For My Dad

Sunday 23rd Aug

Why I’m Racing for Alzheimer’s Awareness

For me, this isn’t just another race.

My father lived with Alzheimer’s for 13 years. I watched a man I loved slowly lose pieces of himself to a disease that affects not only the person living with it, but everyone who loves them.

After my own life took some unexpected turns, I decided I needed to stop waiting for someday.

This summer, I packed a backpack and traveled across Europe and the Middle East, walking more than 450 miles along the way. I carried part of my father with me, both literally and in my heart, taking his ashes to places around the world that meant something to him and to me.

Now that I’m home, the journey isn’t over.

I’ve decided to challenge myself again by taking on the Spartan San Jose Trail Challenge, followed by a Spartan Beast next year.

But I don’t want these races to only be about proving that I can finish them.

I’m racing for my dad.

I’m racing for the families who have watched someone they love disappear little by little.

I’m racing for the caregivers who spend years giving everything they have.

And I’m racing to help raise awareness and money for Alzheimer’s research and support.

I’m 50 years old. My body has been through a lot. Years ago, I was crushed underneath a truck and spent a month in intensive care and rehabilitation, followed by months learning how to walk again.

So crossing that finish line will mean something.

But doing it in my father’s memory will mean even more.

Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll use this page to share the training, the races, my dad’s story, and the reason behind all of this.

If you’d like to support the fundraiser, donate if you can. If you can’t, sharing this page helps too.

Every dollar matters. Every share matters. Every conversation about Alzheimer’s matters.

You can’t give your life more time, but you can give your time more life.

This time, I’m using mine to race for Dad. 💜

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