Last January, we presented Hope Shull with a membership to Run It Fast – The Club at the Race for Hope 5K in Henderson, Tennessee.
The 5K was held to honor Hope as she had terminal cancer with just a few weeks to live. She died shortly after the race was held.
Hope was a personal friend to myself and many other of the early members of Run It Fast. I ran several of my very first 5K races with Hope and her good friend Marj Mitchell in West Tennessee.
I wrote Hope a letter to be presented to her at the Race for Hope 5K last January that Marj read to her at the race. The letter included a permanent membership to Run It Fast along with a few other words that included the creation of an award in her honor – ‘The Hope Award.’
January 12, 2012
Hope,
I’m amiss that I can’t be at the race today. I’m in Los Angeles, but you are on my mind as you often are.
I asked Marj if it would be ok ,and she thought it would be, so I want to proudly announce you as the newest member of Run It Fast – The Club.
You will always be RIF #225, a special number to me as 25 has always been one of my two most favorite numbers. You will always be a part of the club no matter what transpires from this day forward between any of us.
I’ve always wanted you to be a part of the club because you embody EVERYTHING that Run It Fast was created to become. Run It Fast is a club full of members that have this deep down desire to overcome obstacles in life and limitations that most others let hold them back or down. Run It Fast members don’t let their situation or hardship in life dictate their life for them.
Instead they go out and conquer life by digging deep to train hard, run races, and forge friendships along the way that inspire others to do things that perhaps they didn’t think were possible either.
Also, I want to announce that starting this year, at the end of the year, the Run It Fast – Club will annually give one member the honor of being named the Hope Shull Inspirational Runner of the Year!
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the example you’ve set for me not only with running but with life. I’ll never forget sharing the car ride back to the start of the Labor Day 5 Miler with you a couple of years ago. That was a beautiful day and a lot of fun.
With my utmost love, respect and admiration,
Joshua Holmes
Run It Fast ® (RIF #1)
I’m proud and honored to announce that the ‘2013 Hope Shull Inspirational Runner Award’ goes to RIF #5 Lisa Gonzales from Alta Loma, California.
Lisa has inspired all of us with her bravery, courage, and tough inner fortitude in battling cancer over the last few months while never losing faith and being extremely positive and supportive of every member of Run It Fast, as she recovered from surgery and continues to go through chemotherapy.
Lisa insisted upon crewing me at the EC 100 just two weeks after her surgery. She has yet to deliver me a good cheeseburger during a 100 miler when crewing me, but she did a great job that day crewing me to a Top 5 finish.
She has been vital to the growth of Run It Fast over the last two years and has a true passion and desire for the club to become the best.
She is one of the toughest people I know. I draw inspiration from her, not only during my races, but in life in general. My worst days are nowhere near what she has gone through and survived in the past year.
Lisa gives ‘Hope’ to hundreds of runners in the running community across the globe every day!
I’m very proud of Lisa and honored that she is the 2013 recipient of ‘The Hope Shull Inspirational Runner Award.’
