We are on our way! We had beautiful sunny skies above the U.N. for our morning kickoff. Hillary Swank and the CEO of Dow came out to send us off with moving speeches. The audience was full of media, cause supporters and middle school kids from New York communities, including a great group of girls from Eastview Middle School in White Plains.

They participate in the Global Run and, with 10 other schools have raised over $30,000 for indigenous tribes in Kenya and Peru who are without safe drinking water. Founder Jin Zidell and Brynn and Sean Harrington were on the Today show this AM.

The kickoff event was held on the grassy lawn outside the U.N. with water music, videos of the Blue Planet Run and it’s mission. One of 20 giant shoes designed for each of us runners was positioned just off the lawn. This one was Imagine, dedicated to Simon Issacs. I will be looking for mine when I get back on September 4. If you see it, let me know.

One of the reporters, Molly from People Magazine, turned out to be the granddaughter of Bob Lopez. Bob was a torchbearer in the 1980 Winter Olympics with me. He was our Lake Placid runner and passed away this March. Meeting Molly was a spiritual connection for me and another sign that this is the time for what we are doing.

The world as we have seen it is pumped and ready for our cause. The Green Team runs through southern Connecticut today. Report to come…