3,500 stairs up the Great Wall of China

A marathon is hard enough without adding 3,500 stairs to it! But my sister, Connie is going to be running the Great Wall of China Marathon in a couple of days on May 16th, 2009 which includes crazy stairs in the last four miles (the hardest leg of the race!). She's amazing and she's looking fit & fast (pic below). When she's done all four of us sisters will have completed a marathon each. I think after this we should train and complete a half triathlon together, maybe in Hawaii...
She is running and raising money to support a cause called "Half the Sky." Here's an excerpt from an article she wrote and posted on her blog explaining why they chose this particular charity. (There's also a link on the sidebar.)

"After hours of researching various local charities centered on what we were working on in our lives – helping children and becoming strong, independent women – we chose the Half the Sky Foundation.

According to their website, 95 percent of all healthy children in China’s institutionalized child welfare system are girls, due to the government policy of only one child per family and the traditional preference for boys. The foundation takes its name from an old Chinese saying, “women hold up half the sky.”

The children in these programs are orphans, some with disabilities, others healthy, but most will never be adopted. The focus for this foundation is not the newest facilities or the most high-tech toys; but the loving, family-like environment that so many institutionalized children miss out on. They have programs dedicated to infant nurturing to preparation for higher education.

It was so easy for me to forget how easy I have it in life, striving for self-actualization when all these children want is their basic needs met, and something as simple as a loving embrace.
So why a marathon? A few hours of discomfort on my part won’t change anything, won’t give me any idea of what some of these children have to go through on a daily basis. But maybe it’s a start.

And so I run. Even during the rainy season when my motivation is at its lowest, I pick up my running shoes and head for the door, reminding myself why it’s no longer an option not to. I have to run.

For more information, please visit our website at runningthegreatwall.com. "

Gambatte (Good luck) Connie! We are rooting and praying for your safety and success!