Hi friends! I hope everyone is having a great week! I have just returned from my first trip to NYC and coincidentally it was right after Hurricane Sandy. I wanted to share a bit of my experience with you all, as this is one for the history books! My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this disaster. The reason for my visit was through my job, as Diamond Foods sponsors the NYC marathon. I would rather not get into the controversial side of things as many were appalled when they found out that the marathon would still be taking place. Rather, I would like to speak about how the runners came together to help those in need.
When I first found out about Sandy, we heard that the marathon was still on and we would be flying out to NYC. I knew it would be a rather interesting trip, as we had no idea if our hotel had power or if the city was in shambles. So we proceeded and got there safely. My first thought was how in the world could they proceed after such a disaster. My second, we are going to do this thing to raise money and help the state as they are in much need. Then the news hit that it was cancelled and there would be no marathon this year after lots of training and preparation. Of course many were let down, but we really had to focus on the relief efforts at hand, as the state had never seen such a disaster. My heart truly goes out to those who lost so much. After watching the news and seeing it first hand, it really hits home and our first question was how we could help. I am proud to say that Diamond Foods donated over 70,000 units of product to the relief efforts and it has been said that the marathon has donated a significant amount of money as well. If you would like to donate to the Hurricane Sandy Relief, please do so here.
To my surprise when we decided to take a Sunday stroll through Central Park, we came across this amazing sight. Runners uniting and thousands of participants running through the park, cheering, chanting and doing it on their own. It was an amazing sight to see! No resources needed, just runners doing what they do best as they support the city. It was then that I realized that all runners are a part of such an amazing community as they were determined to make a difference and come together as a group to conquer this difficult time. They are truly unstoppable and their efforts are much appreciated as many had volunteered later that day. GO RUNNERS, we are so proud!!
For more information about the NYC Marathon, click here.
For a great article from Active.com click here.
xo, Jenna
