Run for Other Women
Posted by: Audrey Post date: August 25th, 2010
I don’t know if you have read the September issue of Runner’s World. Yes, there’s a good running with dog section, although I do have issues with a few parts of their article. Beginner dogs don’t need to start with a 15-20 minute run three times weekly, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers don’t necessarily make great running dogs. I’ve written a letter to the editor regarding the first point and threw my degree around a bit, so we’ll see if it gets published.
Back to the topic of this post. This issue of Runner’s World had an article about women in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. They have suffered such atrocities that it’s hard to imagine that people experience such things in the 20th century. For example, one woman had her leg cut off by rebels and cooked over a fire. Her 12 year old son was told to eat it, and he refused. So, they shot him dead. I’ve seen horror movies that are less frightening. I mean, #$%#%!!!!
These women participated in a 1 mile run that was organised to bring them together, and to strengthen and empower them. My running girlfriends and I were planning on raising funds for these women through the Run for Congo Women website. However, we’ve had a change of plan.
We have set up a group at Kiva, called “Run for Kiva Women”. Kiva offers micro-loans to people in third world countries to establish or grow businesses which will generate ongoing income for their families. Then, the loan is repaid, so we can lend it again. The repayment rate is 98%, so the odds are good that we’ll get the money back to share again. What a great idea! We can lend as little as $25, and we can still choose women from the Congo, or even women from any part of the world.
I’ve battled with motivation on and off over the years, but if this woman who had her leg chopped off and saw her son shot dead, can run almost a mile on crutches and an artificial limb (with painted toenails!!), then I’ve got no reason not to get off my a$%^se and run.
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