Register this month
By Mark Reaman
Like so many summer events, the Living Journeys Summit Hike/Half Marathon is doing it differently this year, but it can still be done. Instead of the regular group hike to the peak of Crested Butte, participants will be able to do it on their own or come up with another adventure with friends or with families to honor those battling cancer and raise money to support the Living Journeys mission.
Living Journeys is hosting a Virtual Summit Challenge starting this month that is a “choose your own adventure.”
“We love the Summit Hike/Half Marathon, but we decided for the health of our community we needed to embrace this new normal we’re all trying to get used to and to make this Summit Challenge about getting outside of ourselves and pushing ourselves for someone else,” explained Living Journeys executive director Julie Reid. “We can still share and come together collectively over social media for now.”
Reid said people could “do a mellow family-friendly or completely out of your comfort zone challenge to honor those in our lives fighting cancer and remembering those we have lost.”
Participants will receive a Living Journeys event shirt and a swag bag with goodies and a bib that says “I summit for_____”; and people can fill in the blank. “Participants will post or email Living Journeys their adventure and the bib so we can highlight those honoring the people in their lives fighting cancer,” said Reid, promising to post adventures all over social media.
“We are trying to get people all over the country and even the world to join,” Reid said. “We want people to make this inspirational. We are encouraging people to build teams with their friends and families and share with us so we can showcase who they are supporting. There will be prizes for biggest FUNdraiser, best family challenge or coolest solo challenge and costumes, and when you register you get entered into a drawing.”
If you live outside Colorado but want to participate, Reid said it’s best to register by July 13 to ensure you receive a goodie bag in time. Locals can pick up their bags. Reid wants everyone to register by July 26, but the challenges can go into August.
All proceeds go directly to the Living Journeys community to ensure no one in Gunnison County fights cancer alone. Check out Livingjourneys.org/events for more details.