After 31 years and millions of dollars raised, you might think the Terry Fox Run would have run out of steam.
In fact, the flame that Port Coquitlam hero Terry Fox lit more than 30 years ago with his ill-fated national run burns just as brightly, thanks to the continued commitment of volunteers, schools and run supporters from all over the world.
It would be easy to give the Terry Fox Run a pass on Sunday. It might rain. Other things will compete for your time. Maybe you're not as inspired as you once were.
Further, with Betty Fox's passing, fewer Fox family members are able to rally the troops.
But then there is this: Everyone is touched by cancer and research saves lives. Although two out of five Canadians is expected to develop cancer, only one of every four Canadians will die. Cancer is the leading cause of premature death and funds raised by the Terry Fox Foundation goes to important research that will reduce those statistics.
There is also this: More than a million people who don't even live in Terry's home nation will run to support the foundation in the coming days. That includes Major Art Brown and his team from Camp KAIA-N based at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan and Camp Eggers at the International Security Assistance Force compound, also in Afghanistan. The men and women of these military commands risk their lives every day but are willing to put aside some of their precious leisure time to run for Terry.
If they can do it, so can we.
This weekend, take some time and join in one of four local runs: the Hometown Run in Port Coquitlam at Hyde Creek rec centre; the Coquitlam run at Blue Mountain Park, the Port Moody run at Rocky Point Park; and the smallest run, in Anmore.
Taking part - running, walking, cycling, inline skating - is a way of honouring our hometown hero while also endeavouring to put an end to a disease that strikes so many people, many of them, like Terry, simply too young to die.
This year, who will you be running for?
