By now, many of you have noticed I’m not running the 25k this year. For the first two years of our Run Eric Run (now Run NCN Run) fundraiser, the goal was to raise enough money to force me to run the 25k. I volunteered for that crazy assignment, and truthfully enjoyed the challenge of getting into serious race shape.
Some of you know that I’m in the process of finishing my seventh and final year of seminary. To accomplish this, I’m taking 15 credits worth of classes, while working full time, and trying to see my family. The pressure of running the 25k on top of all that was too much for me this year, and I had to back out.
While I’m not running the big race, I believe I’m doing something better. I running the 5k with my family. Every since last year, my daughter Abbie (9), and son Josh (7), have been desiring to run a 5k. A while back we started training together and it has been very rewarding. Three times a week I get to spend quality time with them as we run around the neighborhood. I get to encourage them, challenge them, and hear about their day. I wouldn’t trade this time for anything.
Even my daughter Kate (3) has gotten in on the running. This past Friday her little legs carried her to run/walk about .85 miles. She was proud, but I was prouder.
Run NCN Run is not about Eric Schalk, even though I’ve been the focus the last two years. Run NCN Run is about the community NCN strives to serve and its about the children who are benefiting from our ministries. We changed the name to better reflect what the fundraiser is all about, and I want to ask that you consider being a part of it in some way.
There are two ways to support us. You can run with us on race day, there is still time to sign up, but you need to do it soon. By running with us you can collect pledges and help raise money that will be used to transform lives through Breaktime, the Bakery, and the Urban Farm.
You can also make a pledge/donation today. The money you give changes lives! You can see those lives being changed first hand, simply by coming down this summer and seeing the many children attending our day-camps.
Run NCN Run is 33 days away. I look forward to seeing how God uses this fundraiser to impact the lives of children!
