A Well Spent Morning - 2018 Abu Dhabi Terry Fox Run *** Steemit Pro...

Terry Fox Run returns to Abu Dhabi for the 21st Year!

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We heard you Terry, and now even 37 years after you have passed, people still gather together to continue what you have started.

The tradition you started has raised cancer awareness and gathered funds for cancer research more than what you have hoped for.

Thousands of people gather to run, walk, or wheel for the cause that you have started many, many years ago.

It's my 6th appearance at the Terry Fox Run

Personally, I have been participating since 2011. We had a Canadian colleague who volunteered regularly and he invited us to run and participate as a company. The company saw it as a way to build CSR and as a marketing avenue too, so they readily agreed. For me and the rest of the gang, it was more for the fun and gathering outside the office that made us go.

At the right is my certificate of participation. I did not have the sticker for 2011 and 2013. Last year, we were not present. Our colleague resigned and nobody remembered to check out when the marathon was. We found out late. The previous year, 2016, there was none in Abu Dhabi.

Knowing that Terry Fox Run was held in Abu Dhabi around this time of the year, I checked out the schedule and found out that it would be January 19. I immediately invited my friends and they were game for it.

Friday, January 19, 2018

Despite having a late night due to a get together with previous colleagues, we still managed to wake up early to go to this event. I told the kids to get ready, eat breakfast for we were going to the playground (I was later on accused to tricking them - "it was not playground. It was exercising!").

It was a cold morning but that did not stop the people from coming. We reached at around 7:30am, 30 minutes late from what we have agreed but still good since the registration just started and the actual run was at 9:00am.

While waiting for the marathon to start, great music was played to entertain the people and we warmed up with some stretches and lounges led by fitness professionals.

Yes! We promoted Steemit too!

We tried to get good visibility for steemit. We were even supposed to have a big steemit banner, but don't ask me what happened, I already had a mouthful from @kennyroy. Haha

We ended printing the steemit logo on an A4 size paper and pinned them on our backs. Still, it was good. We even heard some fellow Pinoys commented, "Oh, so that is steemit they were talking about".

Steemit live on Facebook with one of the leading newspapers in the country!

_{Screengrab from Khaleej Times facebook live interview. Click on photo for full video.}
@pingcess, @arrliinn and @appleskie, your steemit ambassadors!
We were chatting while jogging casually when this lady turned around and started asking us questions. I knew I heard she was from Khaleej Times but it occurred to me that we were streaming live on their facebook feed. LOL.

Here's the link to the Facebook Live feed. Fast forward to 2:45 and see our beautiful faces. haha.

The marathon distance was significantly shorter this time at 8.5km. Previously it was 20kms. We finished early, and proud to say my eldest finished his too! See his mighty finish here.

@kennyroy captured the start of the marathon. We did not start immediately because we could not find him. We were being left behind by the pack so we decided to go. A few meters from the starting line, there he was, taking videos. haha