Group ‘conquers the valley’ in memory of late friend
Medicine Hat’s Anytime Fitness members were running for more than just a first-place finish this weekend at the annual Conquer the Valley event.
As the team of nearly 30 geared up for the annual obstacle race, one of its members, Susan Geib, suddenly passed away roughly two weeks before the event.
Shocked by the news, Anytime’s sales manager Trevor Copeland wanted to turn the event into a way for the team to remember Geib, and to run the race in her honour.
“I really was just caught off guard by the news,” said Copeland. “Pretty much that day I decided to scrap our old Tshirts we had made, and get new ones designed with pink, Susan’s favourite colour, and the peace sign on the front. Every old picture I was looking through, the peace sign was her thing. It also says, ‘We Conquer for Susan,’ on the front. We wanted to run this race for Susan.”
During the race, Copeland says he counted 70 people wearing a bright-pink shirt as they made their way through the course. Funds raised from shirt sales will go to Cleo’s Canine Karma Rescue, an organization Geib fostered for.
“Everyone has basically said the same thing, ‘this is so Susan,’” he said. “Everyone remembers her peace sign when she would cross the finish line. Everyone has really loved the shirts and have said ... it’s a good way to honour her.”
Copeland says he wants to continue to carry on Geib’s legacy, and is looking to schedule an annual walk/run event in the city. He says Geib was an incredible motivator, and that her presence is missed every day in the gym which she taught classes at.
“Susan would always be waiting at the finish line for me — that’s just the type of person she was. Sometimes she would even finish the race, then come find me and run beside me to motivate me to finish the race faster ... She was a really great person, she always had the biggest smile and we are lost without her.”