When Natalie Lu started volunteering at Children’s Minnesota in 1997, she had no idea it would be where she would meet her husband and the start of the rest of her life. Now, celebrating 20 years of marriage, Natalie and her husband Yung are running down memory lane to this finish line at this year’s Twin Cities 10-mile race– the spot where they got engaged.
Natalie and Yung are members of Team Superstars, the Children’s Minnesota charity team of athletes who go the extra mile for patients and their families. They commit to raising money in support of vital programs at Children’s Minnesota, and take on the challenge of participating in local, regional and national running races.
A Children’s Minnesota introduction
Natalie and Yung began working at Children’s Minnesota in the early 2000s, where Yung was working as an instructional designer, and Natalie was working in volunteer services. Several months after their first meeting, Yung left a note on Natalie’s desk inviting her to lunch, but she turned him down three times as she was in nursing school at the time and needed her lunch hours to study. They took up running together on the weekends as a hobby since Yung had just run the 10-mile and Natalie was looking for a buddy to help her hone a running habit as a stress-release from nursing school.
After sharing some miles on the journey as running buddies, Yung asked Natalie out for lunch again. This time, Natalie said yes.
“I lucked out,” Natalie said. “I’m glad Yung is both persistent and patient. Traits I appreciate all these years later in our marriage.”
20 years strong
After a year of dating, Yung knew he wanted to propose to Natalie in a meaningful way. Since running was integral to their story, he figured it was fitting to propose during the 2005 Twin Cities 10-mile marathon.
Yung and Natalie took off on the 10-mile race. Little did Natalie know, Yung spent the first nine miles worrying about the engagement ring tied to the drawstring of his shorts. Toward the end of the race, Natalie encouraged Yung to run faster and cross the finish line first. Yung happily agreed, since it gave him the perfect opportunity to untie the ring and meet her at the finish line.
As Natalie crossed the finish line, Yung got down on one knee and proposed. A nearby Star Tribune photographer snapped their photo and made them a featured image on a story recapping the races the following day.
“She crossed the finish line as I got down on one knee. Fortunately, she said yes,” Yung said. “You can imagine my delight when our photo was front page of the marathon section the next day.”
Now, 20 years later, Natalie and Yung have done a lot together in life, including raising one daughter and temporarily hanging up their running shoes. This October, however, they’re breaking those shoes back out to run the Twin Cities 10-mile race and raise funds for Children’s Minnesota, the place where their love story started.
Going the extra mile
Fundraising for Children’s Minnesota isn’t new to Yung and Natalie. When Yung’s father passed away, they felt it was important to donate to Children’s Minnesota, since Yung’s father spent time serving in the Vietnamese military advocating for the care of premature babies.
“One of the places that we really wanted to give back to once he passed away was Children’s [Minnesota] because we recognize that when people are reflecting back on where they made a difference in a lifetime, these are the stories you tell,” Natalie said.
Natalie says they’re fortunate to be a part of the Children’s Minnesota story.
“When a group of people have the opportunity to work together toward a meaningful goal, that’s happiness. That’s joy. Ultimately, these things strengthen our contributions to the [Children’s Minnesota] mission,” Natalie said. “It’s a special thing to be a part of.”
About Team Superstars
When you join Team Superstars, our charity team of athletes, you go the extra mile. You commit to raising money in support of vital programs for Children’s Minnesota, and you take on the challenge of participating in local, regional and national races.
Team Superstars athletes receive exclusive branded apparel for the race, a personal fundraising website along with fundraising coaching, and an invitation to a team reception. Learn more about Team Superstars.
