When was the last time a phone call sparked the beginning to something unexpected? A few weeks ago my phone rang and on the other end was a runner from the September BoldrDash event. I soon found out that he lost his finisher medal, but quickly learned how much it really meant to him. The next step was to get him his well-deserved replacement medal. “If you’re free today –  how about if we meet?”

Expecting a quick introduction and hand over of the medal, I was pleasantly distracted by how kind, compassionate, and truly sweet this man turned out to be.

He told me his story. We viewed and shared laughs over photographs of himself and teammates rolling around in mud.  “You wouldn’t know by looking at me, but I used to be overweight and unhealthy,” he looked at me and smiled.  That’s when I knew this medal was more than a reward for completing BoldrDash. It was tangible proof of his journey.

What happened next was perfect.  This man, a wonderful stranger, and I shared a heartfelt embrace.

How fortunate for me that he lost his medal.