COLD LAKE - Cold Lake’s own charity marathon runner, Curtis Hargrove, accomplished an extraordinary feat by completing the Chicago Marathon in high heels on Oct. 13, raising awareness and funds for domestic violence survivors.
“I did the full 42km. It took me seven hours and five minutes,” Hargrove said, reflecting on his recent marathon experience.
Hargrove shared the physical and emotional trials of his journey, recounting his blistering pace until he had to slow down due to intense foot pain.
“I was on pace to crush the record . . . and then I started to get crazy blisters on my feet and then I stopped at kilometre 25.”
Hargrove’s resilience shone through as he received support from the medical team on-site, pushing through until he crossed the finish line.
“I didn’t come from Canada to not finish this race for these women and children,” he recalls telling himself, for encouragement.
Despite the pain, Hargrove returned to Cold Lake motivated and even more eager to make a difference in his hometown.
Hargrove will now continue his mission closer to home, gearing up to support the Stepping Stones Crisis Society’s ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’ event.
This event, which invites men to walk in high heels to advocate against domestic violence, will take place at the Reid Field House in the Cold Lake Energy Centre on Nov. 9.
He expressed his excitement about other new opportunities, saying he expected to find out soon it he’s heading to Boston.
“I did a Skype interview with the team. They’re called the Boston Bulldogs running club. They raise money for people who have suffered from addictions, their families, and their caregivers,” he explained.
“It’s been overwhelming.”
His story has sparked international support, with donations coming from places as far as Tokyo and Switzerland.
Chicago may have been a challenging race, but Hargrove is already looking ahead, with plans to join a new team in Chicago next year and potentially run again in high heels.
The videos and pictures shared online garnered significant attention, leading Sarah Blakely, the founder of Spanx, to send him a pair of her innovative hybrid high heels to assist in his cause. Hargrove shared, “So Sarah Blakely, created a new luxury hybrid high heel, so I might be doing Chicago in those, but we’ll see.”
Closer to home, Hargrove is turning his focus to the ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’ event, where Cold Lake men will walk laps in high heels to support the Stepping Stones Crisis Society.
“It’s great to see the men in our community stepping up for our women and children,” he said.
Hargrove sees this event as an opportunity to raise awareness about domestic violence, noting, “Stepping Stones had to turn away 332 women in the past year, now with this Building Better Futures project, they can help twice the amount of women and children.”
As a seasoned charity runner, Hargrove also shared advice for first-time walkers.
“Go out there, have some fun. Know why you’re doing it . . . just take one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, and . . . it starts with us,” he advised.
With the support of the community, Hargrove hopes to see more people rallying to help the Stepping Stones’ cause.
“I’m really looking forward to this event in Cold Lake,” he said, adding he would like to “thank everybody for their support. You may see me in the heels again after Nov. 9.”
Individuals interested in registering for the event or donating can visit the Stepping Stones Society website.
