worth the race

story by | otmom

Did you know…on average a child’s foot grows six inches from birth to 10-years-old? It does.

Did you know…kids outgrow or wear out their shoes on average every six to eight months? They do.

Did you know…there are many local families who can’t afford to replace their child’s shoes as needed? There are.

Did you know…nearly 10,000 runners…5,000 pairs of shoes running and walking 3.1 miles…helped kids get a free pair of shoes in 2012? They did.

Did You Know

The Fargo Marathon isn’t just one of the best in the country because of the running. Its focus on giving back to our community makes it second to none! In 2012, the Shoes for Kids campaign kicked off. One dollar from every 5K registration fee was set aside for the campaign and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and Dakota Medical Foundation matched those funds. The results…1,000 pairs of Nike shoes were bought for deserving kids in our area.

New Kicks Making A Difference

In August the shoes were distributed to the elementary schools in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo. The teachers and administrators at each school then determined who would receive the shoes based on need or student achievement.

For Fargo Marathon founder, Mark Knutson, the impact of the Shoes for Kids campaign is evident. He has received notes, pictures and drawings of gratitude from the kids wearing their new shoes.

“I keep them in my desk as a reminder of what good is coming from this,” Mark says.

Others, like a local mom this past September, have reached out through the Fargo Marathon Facebook page:

“Thank you to the Marathon Runners!! My son walked out the door complaining about a floppy sole this morning. He came back home with a huge smile and a brand new pair of Nike's!

Very manly and cool and he tells me that he is absolutely certain that they will make him run faster! Thank you very much!” more to come

So, what’s next for 2013? “I want to make our 5K Run/ Walk one of the biggest in the United States!” Mark explains. “We need just over 13,000 people to crack into the Top 5 Largest 5Ks in the country. So, if everyone who did it last year comes back AND brings a friend…we'll get there! And that would be VERY cool for our event, the participants and for our awesome community!”

The Shoes for Kids campaign is just another example that the Fargo Marathon is so much more than a race. And for Mark, it’s simple, “If it changes the life of just one kid…then it's all worth it!”

Don’t wait! Register now at www.fargomarathon.com and be a part of the fun and make a difference! May 16–18…marathon…half marathon…team relays…10k…5k… youth run…something for everyone!

story by | kathleen wrigley

True confession: New Year’s Eve is not my favorite holiday. Even as a young, single gal, I never craved the big bash that’s expected of December 31. New Year’s Eve makes me somber, not celebratory. Every year—on cue—I get a tish melancholy. It’s a process. My brain strolls through memory lane, reminiscing the highlights and lowlights. Only then can I flip the calendar and ready myself for a fresh start.

Even my song selections echo my disposition: Alan Jackson’s “Remember When” versus Prince’s “Party Like it’s 1999.” The lyrics of Mr. Jackson’s song make me, well…“Remember When.”

“…Time stood still…Lived and learned...Life threw curves…There was joy and there was hurt…Life was changed…Came together...Fell apart. Thirty seemed so old. Now looking back, it’s just a stepping stone…”

With this sober melody ricocheting through the house, I begin unraveling sparkly Christmas decorations, storing them, and settling in to the newness—the nakedness—of January. And so…I reflect.

Balancing Rubbermaids full of trimmings, I tripped and face planted down the steps. It made me giggle and flash-back to the 2007 Fargo Marathon. I took quite a spill at mile marker ONE. Testing the theory: the bigger they are the harder they fall. At 5’10”, it’s a long way down and momentum builds on descent. My running friends—because they’re so dear and sympathetic—baptized me: SPEED BUMP.

I remember bleeding and crying. My friends peeled me off the street. Four months of cold-winter training, a new running outfit (though now blood-stained), my kids and a shiny medal were waiting for me at the finish line...just 25.2 more miles to go. I did finish, but I was mortified. I replayed that moment for weeks: diving head-first into the gravel in front of hundreds of runners and spectators.

Much like New Year’s Eve, I paused and shed some tears before moving forward. Limping, before gaining speed.

I smile at that memory now, and appreciate the significance of my nickname: Speed Bump.

We cruise through our course in life with [mostly] routine, forgettable, uneventful days. But there are instances—speed bumps—that slow us down and mark us. There are births, deaths, good-health scores, bad test results, opportunities, beginnings, and ends… forks in the road. Each speed bump brings choices… and memories.

Several years ago on New Year’s Eve, we took the kids to see the movie “Charlotte’s Web.” Talk about a celebration, the poor kids were deeply moved and cried the whole way home at the demise of the beloved Charlotte. Patrick clenched his fists, angry and confused. With a quivering voice, he asked, “Why did God even make us, if we’re only going to die? I never want to live without you guys. Never.” They pelted us with complicated questions about death and the parameters of life on earth. Drew and I listened and tried to counsel and console them, through our muffled tears; wishing, too, for few bumps in the road ahead.

It’s complex and uncertain. Such raw beauty and intense fear. But, the fear of what we can’t explain is outshined by God’s promise of new life, forever. Through Him, life is without end. That’s the promise, sweet boy.

No matter our height, life provides speed bumps that test our faith in this promise. We lost our beloved [Aunt] Peggy Smith this year, from complications following surgery. You know her; we all have an Aunt Peggy. Maybe she’s your mom. She could be your sister. Whatever her title, she holds a special place in your heart. When I describe Aunt Peggy’s death as a “speed bump,” I am not minimizing the impact she had on our lives, or the hole her absence brings. I cannot mitigate our sadness.

But we inherited Aunt Peggy’s example of living a simple life, rich with a reliable resource: faith. This gift was her foundation. Aunt Peggy believed in the promise of forever. She was optimistic, even when the circumstances urged her not to be. She was everyone’s friend. And when a situation begged her to be unkind, she defied the temptation. She certainly had her share of speed bumps, but nothing stopped her from being nice, funny, and strong.

Whether we are at the beginning of a long race, or just going about our daily lives, there will be speed bumps that veer us off our comfortable course; slow us down and tempt us to quit. Dig deep. Peel yourself off the road and limp forward, until you can set a steady pace. You will. Trust in the promise of new beginnings.

May your speed bumps be eclipsed by your strength in 2013.

Kathleen is a stay-at-home mom who serves on a number of community boards/committees, is active in her church, kids’ school, and politics and runs to sustain her own mental health! This Philadelphia native is married to a fourth generation North Dakotan, Drew, and proudly considers North Dakota her home. They have three children.

Before becoming a mom, she was director for Bismarck’s Child Advocacy Center and was a speech writer. Kathleen received a BS from The Pennsylvania State University and completed her graduate studies at Temple University, in Philadelphia.

Angel Food Strawberry Kabobs

Colorful and fun these sweet treats offer a delicious surprise in every bite. A platter of Angel Food Strawberry Kabobs not only make an impressive, light dessert presentation for a dinner part, but what kiddo doesn’t like food on a stick? This no bake snack is an eye catcher and tummy pleaser.

you need

• 1 pound small to medium-sized fresh strawberries

• 1/3 prepared angel food cake*

• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

• 1/4 cup white chocolate morsels

• 6 bamboo skewers

• parchment paper

• plastic wrap

• small zip top bag

*a rectangle or square shaped angel food cake works best for cutting cake into cubes how to

1. Remove stems, rinse, cut strawberries in half. Set aside. Thoroughly dry.

2. Cut cake into 1” cubes.

3. Alternately thread strawberries and angel food cake onto bamboo skewers.

4. Place the skewers on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Place semi-sweet chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted [ 30 seconds, stir, microwave for additional 20 seconds].

6. Working quickly, spoon melted chocolate in small zip top bag, snip bottom corner, and pipe zigzags over each kabob.

7. Repeat steps 5&6 with white chocolate.

8. Wrap well in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes or until ready to serve source: www.pintrest.com