles, Grady and Wendy drove me back to the motel for a desperate rest.
Although I had planned on doing this birthday run alone, I could not have done it without Grady McEachern, Wendy Davis, and Gevieve Bricker. They were incredibly kind and generous to some crazy birthday runner from Kentucky.
Nominated by Dan Wells
There are many other great people that deserve recognition for their kind and generous help.
Send nominations for Running Angels to:
kydwells@mis.net
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