The
Cupid's Undies Run is a charity event usually held on
Valentine's Day Weekend in different states across the
USA to raise money for the
Children's Tumor Foundation. This is to help research for
Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that disturbs cell growth in
your nervous system, causing tumors to form on nerve tissue, usually starting in childhood. I joined this event in
New York City for the first time two years ago when a photographer friend,
Caryn LaGreca sent me the link and said I should join this as the
Naked Cowgirl since I was used to standing half naked in the freezing cold weather playing my guitar in
Times Square. Why not put it to use and help raise money for a good cause?
I started a team called "
Naked Cowgirl Fox" and found 6 daring people to join me in New York City for what turned out to be not only such a well planned event raising a lot of money, but the most fun I've had doing a charity event!Last year my youngest son was graduating
USAF Basic Training at
Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas the weekend of the Cupid's Undies Run so I did not attend. This was such an emotional few days and I was so proud of him! I told my teammates that I would do it this year and this time I had 16 people join my team!
On Saturday, February 13th, the day of the event this year was so cold that officials deemed the freeze and wind chill "life-threatening"! The event co-directors
Stephanie Mercurio and
Amy Wheeler cut the one-mile race down to a half mile to prevent any of the runners from possibly getting frostbite. That didn't stop the majority of participants from stripping down to their best Valentine undies and getting out there to do what they came to do! Together we raised over
$150,000.00 for the Children's Tumor Foundation...wooohooo!
On a personal note...although I had been dressing up as the
Naked Cowgirl making appearances out of the
New York and
New jersey area for almost 10 years, it wasn't until 2010 when I became the first
"Officially Licensed" Naked Cowgirl of Times Square and played a guitar in New York City. I did it partly for fun and it suited my lifestyle at that time, but I mainly did it for publicity to cross-promote my
Cindy Fox Fitness, LLC. Fitness has been my life for over 30 years!
I made a deal to myself back then, and to others along the way that I would not be standing in Times Square as the Naked Cowgirl playing a guitar when I'm 50 years old, even though I still intend on rocking the bikini far past my 50th birthday :) Although I am still only 49, I won't be for next year's Cupids Undies Run, so for all of you looking to join my team again next year....get ready to join team "Cindy Fox Fitness". Friends that train together, stay together!!!
