Monthly Archives: November 2015

What sign are YOU waiting for?

I am incredibly blessed to have been chosen to run the 2016 Boston Marathon for Samaritans. I’m running to save lives by spreading messages of awareness and hope to anyone facing struggles, or whose lives have been impacted by suicide or mental illness. I believe to my core that sharing my story and connecting this with others will make a difference in ways that I can’t even fathom, but I had a “show me a sign” moment this week. I wanted more assurance that the energy I invest over the next 5 months will connect in ways that people hear it and that will change lives!

I was moving forward, but “Show me a sign” was running through my brain.

I get to work, and this sign was posted 10′ from my office.

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Funny how the universe listens. How cool is that? Running. Connection. Calm. Control. Touching others. Positive.

Still not convinced, I go for a jog at lunch. From a few of my past posts, simple smiley faces are typically the closest thing I get to saying I have “signs from my sister” (e.g., gin glass, Orca as the medium – don’t ask what you’re look at in this one – you don’t want to know). I’m jogging on a path that I’ve done many, many times, but of course, this time I notice this etched/marked on the concrete.

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Ok…I’m feeling more of what I need from the universe. You sent me signs when I wanted them. I get it. People will hear this message. If I build it, they will come. I will connect. We will all make a difference and be here for others. But just to make sure I’m convinced, we pull into a spot at the movie theater yesterday and, of course, this is what the car next to us looked like.

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Motivation. Fun. A bit of pain. Purpose. Focus. This is what the road ahead looks for me. And I ask for your support along the way. I got my signs this week connecting my focus, and running, and spreading good in the world.

What sign do you need?

What will it take for you to support me today? What will it take for you to let others know if you’re struggling? To share your story? Or for you to just be there for those around you (listening without judging, and being fully present)?

Enjoy today.

1 down…9,999 more lives to touch

I got my first dollar yesterday!

The way I’ve been thinking about my campaign for Samaritans is that I want to touch 10,000 lives. I want 10,000 people to learn something about suicide or mental illness. I want 10,000 people to be more comfortable talking about suicide and mental illness. I want 10,000 people to listen and just be there for those around them. The money will come – but that’s not my focus. I told a co-worker that I was running, and he pulled out a dollar to be the first one to make a donation. Thanks Rich! Awesome! Although for some reason, nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine sounded like a lot more than 10,000. It was after he gave me the dollar that I told him about my plan to collect $1 from 10,000 people. Fun how the universe listens and responds.

I also got a package in the mail yesterday from Samaritans. A box of cash to make my future task of collecting money easier? Jet pack to boost me up the hills in Boston?

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It was filled with all sorts of goodies. Shirt, hat, water bottle, a few running snacks, and most importantly, a folder filled with all sorts of information that I need. Samaritans’ rocks! I wonder what they’re sending me tomorrow, and the next day, and next week? I’ll be running to my mailbox every day now 🙂

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I keep hearing that when people find out I’m running for Samaritans that I’ll start to hear more stories and people will share more with me. So far I’ve basically told my parents, my brother, and my brother-in-law. And with each of them we had at least a 1/2 hour phone conversation. We talked about my sister, Katherine. We talked about suicide. We talked about ideas to make others aware. We talked about life, and family, and parts of this that still (and will always suck), and we talked about hope for today and the future. Being a part of Samaritans is already starting conversations and spreading good energy. And it’s starting with the people that matter most.

Who should you go have an important conversation with?

And so it begins…Boston 2016 here I come!!

I got the call I’ve been waiting for…

This past Thursday I got the phone call I’ve been hoping for from Samaritans of Boston…

“We’d like to congratulate you on joining the Samaritan’s 2016 Boston Marathon team!”

Sweet! Awesome! This put my brain and body in action! Exciting times! I can’t wait to start training and get my journey started towards touching lives and raising awareness for this great charity in the fight against suicide.

I’ve been thinking about this for months. Such a relief to finally hear the official news! We had a quick phone call…and then…

The first thing I did…

…was look up the date of the marathon 🙂

Patriot’s Day of course. But that isn’t much help. Marathon Monday??? Nope, still not helping. Not a celebrated holiday in Minnesota (although I was surprised to see that Wisconsin is one of only three states to celebrate this as a public holiday). So when is it? The third Monday in April. And it has been since 1969 (providing a 3-day weekend in Massachusetts). Before that it was always celebrated on April 19th, the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolutionary War, in 1775.

So…what’s the date next year? Monday, April 18, 2016.

156 days away as of today (click here for countdown updates).

The next thing I did…

…I searched for when an 18-week marathon training plan should start leading up to Patriot’s Day. Mid- to end-December. Yikes – sooner than I thought 🙂 And all I’ve heard about are those hills on the course. No lie, I ran up and down the steepest hill I could find 3x yesterday over lunch!!

How did all of this start for me?

Here’s my first email last year to Samaritan’s…this is how dreams start!

From: Dave Thompson [mailto:dcthmpsnep@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2015 12:35 AM
To: Eve Rabinowitz
Subject: Re: Samaritans – request for info on running with 2016 marathon team

Eve-

Hello. I’m interested to learn information about running in the 2016 Boston Marathon with the Samaritan team. My sister died of suicide in 2012 and her team (Katherine’s Pride) has been a top fundraising team for the Samaritans 5k/events the past few years. I am running my first marathon this May (in Minnesota), and I am interested to hear more information about possibly running with the Samaritan team next year in Boston. Most of my family still lives in NH/MA and this is definitely a cause that I believe in.

I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks!

-Dave