Running for "Congratulations" instead of "I'm Sorry"

It’s possible to trace Christine Lee’s marathon journey – which culminated at the finish line of last year’s Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and raised more than $3000 for the locally-based charity Jack’s Basket -- to the birth of Grace, her daughter with Down syndrome nine years prior.

“When I received her unexpected diagnosis after birth, Jack's Basket celebrated my baby and filled me with hope for the future,” Christine remembered.

The nonprofit’s mission is to celebrate babies with Down syndrome. It strives to ensure that every new and expectant parent is provided with resources and avenues of support within the community.

As Christine explained on her fundraising page last year:

“I will be running so that more babies can be celebrated and more families hear ‘congratulations’ instead of ‘I'm sorry,’ she wrote, “so that more medical providers will be equipped to deliver an unexpected diagnosis in an unbiased way and connect the family to resources and our supportive community.”

Christine found that raising funds was easier than she expected and that running for a cause provided extra motivation for her training.

 “Asking for donations can be hard and requires many to step out of their comfort zone,” she told The Connection. “But I was glad that I did, as I was overwhelmed by the generosity of others. You will never know if you don't ask. And even if you get a ‘no’ on a financial contribution, you are still spreading the mission of the organization.”

“During training, the mission kept me motivated,” she added. “When I wanted to skip my run or was struggling with that last mile, I thought of how the positive diagnosis stories and early connections are becoming more frequent than the heart-breaking ones. I thought of how many thousands of babies had been celebrated and families' stories changed for the better because of this incredible organization.” 

Including by Christine, herself, a volunteer as well as a running fundraiser for Jack’s Basket.

“For the past eight years I have had the honor of delivering baskets and helping provide for others what the basket provided for me. Heartfelt congratulations, parent connection, supportive community resources, and hope for the future,” Christine said.

Christine and her daughter Grace.

Christine, who began her marathon training with the simple goal of finishing, ultimately found herself aiming for a speedy time by race day.

“With my training going so well, I thought I could shoot for a sub-4,” she said. “I really struggled with that inopportunely timed hill and the last six miles, which everyone warned me of. Crossing the finish line at 4:05 in honor of my daughter and all those uniquely created with Down syndrome was surreal.”

“Running for a charity very close to my heart contributed strongly to my success.”

Not surprisingly, Christine encourages others to run for a cause as she did.

“Running for charity kept me accountable,” she said. “I knew as soon as I raised that first dollar, I could not back out. I did not find fundraising difficult. The organization made it very easy for me to create and customize a fundraising page, and share it broadly via email and social media.”

You Can Race for a Cause, Too! Click the link to learn more about Twin Cities In Motion's Charity Program and the dozens of charity teams that offer entries into Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon Weekend events and the opportunity to raise funds for a variety of causes.

Read more about TCM's Raise the Community Pace initiative here.

This article originally appeared in The Connection, TCM's weekly e-newsletter. Subscribe here.