Mothers get some exercise while supporting a cause
MUDDY CREEK TWP — While some mothers spent the early morning of Mother’s Day getting breakfast in bed, others, like Mara Wilson and her family, spent it along the shore of Lake Arthur.
Around 250 registrants lined up on a brisk morning Sunday, May 10, to run a 5K — or enjoy a one mile walk — along Moraine State Park’s North Shore. “Run Like a Mother” is hosted by Keller Williams Realty as part of its RED Day, an annual effort to give back to the communities it serves.
While many of Sunday’s runners were experienced, some, like Wilson, were participating in a race for the first time.
“I’m a spin instructor, so I usually get my cardio that way. I run when I feel like it,” she said.
Wilson said she was inspired to participate once she learned about the Mother’s Day connection.
“I’ve been saying I want to do a 5K, and this was for Mother’s Day, so I decided I’m going to do it and see. I’m just here to have fun, I’m probably not going to place anywhere.”
Wilson was supported by her husband and three children, who held signs with messages like “run mom run.”
“It means so much (to have them here),” she said. “We’re going biking afterward, and I wouldn’t want to have anyone else here with me.”
Erin Sellinger, co-director of the event, said the event is meant to offer a good mix of challenge for more-competitive runners while being a more family-oriented race.
“We also very intentionally try to keep costs down, so that when an entire family wants to come, they can all participate,” she said. “Some races cost like $50 per person, and that’s a lot for a family of four.”
She said the event would not be possible without the support of the community and sponsors. She also noted Lutz High Octane Coffee, a mobile coffee bus that served to runners Sunday morning.
The race benefits the Butler Chapter of Isaiah 117 House, an organization that provides a safe space for foster children being removed from their homes. The organization helps the transition for foster children and their families while lifting weight off social services.
Sellinger said her hope for this race, and every other year, is to raise funds while giving people something new to do on Mother’s Day morning.
“We want to make this a tradition for families,” Sellinger said. “We have people in all stages of life. We even have people come here and run in memory of their mothers.”
While Sellinger did not participate in the run, she said she felt a sense of motherly pride after two of her sons placed in the top five.
Another participant of Sunday’s 5K, Wendy Beeching, said she began running just a year and a half ago.
“My kids are all grown up, so it’s nice to have something to do that’s for me today,” she said.
She said she took up running as a way to give herself a new activity while taking better care of her health.
“It’s kind of a transformation of my life from a caregiver to taking more care of myself now,” Beeching said.
Beeching said she is going to be a grandmother soon, and wants to continue being in good health for her children and grandchildren.
“I keep looking at all the strollers (at the race) and I’m thinking maybe I can push my little granddaughter along one of these races,” she said.
