Today I am driving two hours to reach Prince William Forest Park in Northern Virginia. At over 16,000 acres, this refuge is the largest protected natural area in the Washington, D.C. metro region.
Later tonight, this beautiful park where people hike, enjoy local wildlife and find solace is where I will complete my 50-mile ultramarathon in the fight to end Alzheimer's.
Today, on The Longest Day, I am running through the night for 14 hours to support the people I work with every day.
I am a bilingual caregiver at a care facility that is home to people who are living with Alzheimer's and dementia, many of whom survived the Holocaust. I run for these residents because they are important people who need someone to be their voice. I am so proud to be one of those voices.
I will run through the night, and finishing my run as daylight breaks will symbolize hope for all of these men and women.
This is my first year participating in The Longest Day, and it has been an amazing experience. I've learned that
anyone can get involved in this fundraising event! You can start planning at any time. Pick something you love to do. Reach out to your local Alzheimer's Association staff or visit
alz.org/TLD for ideas on how to get started.
I've contacted friends, family and colleagues, reached out to my email contacts and have used social media along my ultramarathon training journey to work toward my fundraising goal.
The fight to end Alzheimer's is not over, and my fundraising isn't either! I am in this fight to bring the Alzheimer's epidemic to light, and out of the darkness.
About Heather: You can follow Heather as a 'Season 7' runner on the Becoming Ultra podcast. Visit her team page.