Labor Day came and went as we continued our Labor of Love as global messengers/ ambassadors, running to promote awareness about the lack of safe drinking water crisis affecting1.2 billion people worldwide.

Team Orange began our run with Sean taking the first leg in Pleasantville N.J. We were greeted by a few of the neighborhood locals who were enjoying their 3-day Labor Day weekend. We took time to inform them about the reason for the run, handed out BPR shirts and sent Sean running with rousing cheers. The weather for our third to last run cooperated beautifully with temps in low 60's, low humidity and a star-filled sky punctuated with an orange quarter moon.

BPR founder, Jin Zidell, was also on hand to give a pep talk to us as we began our 9 pm- 3 am shift for the last three days.

Having never visited Atlantic City or the Easter Shore I was amazed by the glitzy night lights hanging the shoreline.

The tall casino buildings were lit in every bright Crayola color.

Sean completed his 10 mile run and handed off to his wife, Brynn, to run a portion of the Atlantic City Boardwalk right on cue as the sky caught fire with fireworks being launched in the night background then cascading slowly downward into the ocean waters.

Brynn's run was interrupted briefly by local police officers asking her to not run on the boardwalk due to it not being a safe area at that time of evening. She jumped into the support vehicle to be driven to a safer area where she resumed her run.

I ran the third leg beginning my run on the outskirts of the city. It was a much more peaceful setting after all the city traffic and noise, especially at 12:30 am in neighborhoods where people had long gone to sleep or were watching late night shows, oblivious to a 61 year old runner pounding the pavement outside.

The run felt great and at times I pushed the pace, holding the pace at around 6:30 per mile while sucking air with very little effort. It gives me hope for the racing season when I hope to set some national age group records. My pace will have to speed up to 5:30 a mile to do just that and know I still have it in me.

Our labor of love, at the risk of sounding "kissy" or "cheesy", has been just that, e.i. running so that others who are in need are helped. Last time I looked that means giving of self out of love for someone else. I know we haven't focused on the word love, but it is there, unspoken. All of us know it and that is why we got involved in the first place.

A labor of love requires commitment, persistence, ridding ourselves of ego or the "what's in it for me" attitude, compassion, patience and genuine dedication and focus.

I feel we have accomplished this and more on this run. We also know the finish in three days will not really be the finish but only the beginning for many of us in the continuing mission to help provide awareness and the needed funding so that no one has to die because they lack safe drinking water.

We are down to just 2 runs. N.Y. here we come!

Peace and blessings daily to you and yours.
Lansing