One in five children and adolescents have obesity, according to the CDC, and this percentage continues to rise. Only 24% of children aged 6-17 engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily. In fact, children now spend more than seven and a half hours a day in front of screens, such as TVs, video games, and computers. Additionally, 52% of children in D51 qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a clear indicator of food insecurity. Physically active children with access to healthy food are more likely to be motivated, focused, and successful in school. Mastering physical skills and succeeding academically builds confidence at every age.
But I get ahead of myself. My husband, Doug, and I love outdoor adventures. Over the years, we have biked the Colorado Trail twice. We rode the non-wilderness sections on our third trip and ran the wilderness portions. As trail-running enthusiasts, that experience left us wondering if we could run the entire 490-mile trail.
In 2018, a fitness trainer encouraged a group I am part of to not let our excuses prevent us from
achieving our goals. After hearing this reminder for three weeks in a row, I realized I needed to embrace the challenge to run the Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango. That night, I shared my dream with Doug. He considered it for a moment and then quickly said, "Let's do it!" This response set in motion a journey that would ultimately lead to the creation of our non-profit, Elevate Kids.
Training for the demanding 490-mile run through mountainous wilderness terrain, with a total elevation gain of over 90,000 feet, was going to be intense. Initially, I focused solely on my personal goal. However, during one run, I realized I was making it all about myself. I asked myself how we could turn this into something bigger. Why not transform our vacation and run into a fundraising opportunity for our daughter's school? Doug agreed, and our training took on a new energy as we started fundraising. In August 2020, we set out from Denver and, 18 days later, arrived in Durango - exhausted but exhilarated - Having met our goal and raised $20,000 to support the school and provide meals through Kid's Aid's backpack program.
Four years later, Elevate Kids focuses on fundraising for local organizations committed to alleviating child hunger and providing opportunities for lifelong fitness habits. This is primarily achieved through our annual Fun Run, held each April. Elevate Kids has contributed over $75,000 to the Grand Junction community by supporting the PE programs of twenty-one schools, providing 40 full scholarships to Girls on the Run, and offering over 20,000 meals to combat child hunger on weekends and three additional non-profit organizations. This effort has engaged over 900 participants and 155 sponsors and has impacted hundreds of GJ kids. We anticipate our largest Fun Run yet on April 6, 2025.
Just as Elevate Kids aims for new horizons, so do we. In fact, ten days after completing our first run, we set a new goal: to achieve the Fastest Known Time (FKT) for running the Colorado Trail. In the summer of 2022, we enthusiastically began our attempt from Durango to Denver. However, due to weather conditions and injuries, we were unable to achieve our goal. Disappointed but undeterred, we decided that I would attempt to break the FKT for women, starting from Durango and running east.
Excited by this new goal, I trained, planned, and again began fundraising for our kids. In the late summer of 2023, I left Durango, determined to succeed. But little did I know how challenging the journey would be. On my third day into the run, I stumbled and landed hard on my left knee. Unbeknownst to me, I had cracked my kneecap, yet I pressed on. I couldn't let down the kids for whom I was raising money, nor my support crew. So, I persevered through the pain. I crossed the finish line in Denver on September 6, 2023, after 12 days, 8 hours, 4 minutes, and 37 seconds, setting the FKT. More importantly, we raised additional funds to support more kids.
We are committed to using our love of running and passion for healthy kids to elevate kids in our
community. If you are interested in sponsoring or registering for our upcoming Fun Run on April 6, 2025, Please visit elevatekids.org. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram @helpelevatekids as we chase the sky to elevate kids.