On June 1, Marlena Stubbings and two other generations of her family will be decked out in neon and hitting the streets to participate in another Goddess Run.
The Goddess Run is an opportunity for over 1,000 women to come together, feel empowered and reach their goals as they walk or run five or 10 kilometres in Langford. This year, the run has also partnered with the BC Cancer Foundation and raises funds for a program that could help destroy cancer cells in the body.
The run has raised over $200,000 for local charities since it started in 2012. Five dollars from every registration for the run goes towards the BC Cancer Foundation.
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Stubbings, who has participated in the run for seven years, said it’s great to be able to do it with women in her family.
“It’s a chance to reconnect and celebrate the family and all the strong women that are in our family,” Stubbings said.
Stubbings, her mother, mother-in-law, aunt, sister and nine-year-old daughter have all participated in the run with some of her family members coming from out of town to be a part of it.
“We like the dressing up, that’s fun,” Stubbings said. “It’s just a totally different feel…it really celebrates women and it’s really neat to be part of it.”
Stubbings’ daughter has participated in it for four years as well and mixes up running and walking throughout.
The route for the run includes frequent water stops, music, boa and tiara stations and people who will cheer you on. One of the years, there was a lipstick station that Stubbings said her daughter enjoyed.
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“I believe in healthy, active living,” Stubbings said. “Getting out and being active and seeing all the people being active sets a great example for (my daughter).”
To prepare, Stubbings and her family go out for walks and jogs including some of the older family members. Subbings said the run is another reason for family members to stay active throughout the year.
Being able to celebrate women and participate in an event with all women makes the event unique, Stubbings said. She said she is looking forward to running again with her family, dressing up and having a good time.
The Goddess Run takes place on June 1 with race package pickup starting at 7 a.m. at Belmont Secondary School. Online registration has ended but people can still register in person at package pickup locations on Thursday and Friday.
Find more information at goddessrun.ca.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
