NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Locals are ready, and visitors have traveled far and wide to participate in the St. Jude Rock N' Roll Running Series.
It's a race that takes runners on a journey throughout the city and raises much-needed funds for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — because the fight to treat children with cancer and find a cure is ongoing.
One married couple participating in the race has a very good reason to run.
In 2015, the Meades ran for the first time in Nashville. A week later, they got married. Since then, the couple has completed a combined 5 marathons and 79 half marathons, together raising over $100,000 dollars for St. Jude.
It's been a tradition for over a decade for Susy and Ed. This weekend, they are celebrating their anniversary by fundraising and sprinting a 10K.
"You're putting one foot in front of the other until you get to the finish line," Susy said. "Not just the finish line in front of you, but the finish line curing cancer."
They say they run for the kids struggling with the disease and for their loved ones who know that pain.
"So for us, we've actually both outlived our mothers, who died of cancer. My mom died at 47, and his mom died at 50," Susy said. "For us, we just knew our mothers would never want a child to go through what they went through. So if we can prevent that, if we can stop that, if we can give a child the life to live...that's what we want to be a part of."
"When you do it for something bigger than you, something like St. Jude, something like the kids at St. Jude, it makes it all that more achievable," added her husband, Ed.
As a St. Jude Hero, every mile Susy runs, she also raises money for the cause.
St. Jude Heroes have raised over $18 million for the cause since 2012. You can learn more about how to get involved on St. Jude's website.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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