It started out that Team Greenpeace would be running a 26.2 mile marathon in Big Sur, California to raise money to help protect the environment. But now, it’s become something more.
The horrific bombing at the Boston Marathon took the lives of three people and wounded countless others. Our thoughts are with the families devastated by this tragedy. As an organization that was founded on the principles of peace, and in solidarity with our fellow marathons, we had to act. So Team Greenpeace will be lacing up their running shoes at Big Sur this weekend and we’ll be donating this gift to The One Fund Boston, a charity set up by the Governor to help families of the tragedy.
Hear below from a few of the Greenpeace runners, and what running 26.2 miles meant to them, before and after the tragedy in Boston.
Isaac is from Cleveland, OH, and has been an environmentalist since finding out at an early age that the polluted Cuyahoga River caught on fire. As a committed marathoner and Quaker, Isaac felt deep sadness to see the tragedy in Boston. But it makes running the Big Sur marathon even more powerful. It’s a symbol of hope, of runners coming together.
Bonnie was fortunate to be raised not by wolves but teachers which led to understanding environmental problems at a very young age. Since junior high school she has been working in her communities to create solutions and take action to solve problems. Growing up in Massachusetts and then graduating from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, she has continued to fight the good fight with her work with environmental non-profits in Chicago, Los Angeles and now Washington, DC. She is proud to be now working and running this race for Greenpeace so it can continue its great work solving environmental crisis around the globe.
Kimberlee has been a Greenpeace activist since the 1980s, and this will be here 9th marathon! Originally from Colorado she always had a passion for the oceans, pursuing her scuba certification in a muddy lake somewhere in Kansas, with the hope of joining Greenpeace. Many dives later (in places much more exciting than Kansas), she has witnessed first hand the destruction of coral reefs and is dedicating these 26.2 miles to saving them!
Emily is a environmentalist living in Washington, D.C. who will be running her first marathon with Team Greenpeace. Her running experience before this consists mainly of Thanksgiving turkey trots and a lot of ultimate frisbee, so she is looking forward to taking her running to the beautiful Pacific Coast. She has made it through training by exploring every inch of the trails in Rock Creek Park and by escalating her coffee habit. Originally from New Jersey, she is running to support the efforts of Greenpeace to respond to the climate crisis and to the many other environmental issues of our time.
James is a lifelong runner who has completed a number of marathons. And despite living (and training) in New York, he prefers to race in California. Hes a Senior Vice President at Time Warner and, when not working, also enjoys traveling with his husband (and fellow Stanford alum) Justin. Aside from the Big Sur marathon, and his involvement with and support of Team Greenpeace, James is looking forward to the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon in 2013.
Richarddoes not perspire. His empathy knows no bounds. He has 360,00 frequent flyer miles. Born an orphan, he taught himself how to read by the age of two while studying beta versions of old search algorithms. He can tip a Boston Whaler on tranquil waters. Sometimes, he sleeps on a tight rope, on the off chance that its good for your back. On a normal day he is in New York City, working as a city coordinator at Greenpeaces local Frontline office. He is thrilled to be a part of the team!
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