Bend Your Knees was founded in loving memory of Collins Dixon, who at the age of 12 impacted this community and beyond with his strength and courage while battling an aggressive brain tumor for over 10 months. The Bend Your Knees 5K is held in loving memory of Collins Dixon, bring awareness to brain tumors and to raise money to be able to give back to others. (Source: BendYourKnees.org) |
The course started and finished at First Baptist Church of Canton and was an out and back course. Most of the way we had a single lane to run, but that was totally ok because of the size of the race. I was a little worried at first if it would get to tight (especially when the first runners started their way back. Nope, it was spaced out pretty nicely. Yea, there were a few moments that there were people in clusters that made it a little hard to pass, but you could find a pocket pretty easily.
The course featured a nice steady downhill at the beginning and with it being an out and back, you can guess what happens around mile 2.5, right? Yep, up, up and away you go! In case you felt the urge to quit or to slow down, a large banner of Collins with the phrase "Finish Strong on Collins' Hill" was right there staring you down. The struggle to get up this hill was NOTHING compared to what Collins and his family faced. It was just the reminder I needed to kick it in high gear and finish strong.