The inaugural Project 125 run aims to raise funds and awareness for athletes facing sudden health adversities beyond the finish line.
VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On March 9, 2024, Olympic medalist and mom of two Krista Temple went to open a jar of pickles and broke her arm.
This seemingly routine act would later confirm that a previous breast cancer diagnosis had returned, now in Stage Four, and metastasized in her bones. Temple's doctors identified her as an ideal candidate for Intratumoral Immunotherapy, a groundbreaking but costly course of treatment that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Temple and her close-knit family didn't know where to begin. They called out to their community for support.
Longtime friend Matt Christopherson, who is also Co-Founder of modern health company Opscotch, answered the call. "It was so heart wrenching to hear that a friend who had devoted 13 years of her life to pro sport was faced with such sudden health adversities," he says. "I knew I needed to put myself out there to support her and her family."
On September 6, Matt will run across the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, B.C., a grueling and scenic 125 km route that covers 1,900 metres of elevation. He'll run through the night for approximately 20 hours, aiming to cross the grand finish just before cyclists participating in the RBC GranFondo on the same day. The funds raised in support of Christopherson's run will help to change the trajectory of Temple's healing.
"We were moved by this inspirational story the minute we heard about Krista's recent health adversities and Matt's response, and knew we needed to get involved officially," says Neil McKinnon, CEO, RBC GranFondo Whistler. "We are thrilled to support a cause that rallies behind elite and Olympic athletes after they've transitioned out of sport."
Temple is a true Canadian rowing legend; a two-time Olympian who won a Silver Medal in the 2012 Women's 8. "She represented our country, and now it's time that people show up and represent for her," says sister Leah Guloien, who was also the first woman cyclist to win the inaugural GranFondo Whistler event. After training their whole lives for the podium, many retiring elite athletes are left without support and employment opportunities, leading to emotional, practical, and financial challenges. Temple discusses this in her book, Beyond the Finish Line: What Happens when the Endorphins Fade, highlighting the support needed to navigate post-Olympic life.
This became the inspiration for the first iteration of Project 125. Beginning with this initial fund- and awareness-raising run, Christopherson aims to build a long-term legacy of support for athletes facing sudden health adversities beyond the finish line. Additional support for this first run has been pledged by leading lifestyle and performance brands, including Reigning Champ, HOKA, Myodetox, Maurten, LMNT, and more. Christopherson is also an ambassador for local Vancouver running store The Run Inn.
"Fighting on your own sucks," says Temple. "That collective effort is so inspiring. It's what got me here today, and can help others continue to fight too."
Learn more and donate at project125.ca.
ABOUT PROJECT 125
Project 125 is building a legacy of support to help athletes facing sudden health adversities, providing funding beyond the finish line.
Media Contact
Jaime Eisen, Project 125, 647.224.9674, [email protected], https://www.project125.ca/
SOURCE Project 125
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