One of the big annual events that the Mon Sheong foundation holds is a 5K run/walk on Mother's Day. The event's purpose is to raise funds for the foundation through pledges and carnation sales from the people running or walking.
A tradition of this event is that it always seems to be held on the coldest day in May. After a week of summer like temperatures, today felt like winter once again. The volunteers and organizers gathered up in near freezing weather at Milliken park beginning around 6:45am to set-up.
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| MSYG VP Sarah bundled up for the bitter cold |
Runners began to gather at the park around 8:00am, and the MSYG executive team, Discover organizers, and MSYG's Dragonboat team were out in force by then. While it may have been cold, it was at least bright and sunny at that point.
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| MSYG and Discover volunteers huddling together at 8am in the morning |
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| Jasmine and Andrea of the Dragonboat team registering to run the 5K |
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| Carnation sellers stocking up before all the run participants arrive |
Alas, the sunny skies were not to last. By the time all the 5K run participants had gathered and were ready to run. The skies had turned dark grey and a bitter chill began to appear. Nonetheless the runners, including the whole of MSYG's Dragonboat team gathered at the start line. Conditions went from bad to worse there. As the Fairchild TV camera crew came out to film the start of the race, hail started to rain down on all the runners. But the race must go on, rain, shine, or hail even. The start gun (horn) went and the the runners were off.
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| Fairchild TV cameraman on the left filming the race start |
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| Runners & organizers posing for a pic in the hail storm. |
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| Dragonboat captain Simon in the pack of runners |
A guy running in thin sandals blitzed the course and finished the 5K run in 14 minutes to capture first place. You'll be happy to know that all of the MSYG runners also finished the course without incident. Their times ranged from 18 to 29 minutes. So congrats to them. Practice hard over the course of the year so you can challenge the first place man next year for the title.
As the run finished, the much bigger 5K fun walk began. The run had around 40 participants meanwhile hundreds were out for the 5K walk, and they brought out banners as well to rep their groups.
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| The boy scouts march |
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| One of the 5K walk groups. |
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| The line of walkers from a distance |
After the run and the walk, the particpants were treated to a snack of juice box and apples. Not exactly the post-run nutrient boost needed for such a cold day. A nice hot chocolate and an egg mcmuffin would've hit the spot. But it being Mother's Day, I'm sure they all went off to have nice hot brunch meals with their mommy's.
As the event winded down, a prize draw was held for all the runners and walkers. The grand prize was a 50 inch LG smart TV. Unfortunately, the god of luck didn't smile upon any youth group members for that prize. MSYG's marketing coordinator Whitney did win a "bird's nest". If you don't know what that is, you're not 'Chinesey' enough.
See all of you next year at Mon Sheong's Fun Run, hopefully you the reader will be either running or volunteering.
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| Milliken Park's lake as the skies cleared |
