Tom Labrecque’s family and friends wanted to create an annual event that would not only bring together many different facets of people to promote the awareness of lung cancer, but ensure anyone could afford to attend and run. It was decided that a run/walk event would be the perfect way to spread the message and create awareness that lung cancer is not just a smoker’s disease.
Thomas G. Labrecque believed that together we can accomplish anything. Since our first run/walk event in 2003, the TGL Classic "Run as One" race has become a staple of the New York Road Runners schedule. Repeat runners and new participants have brought our reach to more than 8,000 people in New York City alone! The Foundation also expanded the "Run as One" event to Washington, DC.
Click on any of our races to find out more information on our upcoming events!
The "Run As One" event in New York City has become an annual "rite of spring" for thousands of runners and has grown to become a favorite cause race among runners and walkers alike in NYC. As a qualifying event for the ING NYC Marathon, the "Run As One" has become known as much more than a cause race, attracting elite runners as well as recreational enthusiasts. Each year our event has increased in size, with as many as 7,000 runners and walkers registered to participate.
Why a 4-mile run? Relying on the expert advice from New York Road Runners, we came to the decision that a 4-mile run, on a mostly flat, fast course through Central Park, is an easy run for anyone to do. Each year, we have offered cash prizes for overall finishers as well as top finishers in age categories to attract more elite runners. We decided to include a walk so that families and people of all ages could enjoy the event together. We wanted an event that the whole family could travel to together and do as a fun weekend outing in Manhattan’s beautiful, scenic Central Park.
As anticipated each year as the race, our post-race event and health fair has something for everyone. The health fair showcases several lung cancer foundations, each with staff on hand to answer people’s questions about lung cancer and informing them of the different programs available to patients and families affected by lung cancer. The post race event features fun for the whole family, with carnival games and face painting, just to name a couple. Winners in each category are announced and prizes awarded at the post race event, as well.
As an individual runner or walker - Participants can run in honor of or in memory of anyone who inspires them. Participants will be able to create a personal fundraising page and send the link to friends and family, asking for support in their efforts.
As a team...Each year, many groups have formed teams as well. Through forming a team, participants encourage friends and family to register to run or walk, as a part of their team or the option to donate to their efforts through their team fundraising page. It’s been so inspirational to see more teams come to our events each year, some of them designing their own shirt for their team to wear in support of their loved one.
All funds raised in these efforts will go directly to supporting lung cancer research.
