Run Like a Mother

I completed my first 5k run on Saturday!

As you may know, I trained for the last 10 weeks to build up to a walk/run in a 5k. In between, I had surgery which set me back a bit, but I rallied enough to race in the Highland Cup 5k. It was a smaller event compared to other races in the region, only 373 people, but it was a great starter race for those new to 5k running. The race course winds through one of the most beautiful areas of Louisville. At one point I looked down one of the hills at the steam rising off a creek below and just felt so alive and glad to be pumping my legs on an early Saturday morning. At that moment I thought of the question that runners often ask themselves and the answer they provide: "Why do I run? Because I can."

Sarah Bowen Shea (left) of Another Mother Runner and Christy Turlington Burns

Speaking of running, in past blog posts, I've mentioned the site, Another Mother Runner,  and the books "Run Like a Mother," and "Train Like a Mother." Be sure to check out their latest pod cast where Dimity and Sarah, the mother runners behind the site, interview Christy Turlington Burns, supermodel and founder of the non-profit, Every Mother Counts. She's training for her second consecutive New York City Marathon and encouraging people to run as part of the Every Mother Counts team to raise funds and awareness for maternal care. What is Every Mother Counts?

Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally. Every Mother Counts seeks to engage new audiences to better understand the challenges and the solutions while encouraging them to take action to improve the lives of girls and women worldwide.

These runner gals competed in last year's NYC Marathon as part of Team Every Mother Counts

During the pod case, Turlington Burns discusses the difficult childbirth with her first child and how fortunate she was to have a top-notch medical team to handle her emergency situation. This led to the creation of Every Woman Counts. I can't imagine not having these medical resources, yet so many women around the world will never have access to this kind of medical care. In addition to marathons, Every Mother Counts places special importance on 5k races. In rural villages in third world countries, an expectant mother walks at least 3.1 miles to the clinic for medical care. Imagine doing that 9 months pregnant, to and from the clinic. I could barely walk across the room during my two pregnancies.

So, if you're planning to run a 5k or other race in the coming months, in additon to the cause for which you are likely racing (medical research, neighborhood ministries, etc.), consider running on behalf of Every Mother Counts. Every expectant mom deserves the best medical care possible and every new baby deserves a healthy birth.

Images from Another Mother Runner and everymothercounts.org and EMC Facebook site