I’ve been asked this question a lot lately, and the answer is two-fold. I’ll never forget one December afternoon, 11 months after sustaining injuries as the result of a drunk driver. The car wreck had me banged up and I was in the worst mental state I had been in which was super-ceding the physical pain. I went into the basement, cried, yelled, cussed and prayed. It all came out. God told me I would use this experience to help others out I didn’t know what that meant at the time, but I was convinced I would recover 100% in that moment. Years later I was training for my first 50-mile race when I met an endurance cyclist while on vacation. This dude rides his bike from Texas to the coasts and we hit it off instantly. His name is Matt for the bonus. Matt checked out a day before I did, but slid a note under my door. He said if I ever fundraise while doing an endurance event(s) that he would make a donation. Tony Brown would soon invite me to join him for the 4x4x48 to support ICT SOS. Who did I email? Matt. Who was one of our first donations? Matt. We are 3 years in and the event gets bigger each time.

When the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society approached me, I prayed and discussed with my wife. I’ve known families who have been impacted by blood cancers and researched how LLS supports folks in the community. I believed I needed to incorporate running to draw awareness. I also felt it needed to be difficult and spread over the 75 day campaign. Average a marathon a week? That would be 10.71 marathons, so we rounded up. We have 5 more to go.

After announcing that I was nominated for Visionary of the Year, many people reached out with personal stories. I wasn’t aware of how many folks within my inner-circle had family members impacted. I also met several folks in person. The week before my first run I learned a little 3-year old boy, who’s family I know through church, had just been diagnosed. My heart breaks every day when I see their Facebook updates. Please take a moment and say a prayer for Azel.

It started with re-assurance from God during prayer, turned into a letter from a random person and now I am in the middle of 11 marathons in 11 weeks. I’m doing this despite permanent injuries and feel so blessed to do what I’m doing. Two doctors said my fitness life would never be the same. They were right, just a different direction than I intended it to go.

This is why I do what I do.

If you would like to support, please visit mattrunsforlls.com. Sharing and liking my posts and posts from the “Matt Runs for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society” Facebook page is another way to help.

Thanks everyone!