Not Just Another Race
So I realized this morning that I never blogged about Alive and Running 2012 and just had to share some thoughts...
I have never been directly affected by suicide and honestly I hope that I never am as long as I'm around.
But to many suicide is real. It happened to someone very close to them. It's not just something on the news or in TV shows or a movie.
Shock. Sadness. Anger. Despair. Depression. Bargaining.
How does one ever move to acceptance? Can they? Should they?
I'm no psychologist. I'm a photographer. I capture images for a living. So when I was approached by a friend to photograph a 5K that was created for those dealing with the effects of suicide I thought, "Alright, it's just a race. I'll take some action shots, sell some, it'll be an easy job."
This was hardly "just a race".
****
2011 was the first Alive and Running that I photographed. A runner friend of mine texted me about it a few weeks prior and thought that it'd be a good place for me to spread the word about my business. Like I typed above, I thought I'd show up, take a few photos. Nothing too complicated.
When I arrived the day of the race, one of the event organizers and creators named Troy Belmer approached me and asked if I had gotten a chance to attend the "Lantern Ceremony" the night before.
I had no clue what he was talking about. I shrugged it off and said something to the effect of "maybe next year".
That "next year" was this year and I planned on not missing it no matter what. I offered to donate my time and images to the event and became an official sponsor for the event.
It has been one of the best decisions of my life both personally and professionally.
Organizers and volunteers line up in a field in the small town of Dunkerton, IA, with sky lanterns that those in attendance can dedicate to those lost. Volunteers light the lantern and then allow family members to send it off into the sky right around dusk. The whole time they have songs about loss and remembrance; survival and reflection; strength and love playing on loud speakers.
I could not get over how many people were at the sky lantern event this year. If I had to guess I would say a couple hundred.
All feeling the same things. All embracing each other. Families and total strangers coming together to embrace, to show love and support for one another. (From what I've gathered about the race this was the third year of Alive and Running. In its first year, organizers hoped for a few people, maybe 100 and ended up with around 350. The second year they hoped for about 350 and got in the ballpark of 700. This year they hoped for 700 and had over 1,100 registered on race day!)
This was about love and life and family. This was about strength and resiliency and believing that there were better days ahead.
After taking part in the lantern ceremony this year, the race seemed so insignificant. I mean, in my mind, how could going out and doing something that I totally despise doing be so enjoyable for all these people?
Then I realized this was one of the best things that they could take part in. For this was not a 5K, this was an opportunity to shed the grief, the pain. For however long it took them to complete the race...sub 30 minutes...45 minutes...200 minutes...their minds and hearts could be without the pain, the grief, the loss.
Running allowed them a reprieve from all of it.
Now I know why they ran. They ran to forget the pain. They ran to remember the good times. They ran to never forget their loved ones.
I hope to take part in this event every year it's held. I cannot imagine the strength that it took for everyone involved to show up and take on their pain head on.
RIP to all of those lost. May they never be forgotten.
(Special thanks to Ryan Nesbit, Troy Belmer, all the event organizers and countless volunteers that came together to make this year's event the biggest yet!)
Learn more about Alive and Running and how to get involved here.
Check out a story about this year's Alive and Running event here.
 |
| Runners prepare for the start of this year's run for suicide awareness and prevention. |
I have never been directly affected by suicide and honestly I hope that I never am as long as I'm around.
But to many suicide is real. It happened to someone very close to them. It's not just something on the news or in TV shows or a movie.
Shock. Sadness. Anger. Despair. Depression. Bargaining.
How does one ever move to acceptance? Can they? Should they?
 |
| Two family members embrace during the day of the 2012 race. |
I'm no psychologist. I'm a photographer. I capture images for a living. So when I was approached by a friend to photograph a 5K that was created for those dealing with the effects of suicide I thought, "Alright, it's just a race. I'll take some action shots, sell some, it'll be an easy job."
This was hardly "just a race".
****
2011 was the first Alive and Running that I photographed. A runner friend of mine texted me about it a few weeks prior and thought that it'd be a good place for me to spread the word about my business. Like I typed above, I thought I'd show up, take a few photos. Nothing too complicated.
When I arrived the day of the race, one of the event organizers and creators named Troy Belmer approached me and asked if I had gotten a chance to attend the "Lantern Ceremony" the night before.
I had no clue what he was talking about. I shrugged it off and said something to the effect of "maybe next year".
That "next year" was this year and I planned on not missing it no matter what. I offered to donate my time and images to the event and became an official sponsor for the event.
It has been one of the best decisions of my life both personally and professionally.
Organizers and volunteers line up in a field in the small town of Dunkerton, IA, with sky lanterns that those in attendance can dedicate to those lost. Volunteers light the lantern and then allow family members to send it off into the sky right around dusk. The whole time they have songs about loss and remembrance; survival and reflection; strength and love playing on loud speakers.
I could not get over how many people were at the sky lantern event this year. If I had to guess I would say a couple hundred.
All feeling the same things. All embracing each other. Families and total strangers coming together to embrace, to show love and support for one another. (From what I've gathered about the race this was the third year of Alive and Running. In its first year, organizers hoped for a few people, maybe 100 and ended up with around 350. The second year they hoped for about 350 and got in the ballpark of 700. This year they hoped for 700 and had over 1,100 registered on race day!)
This was about love and life and family. This was about strength and resiliency and believing that there were better days ahead.
After taking part in the lantern ceremony this year, the race seemed so insignificant. I mean, in my mind, how could going out and doing something that I totally despise doing be so enjoyable for all these people?
Then I realized this was one of the best things that they could take part in. For this was not a 5K, this was an opportunity to shed the grief, the pain. For however long it took them to complete the race...sub 30 minutes...45 minutes...200 minutes...their minds and hearts could be without the pain, the grief, the loss.
Running allowed them a reprieve from all of it.
 |
| One family remembers their lost loved one by showing up in large numbers. |
 |
| Event co-creator Ryan Nesbit addresses the crowd of runners during the 2012 event. |
RIP to all of those lost. May they never be forgotten.
(Special thanks to Ryan Nesbit, Troy Belmer, all the event organizers and countless volunteers that came together to make this year's event the biggest yet!)
Learn more about Alive and Running and how to get involved here.
Check out a story about this year's Alive and Running event here.
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