TAMPA, Fla. — If you’re feeling the heat this weekend, it’s not just the Florida sun, it’s the passion and energy of our local heroes racing for a cause.
It’s a fire that’s been burning inside runner Jasmine Maag for the last six months.
“I just started running 5k’s about six months ago,” she said.
One foot at a time, Maag says she is making strides toward a healthier lifestyle.
“I had to get blood drawn last year and my a1c was high and diabetes runs in my family so I decided to make a lifestyle change,” she said.
She’s joined at the Firefighters 5k in Tampa by her mom, Regina, who made the trip from Michigan to be in her corner. Regina says running has strengthened the bond between this mother and daughter
“She’s faster than me but she’s also got 20 years younger," she said. “We keep each other in check and make sure doing what we need to “
More than 900 other runners also laced up their sneakers for the annual event in Tampa.
Jeremy Finney, treasurer of the Tampa Fire Department, said the money helps fund a week-long burn survivors summer camp for kids. This will be the 30th year that the camp is held.
“All the funds from the race go to this camp we have hosted for more than 20 years, camp Hopetake,” he said.
Alex Canasi, President of the Tampa Firefighters Charity Fund, said the one-week camp provides these children an experience like no other. The kids go to theme parks, arcades and an array of other fun activities, he said.
Jasmine said she is passionate about both the cause and running. It’s a passion burning in her that can’t be extinguished, she said.
“I feel so much healthier and have so much energy.”
The number of runners at Saturday's even shattered their record for the number of participants and raised a record amount of money for kids to attend camp.