The idea for Buddy Up Against Bullying actually started with a conversation about running. In the Fall of 2012, Officer Christian, our School Resource Officer at the time, had just begun a new running program and I was asking how things were going and, being a runner myself, offered her encouragement and pointers where I could.
From that conversation came the idea of starting a running club at RCMS. Simple enough, and something that seemed like a great way to get kids moving and keep them moving. But the ideas didn't stop there. No sooner than we'd decided to start a running club, we decided to hold a 5K right here on our campus for the students in the running club.
Then the idea grew bigger still. Instead of holding a 5K just for the students in our running club, why not have a 5K with a purpose? And since we are both big into eradicating bullying from our school, the thought became, "How about if we have an anti-bullying 5K and open it up to the entire school? "
Now we were on to something! We had our vision...and we were going to make it happen. This would be a lot of fun and keep the conversation of bullying on the front burner in our school. It would surely be a lot of work for two folks like ourselves who'd never organized a 5K...but since it was just for our students, how hard could it really be?
Wait...there's more. See, I subscribe to Runner's World, and in the December 2012 issue I came across a piece about Beth Risdon, a runner and author of the blog Shut Up and Run. The article told of how Beth organized a "Virtual Run" to honor her cousin. The idea of the virtual run was for people all over the globe to click a link, download a runner's bib (like you would wear on race day), and on a given date and time, pin that bib on your shirt and go for a run. Over 25,000 people from 20 different countries took part in her virtual run.
While other virtual runs had been done before, this was the first time I'd heard of the concept. I was struck by the brilliant simplicity of this idea. So, armed with inspiration from Beth's story, I stole the idea...as any good teacher would do.
After pitching the idea to Officer Christian, I reached out to Beth to find out how she pulled off her virtual run. Her input was instrumental in getting the Buddy Up Against Bullying Virtual 5K off the ground.
We are still having a 5K here on the RCMS campus for our students. At the same time we are asking students, teachers, and parents from across the globe to take part in the Virtual 5K on October 18, 2014. Where ever you may be you can join us "virtually" by clicking here, downloading our bib, and on October 18th, pin the bib to your shirt and go for a run with a buddy. Don't run? Go for a walk, a bike ride, a hike...just do something active on that day. Your choice.
It's time to Buddy Up Against Bullying. #BuddyUp5K
TC
TC
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