By Amanda C.

I finished my first 50K and it was a huge accomplishment! Before that though, I DID NOT FINISH (DNF) my first 50K.

I started out my first attempt at a 50K race terrified that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I literally made myself believe there was no way I could. When race day came, I gave up and I gave up quickly. By mile 10 I already didn’t want to try. It was almost like I wanted to prove myself right by not finishing. I literally stopped trying to make the time cut off, because in my head there was no way I could do it. At mile 20, I was proven right. I didn’t make that time cutoff. I felt like a huge failure. I cried a lot. I made excuses. I literally mourned the loss of a dream. People always say running is a mental game and I learned that the hard way.

It took a while, but I started to turn that DNF into a positive. I ran 20 miles that day when most people don’t even run 20 miles in a week. I had something to be proud of even if I didn’t finish. My Stroller Warrior tribe encouraged me and told me they still believed in me. Slowly I gained my confidence back and decided to try again, but this time I was going to make some changes. This time, I was going to believe in myself.

My friends and I searched for the perfect race. We trained and we trained hard. We ran in freezing temperatures while we watched the sun come up. We ran in the rain. We did intense speed work. These warriors stayed with me and encouraged me every step of the way. I told myself over and over that I could do this; that I would not let this race defeat me. If I started to doubt myself, I reached
out to my tribe and they picked me back up.

This time when race day came I told myself I could do it. That I would absolutely not give up! While we ran my friend told me over and over again, “You're doing it!” and you know what…I did! I did it! I changed my mentality on the entire thing and I actually enjoyed it. We had fun! We laughed and we talked to other runners. They encouraged us and we encouraged them. I crossed the finish line that day with tears in my eyes. I felt like a Warrior. I accomplished my goal and I didn’t let fear stop me this time.

by Kim B.

​​I have always been a runner. I grew up in a house a lot like my own now.  My parents were runners and would race on the weekends.  Sometimes I would go and hold down a water station or collect bib strips (this was back in the day before time chips). I ran because that’s what I grew up doing.  It was a healthy lifestyle and something I wasn’t too shabby at either.  
 
I ran off and on over the years after having kids.  I found my place in Stroller Warriors® and loved having a great place for my children, as well as myself.  But I still wasn’t consistent and felt like I was running just to run.  
 
Then my son was diagnosed with special needs.  My husband was deployed, Stroller Warriors® was supporting me, and I felt I needed something; a way to make this a positive experience.  I was overwhelmed and depressed.  Several Warriors had just finished running the Marine Corps Marathon and I had just finished my first half marathon.  I found myself thinking, “What better way to get through the deployment than to run through it!” I decided to run my first ever marathon! If being a special needs parent was going to be daunting, I was going to take it on with a marathon.  Running always helped me relieve stress, so this was perfect!  

​I decided that the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach would be perfect because there were tons of Stroller Warriors® running this half marathon.  Running my first marathon wasn’t enough though.  I wanted to give back. I wanted to make this a positive experience, not just for me, but for others as well.  I needed to spread awareness for those of us that were struggling in the dark and feeling alone. Running for a cause became my journey.
 
At the time, therapists weren’t sure what my son was struggling with and he was diagnosed with Apraxia, a rare motor disorder in which the individuals have a difficult time with motor planning to perform tasks like talking or eating.  Raising funds for Apraxia Kids became my main focus. I wasn’t focused on how hard the miles were getting during training, how tired I was on the cold winter runs, or how lonely I was with my husband gone and three small children to raise. I was doing something bigger than myself, and that helped me to shift my focus away from me and move it to other people. I wasn’t running for me anymore, I was running for them.  

In spite of the deployment and all I had going on in life, the training came easy and the marathon was even easier than I expected.  During the day of the big race, I had a copy of all the donors in my pocket.  I took them with me on this crazy ride.  They were there for me, my son, and all the others diagnosed with this disorder.  I prayed for them, my family, and my son all the way to the finish!  

That training cycle and my first marathon forced me to see running in a whole new light. Running wasn’t just about me or how I grew up anymore, it was now a way that I could raise awareness and at the same time could help to make other peoples’ lives better!  I have since fundraised for several other causes, including Organization of Autism Research and Semper Fi Fund!  The races may not have gone the way I wanted them too, but it wasn’t about me.  It was about who I can help. 
 
I want to encourage you to train with and race for a charitable organization. When the focus of your race shifts, it can have an astounding impact on your mentality and your training. But not only that, you can take pride in the fact that you are raising awareness for a special cause and are helping many people in the process.
 
If you’re not sure which charity you want to race and raise money for, you can start by using the website www.charitywatch.org. CharityWatch is an organization you can use to vet charity organizations.  This is a great resource to check where the money is going and how much is being used to help those you want to impact. 
 
We can do so much. It’s a joy to give back! I hope you will one day join me in racing for a cause! 
 
If you’ve already raced for a cause, please tell us about it in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!