On March 30th at 4am PT, I will be at the Santa Monica pier with five teammates about to start a 340 mile (544 km) adventure relay running race called The Speed Project.  We run through LA and then the desert, including Death Valley, and finish in Las Vegas.  We will take turns running 10 km legs each and expect it to take us about 40 hours.  Between legs we ride in a cramped RV.  It will not be a pleasant experience. 

I am taking on this challenge to support the Start2Finish Running and Reading Clubs.  These clubs provide mentorship, fitness and literacy to children in Canada who live in poverty.  The Clubs run after-school for 30 weeks/year in 42 locations across Canada with plans to reach 50 over the next year.  Every Thursday afternoon from October to May, we become Coach Paul and Coach Judy, volunteering in a Club in Regent Park. All of our students endure challenges in their lives way beyond what we ever had to face growing up.  However tough running through the desert is, it does not compare to the challenges that these children face, day in and day out. We hope that we are making a difference in their lives through the Club.

Please help make a difference in the lives of the 1.3 million Canadian children who live in poverty.  Join me in building a cycle of success for the most vulnerable kids in our community, and help give them the building blocks to graduate and succeed!