About

Mission: Pray, fundraise, and run as a Team…All In Christ for Pro-Life!
Vision: Pray and run as a team until we Cross the finish line that ends abortion.  LIFE Runners Creed.
Values: Keep the Faith, Respect Life from Conception to Natural Death, Run so as to Win.
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Roster (18 May 2013):   1,300 runners/walkers, ages 4 to 79, in 41 states and 9 other countries including Afghanistan, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey (1 Cor 3:6).
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Upcoming Races (Flyer):  annual March for Life “Nellie Gray 5K” (Jan, DC).  A-Cross the Country Relay for Pro-Life (13 Feb to 24 Mar).  2013 Crazy Horse 1K/5K/half/full Marathon (5-6 Oct).  2014 Air Force 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon (20 Sep).  2015 Long Beach 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon (Oct).  2016 Marine Corps 1mi/5K/10K/full Marathon (Oct).  Represent LIFE Runners at other races…cheers!
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Five year plan:  Annual Fall national marathon, annual March for Life 5K, and annual A-Cross the Country Relay for Life (40 days between Ash Wed and Palm Sun).  Have LIFE Runners Chapters in every state.  Raise $500K for Pro-Life beneficiaries.
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Faith Journey:  The National LIFE Runners Team (logo description) is the action arm of the LIFE Group…and the only Pro-Life Marathon TEAM in the nation.  LIFE Runners apostolate was co-founded by running partners Dr. Pat Castle and Dr. Rich Reich in 2008, flowing from the LIFE Group Devotions that they co-founded in 2007.  LIFE Runners gather as a team for one national race each year and for many local races throughout the year, raising prayers/awareness/funds…for Pro-Life!  National races: 2008 Chicago Marathon (13), 2009 Twin Cities Marathon (12), 2010 Sioux Falls half/full Marathon (17), 2011 Kansas City 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon/other (170), 2012 St. Louis 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon/other (491).  The day before racing the 2009 Boston Marathon, Pat Castle saw “REMEMBER” stamped on the sidewalk at the Holocaust Museum (photo on this page), which inspired the LIFE Runners jersey (“REMEMBER The Unborn Jer 1:5″).  Rich drafted the LIFE Runners Creed in Nov 2010 after praying in front of an abortion mill.  During the 2010 Sioux Falls half/full Marathon with 17 LIFE Runners, Rob Rysavy thought, “why not build a team of 100 LIFE Runners for 2011?”  Pat’s brother Steve Castle had the same big vision.  LIFE Group Devotions leaders Rob, Steve, Rich, and Pat joined together in prayer to develop the LIFE Runners Vision, Mission, Values.  Exceeded the 2011 goal (100 LIFE Runners, $25K raised) with 170 runners/walkers ages 6 to 72 from 20 states raising $35K (~100 LIFE Runners at 15 Oct Kansas City 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon).  In 2012, Jeff Pauls joined the leadership team.  Surpassed the 2012 Team goal (262 LIFE Runners, 30 states, $50K raised) with 491 runners/walkers ages 5 to 73 from 36 states (and Canada, Turkey, Singapore) raising $52K.  With 252 LIFE Runners at 21 Oct 2012 St. Louis 1mi/5K/half/full Marathon, LIFE Runners was the largest team at the race.  The inaugural (2013) Triple Crown began with the inaugural March for Life “Nellie Gray 5K” (26 Jan):  over 200 runners/walkers pre-registered, ages 5 to 75 from 30 states, 154 finishers, opening prayer by Fr. Frank Pavone, race started by March for Life president Jeanne Monahan (photos/articles).   The second leg of the 2013 Triple Crown was the inaugural A-Cross the Country Relay for Pro-Life! (13 Feb to 24 Mar):  over 500 LIFE Runners covered 2,026 miles of the 4,089 mile course between the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges.  In the five months from finish of the 2012 St. Louis Marathon (21 Oct) to the finish of the 2013 A-Cross the Country Relay (24 Mar), the National LIFE Runners Team grew (1 Cor 3:6) from 491 to 1,234 runners/walkers (ages 5 to 76)…All In Christ for Pro-Life!
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LIFE Runner of the Year:  Established in memory of Joseph E. Castle (26 May 1943 – 26 Mar 2011), for exemplifying Leader, Provider, Protector…All In Christ for Pro-Life!  Recipients:  Bishop Thomas Paprocki (2011), Paul Westendorf (2012).
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Patron Saint of the LIFE Group:  St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, adopted by LIFE Group on his Feast Day (23 Sep 2011).  LIFE Runners co-founder Dr. Pat Castle had a holy run with St. Pio the last 9 min and 51 sec of the 2006 Pikes Peak Ascent (photo/article).  St. Pio interceded for many infertile married couples who conceived and opened a hospital that provides true healthcare (not abortion).  St. Pio, we ask your intercessory prayers for our mission to end abortion…for the Unborn, their mothers/fathers, and their families.