With every stride, there's a story. A father who runs because his sick daughter cannot. A sister who runs because her brother's disease is in remission. A nine-time New York City Marathon winner whose ultimate goal is good health.
Here are a few reflections from some recent Fred's Team runners:
"The marathon is inspiration enough -- but Fred's Team takes it to a new level. You never lose focus on what is really important, and how whatever we do and however hard we work to achieve our goals, it pales in comparison to what the children are going through."
-- Howard Scher, MD
"Running a marathon was no longer about me -- it was about life, love and a much bigger picture. It was about millions of people who have had cancer enter their lives. It was about my future children and anyone that touched their lives. It simply became about everyone else in the world but me. The number of people past and present that I'm able to help is endless when you really think about it. Running 26.2 miles seems pretty easy to me now."
-- Anna Kurzrok
"Just think about it: the New York City Marathon is the only event in the world…no, in the history of the world, where you have 2 million spectators cheering you on. That is the FUN…the New York Experience…and, if you add to this the cause of childhood cancer, it makes it even more worth it. You are having fun and use that to help kids with cancer. That elevates the experience to something you will remember for the rest of your life. I guarantee you will have tears in your eyes when you cross the finish line. I know I did."
-- Farid Boulad, MD
"Finishing a marathon can change your life. Running one with Fred's team can also help save a life. Running the New York City Marathon with Fred's Team is an experience I'll never forget. When I lost a family member to cancer last year, I decided to pay a tribute to him by joining Fred's Team and try to bring some greater good for all of the miles I have run over the years. The generosity of family, friends, community and co-workers for such a worthwhile cause was so overwhelming. There were now lots of people depending on me to get up early and run those extra training miles, when it would have been so easy to just roll over and go back to bed. On race day, I was as ready as I ever was going to be. Although I had run 9 previous marathons, this one was special, different. All throughout the city, thousands of spectators were shouting out, "Go, John!", and "Go, Fred's Team!" Fellow teammates on the course offered so much positive energy. I was overwhelmed with emotion when I passed by Sloan-Kettering at Mile 18 along First Avenue, and high-fiving all of the kids -- I forgot all about my own pain and thought of all of the good, the hope, that would come from my efforts. When I crossed the finish line with one of my slowest race times, it didn't matter. I had the best time I have ever had in running a marathon."
-- John D'Elisa
