It is finally here. I am so excited to get moving as the last 2 weeks I have been so antsy.

My sister arrived last night to help support me for four days of the run. How excited were we to see each other!

We had a major giggle this afternoon as I tried to teach her the maps and how to pack my bag. She looked so confused as she calculated the distances on the maps. I knew we were in trouble when she asked which one is a road.

Giggling, she commented “I thought you said I was coming up to cheer you on, give

you water and occasionally run with you. Reading maps, calculating distances and refuelling is not my thing.”

Velma joking finished with, “Who is taking care of me when I am running?”

As I lay out all the gear out, I realize how lucky I am to have Sport Chek behind me on this. I could never of done it without them – nor learned which gear works best out in the wilderness for this long without them jumping on board to help right from the start. A big thank you to them for believing in what we all sweat for – each of us having our own story!

I best get organized – leaving for the campsite location at 5pm!

Thanks for everyone’s support. Now I must stay mentally strong to tackle my upcoming 12 day adventure. I will always remember during tough times on the trail that the reason for this is to end stigma around mental health issues and promote dialogue among students to support positive mental health.

See you at the finish!

Virginia