DANVILLE, Vt. (WCAX) – Running more than 90 miles in a single go is a feat most would never try in their lifetime, but for South Burlington doctor Chris Hebert, it became the perfect outlet.
“My wife passed in February and after her service, I put a lot of energy into trying to make that special for her, and when that was done, I just had an empty feeling I didn’t know what to do with myself, so it helped to have a goal to shoot for,” Hebert said.
Hebert’s wife Lisa passed from ovarian cancer, and he says he did the overnight run in honor of her, and to raise awareness about her scholarship program at South Burlington High School.
“She wanted any donations to the high school in her name, and after I thought about it, I thought that’d be a great way to spread the word for that,” Hebert said.
Any distance run can be daunting, especially 93 miles, but Hebert says he had support every step of the way.
“I floated this idea to a core group of running friends and it was amazing the support. I had two of my closest friends, Katie and Susie stayed up the entire night with me,” Hebert said.
Katie and Susie became Hebert’s “crew support” throughout the run.
“Essentially he started and then we met him every five to eight miles at the cross roads where the trail met the road, we would make sure that he had food and water, and any nutrition that he needed,” Katie Jewett said.
Jewett said it ended up being an amazing day. By the end, when Hebert reached his property in Joe’s pond, he had 12 people running with him, and a huge cheering section.
“It was great, it was a really wonderful day, it was a really nice way for all of Lisa’s family and friends to get together and celebrate her,” Jewett said.
Both Hebert and Jewett say Lisa would’ve called them crazy for doing it, but say she would’ve been proud.
“Throughout her illness she never wanted the attention so she probably would’ve said ‘you can do this, but don’t do it for me, just do it for yourself,” Hebert said.
With the funds raised from the run, Hebert and his two kids had enough to give a scholarship in Lisa’s name to a South Burlington High School student at their graduation.
And he says the run helped him, too
“The run was great with my running friends, but really it was the last couple of miles and when I got to the finish and everybody was there, that was almost what was more important or special to me was to get everybody together again, four months after she passed, to have a little gathering and remember things,” Hebert said.