Hello. This is Coach Lora Erickson and I am excited to announce that the Race For Grief will be a VIRTUAL event taking place on Memorial Day each year. We hope to make this a memorable online Memorial Day event giving people the motivation to stay committed to their training and have something to look forward to while still honoring our loved ones together.

This event is simple: No shirts, no results, no awards and no medals, any distance counts. All participants that register will have an opportunity to earn PRIZES and bragging rights.

Simply post a picture of yourself doing the exercise of your choosing on social media and tag us: Instagram @RaceForGriefUtah and Facebook @RaceForGrief

Each post will earn you an entry; you can post as many as you want within 5 days of the event date (Memorial Day). The drawing will be held 5 days after Memorial Day. Posts will need to include the hash tags #RaceForGriefVirtual2024 (or whatever year it is) and #BlondeRunnerEvents so we can find them.

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Tagged posts will also have the opportunity be featured on the event pages here:

Instagram Race for Grief Utah

Race for Grief Facebook event page

All participants are encouraged to pin a paper on themselves the day of the event with the name or names of the loved one(s) they are participating for or have special shirts made. They can complete their distance anytime and anywhere (even on a treadmill) that day. You are also welcome to make posters about your loved ones and take pictures to post and tag (as has been a tradition for this event in years past).

The good news is you can participant from anywhere in the United States! So gather your family near and far and honor your loved ones together.

Registration is just $15. To register please send payment through venmo to Lora-Erickson (I am pictured standing by my bike). Please put "Race for Grief" and the person you are honoring" in the comment section. (ie. Race for Grief, for Samantha).

We hope you will join us!

This event was created to honor my little Samantha (born too early and gone too early). We miss and love you! 

Coach Lora Erickson

P.S. If you need help training please let me know. I have some discounted online training programs created for this event.

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Testimonials: ‍

"Dear Coach Lora,I want to thank you for creating the Race for Grief. Although I am a 44 year old, non-runner, I am registered for the 10k event in May 2015! I will be traveling from Florida and proudly running to honor my babies. Since 1998, I've been consumed by what I couldn't do...have a child. After losing 5 pregnancies, I also lost my ability to have children at the age of 28. My whole life I wanted to be a mom, nothing else seemed very important. After my hysterectomy, I existed under a veil of grief.About 10 months ago, I realized my babies needed to be acknowledged & I was not living a life that honored them. I had formed a protective cocoon around myself, while safe, it wasn’t fulfilling. I began working with a few pregnancy loss groups, the older, over-experienced member. I found great solace in helping these younger women. I became a certified End of Life Doula to help support others through life's final transition. Around the same time, registration opened for your event...so here I am.While the idea of running is very intimidating, it's time for me to break out of my cocoon. Although not a mother, I need to be the best version of me. Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of such a personal, beautiful event as part of my healing journey. With gratitude,Theresa Jackson"

“It was a beautiful race and very nice tribute.”

“Thanks for giving me a chance to honor my daughter.  I ran with tears for the last mile but with a wonderful feeling of her keeping me strong.”

“Great race, such a wonderful cause and so well organized.”

“It was a great event!  Thanks for letting us join you!  We met some great people.”

“I love the keychain medals.  Very unique.  Great idea.  I’ll use the keychain.”

“Thanks so much for putting on such a great event”

“I hope you feel it was a great success.  You made a difference to so many.”

“Such a great race for a wonderful cause!  I beat my best time by 4 minutes!  Thanks for the great training Coach Lora Erickson!”

“It was really wonderful seeing families rallying together. I think you do a huge service to the healing of people who have lost someone by hosting this race. I saw everything from people honoring grandparents to people honoring lost children. I know it takes a lot to put yourself out there like this and say to everyone "I've lost a child and it's a hard thing to go through and live with" but by doing it, you show others how to honor a loved one while moving forward with your life. Even though I often think of a close friend who unexpectedly died a year and a half ago, it certainly made me smile and think of him on Saturday and send love his way. I would be honored to help out again and hopefully run next year. Congrats on a really well done race!!”

“Today was wonderful!  Thanks for putting it all together.  It was a great way for us to remember our daughter and for our family to remember our daughter as well.”

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2014 Race Report

In the News:

Run allows families to remember, honor lost loved ones - 2014

Mother holds annual 'Race For Grief' to honor loss of daughter - KSL 2014

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2011 event video

2012 event video

2013 event video

2014 event video

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