The Story behind the Dedication in My Book
Injury-Avoidance Habits
for First-Time Marathoners
and Half-Marathoners

As athletes preparing to complete marathons and half-marathons, it is easy for us to take for granted our ability to run and walk with ease — something that came to us naturally.

For the many children around the world who are born with bowed legs, knock-knee, or clubfoot, being able to run and walk with other children is not something that comes naturally or with ease.

Dennis Prager, author of Happiness Is a Serious Problem and nationally syndicated radio-talk-show host in the USA, introduced listeners like my wife and me to a charitable group whose mission is to heal children like these.

The group is CURE International.

I had heard Dennis in previous years promote CURE as a worthy charity.

However, while I was in the throes of assembling this book, a sequence of events drove me to write this long dedication.

1. I heard Dennis make yet another annual plea for listeners to donate to CURE.
2. My wife and I within the month had the privilege of visiting Perú, where, at a street corner in downtown Cusco, I noticed a mother happily helping her adolescent daughter to cross a street. Her daughter had a clubfoot condition, and it was clear that this precious girl could not walk on her own.
3. After our return, I noticed the CURE banner at DennisPrager.com, clicked on it, and began to learn about CURE. A video by National Football League player Tim Tebow caught my eyes and ears in the first few seconds, when he said, “Whether I am working out or on the football field, I rely on my athletic ability. But, millions of children in the developing world can’t even walk, run, or play with their friends.”
4. Soon thereafter, I awoke at 2 AM one morning with the inspiration to dedicate this book to what CURE calls its CUREkids.
5. Within days, I spoke with Jeff Jackson, Director of Artist Relations at CURE, about how I could use this book as a vehicle to encourage readers like you to donate to CURE.

This was the ninth book that I have written for runners and walkers and my tenth book overall. So, if you are familiar with the concept of tithing from the Bible, then you will appreciate that I saw this book as my “tithe” book.

Although my original goal was to tell readers that I was routing all of my royalties from sales of this book directly to CURE, I soon discovered two obstacles.

1. Tax law and publishing-account logistics do not make this easy.
2. Cynics apparently abound, unfortunately, when it comes to any book promoted as being donated to charity, and they will do whatever they can to avoid purchasing – and even discourage sales of – such a book.

Not willing to let these obstacles deter me, I began to consider alternatives. As the old English proverb says, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Eventually, I arrived at a simpler approach, which I share with you not to impress you but instead to inspire you. In particular, my wife and I – before I finished writing this book – made a donation to CURE to sponsor corrective surgery for Betselot Fasil, an 8-year-old Ethiopian girl who was suffering from clubfoot.

In turn, I invite you to:

1. Visit cure.org/spryfeet to follow her story and to learn about the precious other CUREkids who need our help.
2. Partner with my wife and me to heal kids around the world through CURE International.
3. Spread the word about CURE to your friends and relatives.

Thank you.

Health/Gratitude/Happiness,

Kirk Mahoney
Author, SpryFeet.com