So, we did it! Our 5k Race For Life, to raise money for cancer research. And what a lovely day it was. A crowd of pink all walking together in unison. Some of the fitter, more energetic ladies among us jogged and even sprinted the race, but for us here at The Identity Project, we strolled leisurely, taking in the glorious views of Hyde Park. At some moments it was easy to forget we were in a park at all, what with looking at everyone’s messages on their backs; Who they were running for, who they’d lost to cancer, messages of encouragement and pictures of loved ones etc. It was truly touching. There were some amazing costumes too! We saw the Pink Ladies from Grease, Wilma Flintstone, A group of Bumblebees, The Pink Panther, Sexy Nurses and many more…not to forget our favourite: The Giant Banana!
Surrounded by wonderful women everywhere, it was hard not to wear a smile! Jasmine and myself were not in costume but we were wearing something slightly out of the norm on our feet! We were wearing Vibram 5 fingers. What the heck are those!?! We hear you cry. Well, they are the new revolutionary footwear, designed to create a barefoot feeling while you walk and exercise. They have separated toes (like gloves) and they are all the rage for sports enthusiasts. We were kindly sponsored by Toby’s Shoes, which is a profit business that sell vibram 5 fingers and give 100% of their profits away, working in association with SOS Village Charity, which helps mothers in India create home businesses for themselves! An amazingly innovative business that doesn’t offer hand outs but instead, life teachings so that mothers in India can build their lives up and look after themselves and their families by creating their own income and maintaining it! This kind of help encourages the removal of poverty instead of enabling it. Truly inspiring to say the least. So, not only do we recommend you get yourself a pair of vibram 5 fingers from Toby’s Shoes because the money goes to a great cause, but if you like running, jogging or just about any kind of sport, these are the shoes for you. You can even swim in them! The genius comes from what they can do for your feet and not what they look like (for all of you fashion enthusiasts!) They encourage you to put more pressure on the balls of your feet instead of your heels, like most trainers and shoes do. This is how our feet naturally walk without shoes but years of wearing normal shoes has encouraged our feet to apply pressure to the wrong areas. By putting the pressure on the balls of your feet you can prevent all sorts of health problems from shin splints to misalignments of your hips!
But I digress!
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All in all the day was a wonderful success! We managed to raise £530, so thank you to everyone who sponsored us…and in fact thank you to anyone who sponsored anyone they knew taking part in the walk. Cancer Research is a charity very close to the hearts of both Jasmine and myself. Together we can help people in all sorts of ways, from treatments to rehabilitation therapies. The money you contributed is helping people right now, so we are truly grateful for all of your generous donations.
If our sponsored walk and the people involved proved anything, it’s that it is very possible to create something positive out of something not so positive! A message that we are keen to spread, to practise within our own lives and encourage others to do the same.
The joy and laughter that was in the air was truly remarkable. And the celebratory Pimms went down a treat too ;) We highly recommend you join us next year!
To get your pair of Vibram 5 fingers and support women in India, go to www.tobysshoes.com
