Rising up to the challenge
Hey you cool cat!
Have you heard? We are currently in the midst of putting on our second ever PK5K! The PK5K is all about bringing us together to find empowerment outside our comfort zone. So if you’re not a runner, don’t sweat it (pun intended). You can walk, run, rock, or roll your way across the finish line - all that matters is that you’re moving your body as a way to remind yourself of how awesome you really are.
Pretty cool, right? If you’d like to join, you can register here. You have the option to pay or fundraise your entry fee. All money raised goes toward helping young adult cancer survivors through Project Koru programming!
Maybe we still don’t have you sold that running a 5K is something you should be taking on right now. That’s why we reached out to Rise. Rise is a PK alum who started training for triathlons after treatment. We hope her story serves as an inspiration:
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“I’ve never identified as a “runner,” despite many years of being generally active and playing Ultimate, which involves quite a lot of running. Just hitting the pavement and going? That has felt pretty foreign to me for most of my life.
But after making it through aggressive cancer treatment in 2019, I started opening up much more easily to new opportunities, especially those outside of my typical comfort zone. Now that I have another chance to go out and live, I want to soak up all the experiences I can. Even (especially!) if this means trying something new with a true beginner’s perspective, learning process, and mistakes.
This, in short, is how I found myself training for my first triathlon in 2022. I started slowly, just half a mile at a time, and gradually worked up my distances as the weeks went by. I was fortunate to be in a training program that provided all the necessary coaching, encouragement, and camaraderie I needed to see this mission through to the triathlon finish line.
Along the way, I experienced a true transformation not only in my physical abilities but also in my mental approach to running. I realized that while I was running, there was time to check in with myself and think through each aspect of what my body and mind were doing while I ran.
There were hesitations, there was procrastination, and there were negative thoughts (“This is boring!” “I’m tired!” “I’m not fast enough!”). But step by step, I worked on tuning those out. On the path, I practiced turning in to my surroundings. I enjoyed the bright green leaves stretching out on either side of the trail. I heard birds chirping and greeting the day. I felt relief in the shade and ran faster through the spots where the sun beat down to the hot pavement. I recognized my feet hitting the ground and driving me forward.
I aim to take these moments and practices with me throughout my day, even when I’ve finished my run. That’s right: I’m still running even after the triathlon! I believe that there is much we can learn about ourselves and the world around us when we get outside and move our bodies. And as for identifying as a “runner?” I’ll take that one step at a time. ☺” - Meghan “Rise” Konkel
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We hope you’ll join Rise and the rest of the Ohana as we all cheer each other on to cross the finish line.
Register for the PK5K: https://projectkoru.rallyup.com/pk5k2022/Campaign/Details
Ready, set….
Project Koru