Monday, February 11, 2013

Inspiration Comes in All Sizes

I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for the passion I developed early for running. The wonderful friends and experiences that came along the way as a result of the sport have left an indelible mark on me. However, perhaps the two greatest effects running has had on my life are this, 1) I met my fiance Natasha in Flagstaff, and 2) I discovered how to use my passion to inspire others. 

Now, these two things also happen to be related because it has been through Natasha that I've been able to see my passion positively affect others. In the summer of 2011, right after we had moved from Flagstaff to San Diego, we decided that we wanted to be able to make a difference in our community using our talents as professional runners. After a series of electric brainstorming sessions, an idea was born: 2nd Recess. 


2nd Recess began in earnest that fall of 2011 with Natasha and myself at the helm. We dove in head first knowing that somehow, through running and our passion for it, we could make a difference in someone's life. That first season, which lasted from October through December, we had five dedicated young athletes who came once a week to learn more about fun, fitness, and healthy living. We expected to be teaching them about what we knew but instead found that we too were learning a lot from what they had to say. 

Our motto, from the beginning, has always been, Inspiration through Action! We deeply believe that by providing kids with a positive environment and good role models we can make a difference. We do this through running, but know that the same principle can extend to all things. On the surface we also wanted to provide opportunities for kids to explore running in a fun way while also teaching them about staying healthy and eating right, but behind that message was always impetus that through our actions we could inspire others. 

Fast forward now to February, 10, 2013. We are two days away from our second session of what is our fifth season of 2nd Recess. Last week was our first practice of the new year and we had many familiar faces but also a large handful of newcomers. In all, we had 36 participants that night. 36! There we so many that the four of us (Marie and Kyle joined our 2nd Recess clan in 2011) had our hands full! Each season we have grown in size and our program has flourished. 

2nd Recess: Long Jump practice! 
The kids, we have realized, know so much and are willing to work so hard. They soak up everything we tell them and always carry a positive attitude. I look forward to every Tuesday night, when I get to put on my 2nd Recess t-shirt and meet with the kids. I take pride in the curriculum we have created and feel myself fill with joy when the kids we teach leave us with "thank you"s and big smiles. 

As our little organization continues to grow so too will its ability to inspire others. From our community to yours we want to be able to make a difference. Through running we have found our vehicle for change and with it will continue to reach as many families as we can. 

Our final challenge to you is this, ask yourself this question: Who can I inspire? We hope that you too can find a way to inspire others. It will always start out small but with patience, perseverance, and a lot of positivity you will begin to see what you can do! 

To learn more about 2nd Recess and what we are all about please visit our website, and don't hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have! 

2nd Recess: Spring 2011 - Awesome group! 




1 comment:

  1. Always enjoy your blog and following you as a runner. Keep chasing your goals!

    ReplyDelete