Registration is now open for the Dan Cavanagh Memorial Running Over MSA 5K and I hope you will consider joining me for this race. If you are local to the Chatsworth, Illinois area there is a local 5K option but if you are like me and located a bit further away there is a great virtual race option perfect to be run wherever you may live.

As many of you know, my dad has been diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and since his diagnosis I have looked for ways to turn that negative hopefully into something more positive. I previously have run the Fargo Half-Marathon and Providence Marathon (virtual) and raised funds for The Multiple System Atrophy Coalition and am happy to support the Running Over MSA 5K again this year as the Cavanagh family raises funds to donate to The Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, as well.

The Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Coalition® is a 501(c)3 charitable organization devoted to a four pillar mission:

• Supporting patients and caregivers affected by multiple system atrophy
• Educating patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals
• Financing and encouraging meaningful research toward identifying a cause and finding a cure for MSA
• Advocating for issues important to the MSA community, including creating greater awareness

Last year I ran the Running Over MSA Virtual 5K from here in Bridgewater, Massachusetts and finished the 5K course with a time of 24:06, good for 7:45/miles. I will tackle the same course again this year for the virtual run and look forward to another good run in support of a very important cause.

If you’d like to join me in the virtual Running Over MSA 5K, please click here to register.

The Soles of Medfield Running Club is thrilled to officially announce that their 2nd Annual Medfield 10K will be taking place this year! The Soles of Medfield is a group of runners of all distances and all paces and get together to schedule group runs, commiserate on injuries, find events and sometimes have a beer. Any level of runner is welcome to join them and their 10K race looks to be a great time!

This year’s race will have both an in-person and virtual option with the in-person race being held on June 13th with a 10:00 AM start time (the starting line closes at 10:15). The 10K race course will be open for two hours. The virtual race option is a great way for runners to join in on the fun from a distance.

General registration opens on May 25th and the in person race will be capped at 150 registrants. Tee-shirts will be available for those registering for the run.

To learn more about the race and to register for either the in-person or virtual race, please visit the Soles of Medfield Running Club website by clicking here.

The pandemic has allowed organizations the ability to raise funds with virtual races and with so many worthy causes out there in need of funds, virtual runs supporting organizations are likely here to stay.

The 2021 Sneaks for Beaks 5K Race to Rebuild will benefit Foster Parrots and The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary.

On April 1, 2021 Foster Parrots, an animal rescue and sanctuary in Rhode Island, suffered a devastating fire where over 80 animals died and others were injured. The organization is quite heartbroken but not defeated. There are still 300 animals and operations continue but they need to rebuild and need money to do so. All proceeds from the 2021 Sneaks for Beaks 5K will go toward the rebuilding efforts.

To register for the virtual run, please click here. All virtual runners will be mailed a tee-shirt as part of their registration!

To learn more about Foster Parrots, please visit their Facebook page by clicking here.

The running community has a special bond that when one of our fellow runners is in need of our support we pull together in big ways. Here is a great opportunity to pull together once again and help.

I was introduced to this fundraiser by one of my colleagues at work. Her cousin Caroline is battling Inflammatory Breast Cancer and the family has organized a fundraising drive to help raise funds for the Jimmy Fund, benefiting Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Those wishing to partake will run a virtual 5K on the 4th of July; a great way to raise some funds and log some miles in so doing. I’ll likely be racing my virtual 5K somewhere on the South Shore of Massachusetts as part of Caroline’s Crusaders against IBC and encourage you to sign up for the event.

Caroline was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in December. IBC is a rare form of breast cancer, comprising about 1-5% of cases. As is common with IBC, the cancer cells originating in the breast tissue had spread to the skin and nearby lymph nodes by the time of Caroline’s diagnosis. The cancer had also metastasized to a small area in her pelvic bone. 

Caroline ran the 2014 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber and now as someone battling cancer herself this cause is even more personal and I hope you’ll consider joining me in supporting this cause. You can sign up by clicking the Join Our Event button on this page and additional details about the virtual 5K will be sent along as the date draws closer.