Running for a good cause

Visit the Accra International Marathon Website

Folks!

Picture this ...I’m in secondary school form 5, and it’s the Inter-houses athletic competition. In my little green skirt and bright yellow top (my house color was yellow), heart is pounding so loudly I can’t hear anything else, and then I hear “on your marks ... my pounding powerhouse of a heart has taken over, … get set … and the next thing I hear is ... pow! I take off, pacing myself so that other folks pass me by on the first lap of our 400m race. As we begin the 2nd lap, I see all the ‘too-known’ people who started aggressively begin to ‘de-gas’ and slow down, and Yours Truly picks up the pace ... I hear the crowds chanting ... “Esi, ma wo nan so.... aka kakraa na we wiei, ma wo nan so, aka kakraa na we wieii... ma wo nan so! [Esi, pick up your speed, you have just a little more to go, pick up your speed! (literally ... Esi, raise your leg, it’s left with small, and then you’ll finish” hehehe.)] Well, I come from behind and from seeing about 10 people in front of me in the beginning, I now see about 5. Blood is rushing through my body and my stalky legs are racing as fast as they can (like a cheetah’s chasing me), and ... I finally cross the finish line and come in 3rd! Phhew!! That was quite an experience! Anyway, I’m re-living this experience because it felt sooo good, and it felt even better when I kept coming in 1st, 2nd or 3rd on different occasions for Long Jump—my favorite sport. I was da bomb!!! Well, I’m about to do some more athletic stuff, and this time, not just for the adrenaline, but to support a good cause! ... ...

I’m going to be taking on a marathon! ... well, not exactly, but ... I’ll be doing the half-marathon walking/ jogging/ running/ panting/ sweating/ praying I survive and doing everything else I can to hang on till the finish line! I’m very involved in The Longevity Project because I believe in what the Project is about –raising health awareness and making people sit up and pay attention to our individual and shared health and well-being. So far, the Project has done well in raising awareness—a marathon last year, many smaller projects - walks, talks, health screenings etc, etc.... the Project rides on the backs of many volunteers (including Yours Truly, and I’m glad I have the opportunity to get involved!), and this marathon is to raise awareness and also raise funds to support the work of the Project.

For me, it’ll be fun getting back into the athletic endeavor itself, but most importantly, if I’m able to raise funds, it’ll be a great help to the Project, and the wonderful work we’re already doing can move forward. With a life expectancy of 58 years in Ghana, the sooner we all get to it and pay attention to our personal and collective health, the better it’ll be for us! In the past, our health concerns may have had to do with poor nutrition and sanitation, resulting in kwashiorkor, beriberi, rickets, Guinea worm disease, malaria etc.... As we generally do better, there’s a new set of health concerns waiting around the corner for us—diabetes, heart problems, obesity etc, etc.... So regardless of how rich or poor we are as a nation, health issues will not go away. I’m interested in joining whatever efforts I can, to help address some of these issues that I’m very passionate about.

I hope you agree that our personal and shared health is important enough to invest in. Please consider supporting this effort however you can. Financial support is great, as is any other kind of support—in-kind support, spreading the word about the Project, getting your employer or an organization you’re part of to adopt the Project as its ‘pet project’ to support, or whatever else you can give.

Thanks in advance, and God bless you! You’re helping us send the message out to keep Africa Alive one step at a time! If you’re in the USA, consider coming to join the marathon—if you raise a specified amount, you get a free ticket and hotel accommodations for the duration of the marathon – see the Accra International Marathon website for more details. Your contributions are also tax-deductible. Thank you! Remember ... ketwaa bia nsua (no amount is too little)!! Nyame Nhyira Wo!

Click here for my Marathon Site ... Consider joining the marathon!!!

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