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Border to Bridge: Caledonia women plan run across Michigan for breast cancer research

Every dollar raised goes to Van Andel Institute
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Posted at 7:33 AM, May 16, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-16 08:20:08-04

CALEDONIA, MICH. — Three hundred and thirty-five miles. That's how far three Caledonia women will run in June.

They will start in Sturgis and use only their feet to get to the Mackinac Bridge. Call the trek crazy or ambitious, the women are calling it a cause.

On a frigid March morning, Fox 17 caught up with "Run Caledonia Run" getting ready to hit the trail just outside the city library. The group will log 5 or 6 miles, their workout, just another Saturday.

"You can do something crazy and do something that is really out there and if you put your mind to it, work hard, you can accomplish it," said Becky Bravata, Caledonia.

Bravata joined by Liz Burnis and Lieschen Jacobs are three women who train with "Run Caledonia Run." The camaraderie keeps the women on pace and motivated, but they do a lot of training together outside that group too.

Soon, the women plan to run 40 to 50 miles a day, for eight days straight, from Sturgis all the way to the tip of the mitten.

"We did 40 on Saturday and 40 miles on Sunday two big back-to-back days just to see where our fitness was at that point. And that really required a lot of mental strength if you will just get us through that, but it was really good training in that regard," said Liz Burnis, Caledonia.

On that 40-mile training run it was nothing but farmland, sunshine, and the packs on their backs. The women chat, with a smile, a liveliness in every step. What keeps them going for 40 miles? Running for a cause near and dear to their hearts, running for other women who cannot.

"My sister is a breast cancer survivor, my cousin is a breast cancer survivor, and another cousin who unfortunately lost her battle. But when I look at the journeys that those women went through, I think you know me getting up early, or using my lunch time to go run is no match for the journey that they've been on," said Burnis.

"I have a dear friend who actually passed away two years ago this Spring, during the time of Covid. She was a strong believer, she left behind 6 young kids, and she was just someone who lived for adventure, so passionate," said Lieschen Jacobs, Caledonia.

The logistics are two years in the making, planning the route, the nutrition, fundraising late nights and early mornings wearing down the soles of countless running shoes.

"It's really tiring. Like physically. Your legs get tired and you're hungry all the time, you are always hungry," said Burnis.

"There's a lot of foot care that goes into this to make sure our feet can handle 8 days of repetitive running and walking," said Jacobs.

Jacobs husband and sons will drive alongside with water and food, when they run through Caledonia on June 5th they'd love your support along the route.

"We're going to come right through Caledonia, the Paul Henry trail, late Sunday afternoon and we're hoping to have people come meet us and join us on the run. We'll go right past Becky's school at Kraft Meadows, and I teach at Dutton Christian we're going to go right past Dutton Christian too," said

"Monday morning we're starting right from the trailhead at Wayne Street and 60th in Kentwood. So, we're going to be running through Kentwood, then East Grand Rapids, then Grand Rapids, the picking up the White Pine Trail at Riverside Park."

The women have taken pit stops while training to pose by ever city limit crossed. In June, they won't stop until they go Border to Bridge.

"We run and we talk non-stop, and it's fun and I think we've become really, really great friends in the process too," said Bravata.

"Running across the state of Michigan it's a great bucket list dream, also an adventure, but it gives us a reason to put purpose to our running as well," said Jacobs.

The run starts from Sturgis June 4. No matter where you are in Michigan, the women would love folks to join them for a mile or two. You can check the "Border to Bridge" Facebook page for daily start times and locations.

A lot of Caledonia businesses have backed the run, as well as the classrooms of Bravata and Jacobs.

All of the money raised will go directly to Van Andel Institute for breast cancer research. To donate visit: https://purplecommunity.vai.org/event/border-to-bridge-run-2022-benefiting-breast-cancer-research/