Who I Run 4 — Fall down, Get up, Run on

I want to introduce you to someone very close to my heart. Someone who gets me out on the road or on the bike or in the pool. She is all kinds of sweet and spunky, and she is who I Run 4. I don't remember who exactly shared this incredible group with me, but I am very grateful that they did. I Run 4 matches runners with someone who has a disease or disability (and their siblings!) and they share (through the team Facebook page, emails, texts, letters, packages, etc.) the highs and lows of training and the highs and lows of living with special needs. The runner also has the opportunity to raise awareness on behalf of their buddy and in the process encourage more families and runners to join.

A little over a year ago I was lucky enough to be matched with a little firecracker that I call Bug. Bug is 4 years old and has cerebral palsy. She is also a big sister who loves going to school and kicks major butt in her therapies. Bug's Mom keeps me updated on Bug through Facebook, text, and email and I keep Bug updated on our training. She races with me and climbs mountains with me. I am beyond grateful that Bug's family is so welcoming and supportive and I hope they know how big a part of my live their little Bug is. I've been privileged to witness milestones in Bug's life and I love introducing her to my friends, family, and co-workers. Yup, Bug even hangs out at my office. She'll be getting a lot of face time on this blog and I thought she deserved her own page here so you can get to know her and love her like I do!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of my girl!