We Run For Boston
The internship that I’ve had this semester has been with City Sports Walnut Street. City Sports is a Boston based running company that certainly felt the impact of the Boston Marathon tragedy on April 15th. It was felt truly and deeply. The running community, like Boston, is formed by strong, hopeful, and resilient people. In the previous week City Sports and Philadelphia’s running community haven’t stopped running, instead they’ve ran in honor of Boston, for Boston.
Prior to April 15th, our store had set out to hold an event that would consist of a 10 mile Broad Street training run as well as a 5 mile run. As social media marketing and outreach intern, I worked closely with our store’s manager to prep for the event. It was scheduled that we would have onsite vendors from footwear companies like Brooks, Newton, and Saucony, as well as nutritionists from Unite Fitness. The heartbreaking events of the Boston Marathon occurred soon after initial media had been sent but it was decided overnight that we’d instead Run for Boston. Plans were then in order for profits from “Bostrong” T-shirts to go to the One Fund and for every runner City Sports would donate $5 to The One Fund.
Creative documents were promptly updated on our Facebook and media contacts were notified and on board. Hundreds of runners met in Rittenhouse Square on Sunday Morning to participate in “We Run for Boston.” We all ran together to the Art Museum where a moment of silence was taken for the victims and those affected by the events that happened during something we all do, race or run. From there we went off in groups to complete our 5k, 5 mile, and 10 mile runs with pride through Philadelphia.
Through my internship I was able to have a hand in advertising, planning, and carrying out “We Run for Boston” I will forever be grateful for being a part of something so powerful, unifying, and real. It was an honor to witness and partake in such support and generous aid in City Sports’ Donation to The One Fund.
