My Reason to Run

From Teakette Caitie Peterson:

I can pinpoint the exact moment I knew I would run the Boston Marathon in 2009.

I had been flirting with the idea, going on shorter training runs with my boyfriend Justin, who had committed to running the marathon a few weeks before I did. I waffled, going back and forth on whether or not I could commit to running so many miles every day – usually in the freezing cold.

But one day I was poking around on the internet, doing some research, when I stumbled upon an old Boston Marathon advertising campaign called “Reasons to Run,” that depicted the various reasons runners decide to subject themselves to what any normal, sane person would adequately describe as torture. I was intrigued, and through some additional googling, I came upon this image:

Boston Marathon Ad

For some reason, this really hit me. I did some research and found out that the statistic was accurate, and it got me thinking. I was eight months out of college, working my first job, and finding that I was having a hard time defining myself. I was no longer an English major. I was no longer a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior. I was no longer a member of an improv troupe or ski team.

So I decided to become a runner.

And become a runner I did. I trained in the bizarre New England weather that ranged from -10 to 60 degrees. I ran every day, five days a week. I raised about $3,500 for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Boston College Campus School. And slowly but surely, I found that I loved to run.

Caitie and Justin finish the 2009 Boston Marathon

Running that first marathon was truly one of the best things I’ve ever done, and there was never a question that I would return to run in 2010.

This year I applied and was accepted to run for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, an organization about which I am truly passionate. I have the privilege of getting to know Pan-Mass Challenge riders and participants of the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk – many of whom are cancer survivors or have close family members who are being treated at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund – through my work as an AE at Teak Media, and my cousin, Kirsten, was treated at the Jimmy Fund Clinic when she was just 18 months old. Although I was young at the time, I remember Kirsten losing her hair and the catheter in her chest to distribute medicine throughout her tiny body. I remember going with her to her follow-up appointments year after year until she was 16 years old. The Jimmy Fund saved her life, and for that, my family is eternally grateful.

As I log the hundreds of training miles over the course of the next four months that will lead me to the ultimate 26.2 mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston on April 19, I aim to raise $8,500 for cancer research at Dana-Farber.

If you’re interested in helping me reach my fundraising goal, you can donate on my personal fundraising page. Or if you’re interested in the road (or many roads, I guess) to Boston, you can follow my training tweets or check out my running blog.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

The Teak Media team recently joined 12 US Family Health Plan staff members during a holiday serve-a-thon at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke.

Volunteers brought hundreds of new items and wrapped them so staff at the Soldier’s Home can distribute them to the veterans during the holidays. The items, ranging from toiletries to clothing to back scratchers, were collected during US Family Health Plan’s collection drive campaign that was held in November. The Plan’s providers’ offices across the state served as drop-off locations for members of the public to drop-off the new items. And, people were so generous! It goes to show you that even when times are tough, there are people out there who want to make a difference in the lives of others.

US Family Health Plan staff spoke with the veterans about their service, hosted a pizza party, and trimmed trees with the residents.

US Family Health Plan Staff with wrapped gifts to donate

The Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke was established in 1952 and provides short- and long-term care to nearly 300 veterans, ages 45 to 100, including those who served in conflicts ranging from World War II, The Korean War, and Vietnam. The staff’s dedication to helping veterans aligns with US Family Health Plan’s commitment to ensuring military families receive exceptional health care.

The Teak Media team was honored to be a part if the event. It served as a reminder as to why our work with non-profits is so important. Lastly, the Springfield Republican, Holyoke Sun, WGGB CH. 40 and WWLP CH. 22 all came to help us spread the word about the importance of caring for our veterans.

Check out the WWLP piece here.

Happy holidays!