When senior Bethany Young experienced the loss of her cousin who simultaneously acted as her dearest friend, an unlikely hobby emerged from the heartache, running.
Young participated in a half marathon put on by Soaring Wings Ranch on October 27 in Conway in order to fulfill her cousin’s dream of assisting children in need. The half marathon Young participated in is an annual affair that raises funds in order to benefit Soaring Wings Ranch.
The location serves as a haven for children suffering from unfortunate situations at home. Young’s cousin’s passion for the cause fueled her interest in participating in the event.
“It [the cause] definitely caused me to train harder and really want to push myself. I never really enjoyed running, so before I didn’t run a lot, but this gave me the willpower to work hard and keep going,” said Young.
In order to train for the half marathon, which Young ran with a close friend of her cousin, Young increased her mileage in increments and completed various cardio and muscle resistance routines. She also aided her training by being conscious about her diet and remaining hydrated. Her regimen, as well as support from her partner, paid off as she obtained the vitality to complete the entire 13.1-mile course.
“Towards the end all I could think about was crossing the finish line. Close to the end there was music blaring and a lot of people cheering. When I came down the stretch to cross the finish line it was an amazing feeling,” said Young.
Young plans to compete in the same event next year and various local 5ks in the meantime. English teacher Katy Moore also has a passion for running that springs from a desire to contribute to benevolent causes. While it was not an affinity to a particular cause that spurred Mrs. Moore’s relationship with running, but rather a recognition for the need of fitness, it has definitely kept her endurance going.
“I always want to go farther, to help just a little more,” said Mrs. Moore.
Mrs. Moore has only been running for about a year, but has run in a multitude of races. Most recently she participated in the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The race benefited Shop with a Cop.
Mrs. Moore also utilizes the app “Charity Miles.” The feature donates money to a specific cause for every mile you run. Mrs. Moore typically funnels her mile reimbursement to the Wounded Warrior Project. She also ran in the Jingle Bell Jog Dec. 15 and hopes to complete a half marathon later this year.
“I love running in races because there is camaraderie and shared purpose. It also really pushes me to improve my time and makes me want to hang with some really good runners,” said Mrs. Moore.
