Adoption By the Mile -- Are You Game?

(Previously posted on Adoption Voices by Shane on September 4, 2009)

I did some serious running in high school as part of the track and cross country teams. I'll even come out and say that I won a state championship in the 3200m. Now a lot of my running takes place on the heels of a three-year-old. I do some casual running with some guys at work and run a 5k or 10k here and there. I've wanted to run a bigger race like a half-marathon or even a full marathon, but haven't had the time or a good motivation to train for one - until now!

I'm passionate about adoption, so once there was an adoption spin put on training for a half marathon, I was off the fence. Mrs R is organizing a group of people involved in adoption to run in the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, Utah on March 20, 2010. We'll wear adoption running shirts to help draw attention and send a message about adoption and the miracle that it is in our lives. Please join us! You can follow the planning on the new blog she set up just for the occasion.

You can use this opportunity as a way to take your own mind off of a seemingly endless wait, or frustrations with infertility, or just to join with others who are grateful for the blessings of adoption and help to positively promote it. I am an adoptive father of two, and my wife and I have several friends who have placed a child for adoption and we're both humbled and inspired by the sacrifices that birth parents make in choosing adoption. I hope that this race will be an opportunity for us all to make new connections with adoptees, birth family members, and adoptive families.

Take a moment to read about the miracles Mrs R experienced previously in channeling the emotions of the adoption roller-coaster ride into a challenging goal.
I hope to see you there!