Chiropractic history was made on the streets of Chicago when all runners on Team NPCO for Chiropractic successfully crossed the finish line at the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in front of over one million cheering spectators. Waking up early and bearing the chilly 33-degree weather, runners from various parts of the country ran 26.2 miles on behalf of Non-Profit Chiropractic Organization (NPCO).
Team NPCO's theme for the marathon was "run with a vision; a vision for a healthier tomorrow." Wearing neon green jerseys, many runners finished with a personal best record after six months of intense training. Paul Nottoli, who finished with Team NPCO's fastest time, explains: "This year's Chicago Marathon was a great experience. Not only was I able to run a great time of 2 hours, 52 minutes and 47 seconds (which is about a 6.5 minute mile, a personal record for me), I was able to personally raise $2,000 for NPCO and be the top fundraiser. NPCO is a guiding light in building a positive future of healthcare for others around the world with chiropractic care. I will continue to support NPCO even though the marathon is over."
The 26.2 mile Chicago Marathon took the runners through downtown Chicago and its many neighborhoods, where thousands of screaming spectators were on the sidelines hoping to spot their favorite runner. A portion of mile 14 was designated the official cheering station for NPCO and signs reading "Nothing Beats Chiropractic" and "Run with a Vision" were visible as Team NPCO volunteers, family and friends clapped and jumped up and down to keep warm as they cheered the team on.
"As I ran through the streets of Chicago wearing my Team NPCO neon-green jersey, I was amazed by the number of people that cheered me on by yelling out the [team] slogan written across the front of my jersey," stated team runner and chiropractor Dr. Ryan Novak of Hickory Hills (Chicago). "It kept me going not only that day, but has continued to keep me going as I continue to take care of patients on a daily basis."
Fund-raising was not a requirement for Team NPCO runners, but many runners created their own personal fund-raising Web pages. All monies raised went directly to NPCO, an official 501(c)3 charity dedicated to providing chiropractic health care, in the form of nonprofit clinics, to those less fortunate around the world.
Dr. Bruce Phillips of North Vernon, Ind., said, "The Chicago Marathon was just an awesome experience. I was very delighted to participate and support Team NPCO in their first appearance at the Chicago Marathon! The fans were great and I received many positive comments from fellow runners in support of chiropractic! I was a little sore on Monday, but it was worth it."
Two days before the big marathon race-day, NPCO President Joshua Heines and NPCO runner Reza Baluchi appeared on Chicago's WGN channel 9 news station for a midday news interview talking about chiropractic health care and Team NPCO. Runners were congratulated at the Team NPCO Awards & Recognition Dinner held later that evening in downtown Chicago. Guest speakers included Dr. John V. Whaley, Dr. Robert Schiffman and Reza Baluchi.
Dr. Whaley, the first licensed chiropractor from Palmer College in the state of Illinois, sported his 1948 Cross Country letterman's jacket and told the runners that their efforts to raise money to provide free chiropractic care to those living in poverty will help them to win their own race for heath. Motivational speaker and founder of Get The Big Idea, Dr. Robert Schiffman, reminded runners that they were running with a vision, a vision of chiropractic that was more far-reaching than the streets of Chicago.
Team NPCO runner Reza Baluchi played a slideshow for the runners documenting his 43-day running journey from Los Angeles to New York City in pursuit of a world record, hoping to encourage the runners and to remind them that anything is possible.
Joshua Heines, also spread the word about Team NPCO and chiropractic by doing a book signing at Bloomingdales on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago prior to race day. Costumed characters from his recently published children's book, Peter Meets Pedro - On Vacation, roamed Bloomindales and took pictures with runners and shoppers. Proceeds from the book are being donated to NPCO.
To view pictures and find out more about Team NPCO for Chiropractic, or to sign up for the 2010 team, please visit www.npco.org.
Source: Non-Profit Chiropractic Organization
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