Bryson Galloway raised more than $3,800 for Grady’s Decision, and he set a new 5K PR.
Bryson Galloway, 12, of North East, lost a lot when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Pennsylvanians into their homes for several months this spring. First, he lost the end of his fifth-grade school year, then he missed out on the end of wrestling season and, as summer approached, it became clear his baseball season was in jeopardy and he wouldn’t be having much of a birthday celebration either as social distancing and group gathering restrictions were still in place.
But rather than dwell on his own situation, he and his parents, Chris and Mandy, brainstormed ideas to make Bryson’s June 16 birthday special while giving back to the world in some way.
“I didn’t want a drive-by party or anything like that,” said Bryson, who turned 12 on June 16.
They decided on a physical feat that would challenge even veteran runners — a 5K a day for two weeks with Sundays off from June 1 to June 16 (Bryson’s birthday) — and a fundraising goal of $500 in donations for Grady’s Decision, a nonprofit organization that had assisted the Galloways when Bryson’s younger brother Dylan, 6, was born 10 weeks premature.
Bryson’s father created a Facebook page and encouraged people to donate (per mile or a flat donation).
“I have been doing 5Ks since I was about 8 years old and I have been running for a few months with no purpose other than to stay in shape for sports, so I figured why not run for a good cause,” Bryson said. “I wanted to do something selfless while the world was in crisis and I thought by turning my running into something positive I could help make someone else happy.”
If you’re thinking he sounds like one of those kids who is naturally good at any sport he plays, you’re probably right, but there’s more. He also has a rock-solid work ethic and competitive nature that became apparent when I asked him why he sometimes did two-a-days.
“Well, usually because I didn’t like the time I got when I did the first 5K,” he said.
He was aiming to keep his runs under 30 minutes and if he finished over that time goal, he’d go out and do it again. Let that sink in for a minute. If he got what he considered to be a lousy 5K time, he’d go do it again — in the same day. (Ah....youth, amiright?)
Once friends and community members who are runners got wind of what Bryson was up to, they joined in and started doing their own 5K challenges and posting on Bryson’s fundraiser page, which caught the attention of Ryan Smith, founder and president of Grady’s Decision who pledged a per-mile donation for Bryson and added in an additional donation for every runner who joined him.
In the end, Bryson raised more than $3,800 for Grady’s Decision, and he set a new 5K PR of less than 27 minutes.
It wasn’t easy. Remember that string of very hot and humid days in June? Bryson sure does.
“Man, those days were horrible; it was so hot,” he said.
But like any good runner, he just “embraced the suck” and persevered.
“Bryson has always had a good head and a kind heart,” Chris Galloway said. “At a young age he was always up for a challenge even when his mother and I would doubt him. He is a smart responsible young man and even at 11 years old, I trusted he would follow through and blow this thing out of the water. He has proved us right.”
Grady’s Decision hosts several fundraisers each year, one of which is a 5K run/walk, which has gone virtual for 2020. For more info on that, visit the organization’s Facebook page and scroll down to a video (posted June 19) in which Amy Smith explains how it will work and gives links to sign up.
Heather Cass is an Erie-area freelance writer, runner, and active member of the Erie Runners Club for 20-plus years. She is immersed in the local fitness culture, and she’s taking your questions at zipdang22 at aol.com.