Dr. Chris Hebert with his family and friends at the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail
The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail is a recreation path spanning the breadth of northern Vermont, all 93 miles of it. It is a treasured corridor for cyclists, horseback riders, snow shoers, and cross-country skiers. Now imagine doing that distance on foot, in one session. That was the personal challenge that Wake Robin’s Dr. Chris Hebert gave himself just a few weeks ago.
Chris started the run at 5:00 PM to avoid the heat of the day and completed it by noon the next day. Running and walking for that period of time is daunting enough on the legs and feet, but Chris said going without sleep was almost harder. His inspiration was a very personal and purposeful cause.
Nobody does a run like this alone and Chris had plenty of support. His running group thought it was a good idea, and he had two special friends who met him at various points along the trail all night long to be sure he had the food and water he needed. This ultramarathon had a special purpose. Chris ran this route in honor of his wife Lisa who passed away in February. After her memorial service he said, “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.” His overnight run was meant to raise awareness for Lisa’s scholarship fund at South Burlington High School.
Funds raised through Chris’s effort allowed for a scholarship to be given this year to an SBHS graduate. Goal completed. And an additional bonus was the gathering at the finish line of Lisa’s friends and family to acknowledge this accomplishment and to remember.
Dr. Chris Hebert, his children, and the recipient of the Lisa Hebert Memorial Scholarship pose on graduation day – credit: The Other Paper
