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About the Run for Life

Participants in the Catoctin Pregnancy Center’s first annual 5K Run–Walk for life and Mile Fun Run raised $900 for the center. Managed and staffed by volunteers, the nonprofit organization helps families with crisis pregnancies, according to a press release. The center assists women in all steps of the pregnancy. It continues to help families in need with young children up to 5 years of age by supplying formula, diapers, cribs, clothing and counseling. The race, held Oct. 15, was dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Darin Didier, a young priest who died Sept. 6 following a lengthy struggle with cancer, according to a press
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2015 Run for Life

The 11th Annual Catoctin Pregnancy Center Run for Life in memory of Father Darin Didier was held on Saturday, the 19th of September, at Mont St. Mary’s University.  It was a beautiful sunny morning with around 200 runners and many spectators taking part.


The Knights of Columbus lead by Steve Quinn along with help from the pregnancy center volunteers and Susie Nield, assistant to the Rector of Mount Sat. Mary’s Seminary, did an excellent job in putting together a wonderful event.
Those seminarians that ran the race had an opportunity to connect with young families from the area and the families on the other hand had the opportunity to introduce their children to some very special young men. 

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2014 Run for Life

The Tenth Annual Catoctin Pregnancy Center Run for Life in Memory of Father Darin Didier was held on Saturday, the 20th of September 2014.

You can help keep this event going even if you cannot run by sending your donation to: Catoctin Pregnancy Center Run for Life, PO Box 1168, 502 East Main Street Emmitsburg, MD 21727 and put in memory of Father Darin Didier in the memo line.

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2013 Run for Life

The Ninth Annual Catoctin Pregnancy Center Run for Life in Memory of Father Darin Didier was held on Saturday, the 21st of September 2013 at the PNC Sport Center at Mount Saint Mary's University with over a hundred seminarians participating along with other individual runners and complete families taking part in the 5K and the mile run walk. The event has raised over $16,000. in the last two years for the pregnancy center in addition to providing seminarians $2500. in scholarships.

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Pictures of 2013 Run for Life



2012 Run for Life

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5 K Race Results

Pictures of 2012 Run for Life


2011 Run for Life

The race, which is a real family event, was held on Saturday, September 17, and featured over a 160 runners, in the 1-mile fun run and the 5K. Participants ranged in age from under one year of age to over 65 years of age.  The date for next years Run for Life will be announced soon and will be held at the Sports Center at Mount Saint Mary’s University. 

 

2010 Run for Life

The race, which is a real family event, was held on Saturday, September 18, and featured over a 160 runners, in the 1-mile fun run and the 5K. Participants ranged in age from under one year of age to over 65 years of age.  Next years Run for Life will be held on Saturday, September 17th at the Sports Center at Mount Saint Mary’s University. 

Run for Life Archives

2010 will be moved here and 2011 will replace that....

Father Darin - The Athlete

Click here to read journal entries from Father Darin about running.

Can a person with little natural ability achieve a goal with just a little incentive and a big heart.   In the case of Darin and his love for running, I can say the answer is a definite “yes”. 

When Darin was in third grade at Washington Elementary School in Alexandria, MN, his physical education teacher, Ed Christopherson, had a running program called Road Runners Club.  As the name of the club denotes, this was a program to increase physical fitness through running.  The students ran on their own and documented their miles.  As they reached various milestones they were awarded certificates, t-shirts & trophies.  Darin developed a love for running and could be seen at recess running laps around the school ground.  At home he would run around the neighborhood.   He was very goal oriented and set out to earn the incentives for the Road Runners Club.

As a 7th grader Darin decided to join the cross country team in the fall of the year and the track team in the spring of the year.  Again, he loved to run and experienced success.  The members of the cross country team became very close and they were very encouraging to each other.  It didn’t matter if you were in 7th grade or 12th grade, they cheered everyone on.

As a 10th grader Darin won the region cross country meet that was run on the Radisson Arrowwood Golf Course in Alexandria.  The weather conditions weren’t the best for this race as there was snow on the ground.  Darin’s coach, Mark Nelsen, didn’t think Darin had a chance to win after he fell in the snow at the one mile mark.  Again he had his goal in mind and was able to close the gap and win the race.

During a major race in St. Cloud when Darin was in 11th grade he endured the agony of defeat during a track meet.  He was running the 3200 meter race and was in the lead the entire race.  In the last lap he collapsed.  We later found out that he had exercise induced asthma.

While in high school Darin did a lot of running over the summer in all types of weather.  Darin’s coach, Mr. Nelsen, had a program of running 1,000 miles between the last day of the school year and the state cross country meet.  Of course, Darin achieved his goal of being part of the 1,000 mile club.

While a student at the University of North Dakota, Darin continued to run and was a member of the cross country and track teams.  During his senior year he was one of the captains of the cross country team.

In 1999, Darin took a break from his seminary studies and was living in St. Cloud.  He continued running nearly daily.  Darin’s roommate and his brother were signed up to run the Twin Cities Marathon.  The brother wasn’t able to run so Darin took his place.  Amazingly he finished 71st out of 8,981 runners.  Again he set his goal and I remember him saying, “I just looked down the course and said I just need to make it to that point.”  That philosophy got him to the finish line one stride at a time.

Running was very important to Darin and it caused him to be very disciplined in all that he did.  He learned to set goals and how to achieve those goals even though the course wasn’t always an easy one.

Twin Cities Marathon

In 1999 his roommate signed up to run the Twin Cities Marathon. Darin stepped in to run with his friend and the results are as follows: · Finish time 02:46:39 Pace per mile 6:31.4 · CHIPTIME: 02:44.59 · Placed 71st out of 8,981.

 

Father Darin's influence on area runners

Sports Information intern Jen Davison interviewed Kim Najem about her role on the 2005 women's cross country team.  Kim was the Mount's top finisher at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, N.C. placing 18th in the field with a time of 18:51.50 on Sept. 24.  She was also the Mount's top runner finishing the 5K course in 11th place with a time of 20:36 at the Red Flash Invitational. Click here to read about how Father Darin influenced her during her Senior year.

Inspiring blog about a race honoring running priest

Father Didier’s spirit was clearly present last weekend. Monsignor Steven P. Rohlfs, rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, started the races with a prayer. Dozens of competitors cheered one another along as they ran along twin gullies that were carved through roadways that wended their way through the corn field.
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Father Darin Didier | 2303 Parkview Rd NE. | Alexandria, MN
320-762-8367