SOARMy Name is Heather (right) and I raced in 2014 with my boyfriend (now husband). A month before the race he was in a motorcycle accident and broke his leg. He asked his friend Lindsay (left) to run in his place as he hoped as a teacher/runner, she would make a great partner. We only met twice before we raced together!
Aside from all the amazing adventures I encountered during the weekend, I think it’s the connections with the other racers that meant the most. We arrived last on day one, and when we arrived at camp our fellow racers got out flashlights and helped us put up our tent. It’s that camaraderie that really stuck with me. I’m still in touch with many of the racers, volunteers, and directors.
Our best fundraiser was working with corporate/ business sponsors. We made a point of getting out and exposing the event to our community and reaching out to those familiar business connections. We pulled in a few large cash donations, and many prize donations we used for raffles.
My best tip I can give new racers is to make the fundraiser your number one mission. The weekend/race itself is an awesome experience, but keep reminding yourself what this is all for. The funds raised go to some amazing programs for children, and this is such a significant fundraiser for them.