Race 4 – May 20, 2018 @ 11am
Yarmouth – YPD Run For A Reason 5K
This race held a lot of meaning for our community. For a number of years this race was organized by the Yarmouth Police Department to honor police officer heros. This year the race to held in honor and to remember Sargeant Sean Gannon, a Yarmouth Police K9 officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty on April 12, 2018. Sgt Gannon’s K9, Nero, was also shot but survived after intense care at a local vet. The Run For A Reason Race was held a month after Sgt Gannon’s passing. The crowd learned at the beginning of the race that Sgt Gannon had been on the planning committee for this year’s race and had designed the race shirts. All of this gave this event a very different feel than most races I have participated in.
I had, in fact, run in this race a couple years ago and it was not my favorite race that year. I had not intended to run this race this year except that this year it was different. I wanted to do something that would honor Sgt Gannon and Nero and had been looking for the right thing. This race gave me the perfect opportunity to honor and support a community hero while doing something I love. I am glad I ran. The sense of community and 
support of Sgt Gannon’s family and his legacy was palatable. I was proud to be part of the community who came out on a foggy, rainy morning to honor his memory. During the race you never forgot why you were running since the road was lined with K9 officers; their canines and police vehicles flashing their lights. This all added to the solemness of the day.
The run itself was quick. It was the first time I had run a 5k where I blinked and it was over. The course was flat and the weather cooperated in so far as it didn’t rain and by the end the sun was peaking out. I pushed to keep my pace but knew I would not beat my previous day’s PR. That was okay. That was not why I was in this race. I raced to honor something bigger than a PR.
This race was the 4th in my Run the Cape Challenge in Yarmouth, a very popular tourist town on Cape Cod. Check out all about Yarmouth, MA here
To learn more about the YPD Run For A Reason and Sgt Gannon click here
(I rarely hanging out after a race for the post party particularly if I am alone that day; which I was. But this day I chose to stay and enjoy the sense of community and partake of the post-race snack. So glad I did; nothing like yummy NE Clam Chowder and sausages on a cool morning!)