Running Moms: 343 Challenge on dailymile

I am so excited! I can get bored fairly easy with doing the same workout routines for too long. This time, I am not mixing it up just for variety but in tribute to fallen firefighters in 9/11. One of my running momma friends had the idea to do a 343 Challenge and track our progress on dailymile. We are a group on Facebook, and live in different states all across the nation. The goal between all of us is to collectively run 1 mile for each of the firefighters who lost their lives in the tragedy that day between 9/1/11 and 9/11/11.

At first, I accepted the challenge for fun. Until I clicked on this link and actually saw all their faces, there on one page looking back at me. Some younger, some older, mostly serious, several smiling. They were fathers, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, lovers....who lost their lives doing their job that day. I realize how fortunate I am to still have my husband and family intact. I also recognize that life can be fleeting. When Chip heads off to work every day, I don't give it a second thought, treating it almost the same as when I head off to my professional, white-collar job in an air-conditioned office. But its not the same. Every day that he comes home I should consider myself lucky.

I quickly went from feeling jazzed about this running challenge to feeling proud to be a part of it. In our own little way, honoring those that gave their lives for others on that fateful day.


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