3.2 for the 32- Run in Remembrance (PIPs galore)

moshi's paw

Hi Ladies,

When we posted our race schedules last week I mentioned this run, and quite a few of you offered some very kind words (thank you!). I managed to take some pictures during the race and I wanted to post this yesterday but I was in no way near the technology required to do so. So without further ado...


This is the shot of the memorial from across the Drillfield, in the sun with Burruss Hall.

Each participant was given a maroon or orange balloon (Virginia Tech's colors) to release at the start of the race.

Right before the start, our Corps of Cadets released 32 white balloons, each one representing a student or professor who lost their lives on April 16th, 2007. We had 32 seconds of reflective silence to remember them. 

We then released our balloons to join the 32, because we are the Hokie Nation, and we prevail. Releasing our balloons signaled the start of the race. 

The view from behind me. A lot of us prevailed that morning. 

On our way. This is a view of our Duck Pond, a historically significant and pretty section of campus. This was also the flattest part of the entire run. (omg, hilllz)

Up one of the various hills. The artistic inclination was not intentional.

One of the real treats of this run is that we get to run through our coveted Football Stadium, Lane, onto Worsham field through the players' tunnel, and touch the famous Hokie Stone. It was totally worth the bottleneck. Incidentally, the two with the curly hair and the white hat in the picture are a marathon runner in my department and her century-cyclist boyfriend. I also ran with Ms. Jeopardy Champion (pictured later).

I have video of me running onto the field, but sadly tinypic won't let me upload it (boo).

Onto the field. This is sadly where the pictures stop because my phone got mad at me for holding it in my steaming hot hands. The girl in the blue Pittsburgh marathon shirt is Ms. Jeopardy Champion!

Hope you enjoyed a small taste of my life here on campus

shauni27

Thanks for sharing!  Looks like a well run, and really touching event (I teared up at the white balloons.)

shorty20

Thanks for sharing!

jgleespen

Thanks for sharing!  Your pictures are so moving!

annabear07

Thanks for sharing.  I got goosebumps looking at the pictures.  What a beautiful tribute and rememberance.

abvernon

Thank you for sharing.

kmartini1021

That looks like it was an amazing and emotional event. Thank you for sharing your photos!

aeroluv327

How awesome!  Thanks for sharing!

Sessalee1010

Thank you so much for sharing! I had 2 sisters on campus that day, it was horrendous. 

humpforfree

I ran the 3.2 this weekend also. I was on campus on 4/16/07 and make the trek "home" to run this year. It was so surreal running around the duckpond where we were just 5 years ago running from one side of campus to the other trying to get to cars once we were told to evacuate. Crazy. the balloons were so awesome.

ECUPirate04

Great photos! 

GRKaters

Sounds like a great event, thanks for sharing.

Cuardraro

I'm also a Hokie and wanted to run but couldn't make it to Blacksburg that weekend... Go Hokies!!

MrsE120807

Thanks so much for sharing! A childhood friend of mine is a survivor from the shooting. He was one of the "lucky" ones. We're all hokies on 4/16 and this run is such a great way to remember the victims. The photos give me goosebumps.

kat.in.the.hat

so touching, thanks for sharing