(Finale photos now available on the photos page!)
It’s hard to believe…but the Run Across North Dakota is over!! I completed the journey of about 390 miles today in the Scheels parking lot around 11:20 a.m. About 100 people turned out in some very windy and chilly weather to cheer me across the finish line. I was accompanied along the 11-mile route from Mapleton to Fargo by several runners….some ran the whole way, while others joined in for shorter segments. I had a police escort throughout today’s run to block intersections for our safety along the way. At one point, North Dakota Congressman Earl Pomeroy took a break from a Habitat for Humanity project to run a half-mile with me in boots! I think I could have sprinted the last couple of miles because of the adrenaline rush of the last day.
The Samaritan’s Purse camera crew was there throughout the final day and they hope to have a video on their Web site later this week. Please check this blog next week for a link to see the video. I’ll also post any last-minute news from the run in an update next week.
We received about 350 shoeboxes at Scheels today, and several other people bought items in the store to donate to the shoebox effort. Several people stopped by to congratulate me and say how thankful they were for the additional publicity brought to Operation Christmas Child through this event. We have a few shoebox pledges still to post this weekend, which should push the total over 1,900 boxes…isn’t that awesome?
It’s not too late to do a shoebox! Nov. 12 through Nov. 19 is national collection week; visit my Web site www.runacrossnd.com to find the collection site nearest you. I think you will find that preparing a shoebox is really fun….several people who dropped off boxes commented how much they enjoyed shopping for a needy child.
I feel so blessed by all that God has done along this journey. Heather and I hope to plan another unique event to generate shoeboxes next year, but I am pretty confident it will not involve running across any state or swimming across any large body of water!
I am so thankful for all of the prayers you offered on my behalf…God answered them so many times, and without His help, I know I could not have completed this run. Overall, I am amazed at how good I feel, and I am looking forward to some time to rest and marvel at all God has done!!
5 Comments
November 10, 2007 at 7:37 pm
hey wade its me seth i wanted to say congrats and i think what you did was awsome and thanks for letting me help.
November 10, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Yeeha! What a great day Wade! I know this will stay with you and Heather and your whole family, may you all be blessed for your faith and willingness to serve. This has truely been such a priveledge to watch and read your days journeys; did you ever imagine you would have such a journey? Like a pebble dropped in water, the ripples that occurred from this will go on for a long, long time. God is so awesome. Bless OCC and the children waiting to be blessed by our gifts of love. And thanks to you for this inspiration.
November 11, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Wade,
I wanted to let you know that I will be doing a shoebox this year, by myself.
I have been praying for you.
November 12, 2007 at 10:15 am
Congratulations Wade! You ran the course marked out for you, and you ran it well! You inspired many with each step and I wish you well as you do other events in the future to raise attention of Operation Christmas Child.
November 13, 2007 at 8:17 pm
GOOD JOB!!! Well done Wade. Its amazing how well this run worked out for you. Good job, and keep up the good work!