Running for Change!

Fact:  August 9^th is National Women’s Day in South Africa.  This year  women (and yes men too) across the globe supported by running for change.  I ran my 10km in Sudbury, ON, Canada with my family supporting and cheering me on.

Family support is everything!

Quick share here –  I had this piece ready the same week Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin so, I was just unable to focus.  Then here in Toronto there was no justice for Regis Paquet’s death and again that adrenal fatigue set it.  To top it off, a week ago a 16-year-old boy was shot by police in South Africa.  He had down-syndrome and was sitting eating cookies but, they shot him because he lived in a gang infested area and he fit a description.  Nothing has happened to those cops either.  It’s happening everywhere and that feeling I have is real because I can put myself or a family member in each of their positions.  I know I can’t take it on personally but it’s close to the heart and when people I know still ask “why should BLM” and what about “all lives mattering” – I can’t.  It’s tiring.  Educate yourselves.

I have since disconnected, rested and recharged and that is my reminder to everyone.  It’s a marathon and we need to refuel along the way.

Let’s get back to that 10km and the cause I’ve been supporting.  I’ll start with acknowledging that there are many injustices and viable causes in this world that need our attention and support.  Many of us, myself included, would like to use our voices to support all of it am I right?  BUT, to make an impact or stand out we unfortunately must choose one or two.  I believe in human rights and have a passion for women’s rights and equality so, I have chosen to partner with the “Women for Change Run” and I am now an official international ambassador.

THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT I WON’T USE MY VOICE/PLATFORMS TO SPEAK UP AND OUT ABOUT OTHER ISSUES, ESPECIALLY RACIAL INJUSTICES.

Click here to read about the organization that was started when the group (all women) decided to take a stand to put an end to violence against women and children.  Daily news still report attacks on the many ways women and children are being violated in their homes, on the streets and in places of education/work.  That list goes on.  Furthermore, the perpetrators are seldom arrested and if they are, they are released before victims can seek any type of counseling or even before they are buried.  In many cases the victims are then placed back in the same homes with their abusers.  It is a sick cycle and it still happens today…in 2020!

Why I supported:

• I can put myself, friends and family members in their shoes. I have been in their shoes more than once growing up so this is not new.  Sometimes I stood up for myself and other times just too shocked or frozen to react.  In high school, there was a bunch of us hanging out in the classroom during a break and a boy puts his hand up my skirt – for all to see.  I reacted i.e. I beat him up, for all to see. With all the commotion a male teacher walked into the classroom demanding what was up and at this time I was bawling out of frustration and more from embarrassment.  A female student explained.  The boy got a talking to and a slap in face but I also got yelled at by said male teacher telling me that girls shouldn’t fight and how I was violent…along with some other colourful adjectives.  No sympathy and did even ask the “perpetrator” to apologized.  The female student tried to protest in my defense but it fell on deaf ears.  This story is mild in comparison to the atrocities being reported but it’s how it starts.  I have been following their work for a while and when this virtual race presented an opportunity for me to support, I obliged.

Training for it:

• I know what you’re thinking…no really, I know. “This should have been a walk in the park for Shireen”.    Ha!  When I signed up I just started running after what seemed like an eternity.  I stopped counting at seven weeks.  A knee injury which I still have no idea how occurred.  Also, thanks to C19 I couldn’t go see a physio until I was about three or four weeks in as I waited until they were seeing patients.  I pretty much started from scratch by running five minutes at a time and increasing on a training schedule.  The schedule included strength training and rest days.  I treated this like I would a training camp for an upcoming fight.  It might sound excessive but I hadn’t run in so long and just needed to be in the right mindset to be able to execute.  The only rule I broke was having 2 drinks (red wine) the night before as it was my mom’s birthday but my water intake over the preceding days did not have me worried at all.  The best thing was no weigh-ins so guess who carb’d it up the night before!    Nice dinner and in bed before 10.30 PM!

Race Day:

• Woke up fresh, excited and ready. I rallied up the fam – mom, stepdad, hubby, sis-in-law and of course my mini, who biked along with us.  Not much to say about race day other than “I was ready to kill the 10km in under an hour”.  I did that.  As with my fights where I dedicate or manifest all the energy during training and the fight into someone’s direction who I feel could use it, I dedicated the run, the energy and the power in me to all the victims of gender-based violence.  It felt good to support this way and I certainly gained as a human and as a female from it.  Virtual is the new norm and I love that I was able to support and show my camaraderie from so far away.  PS:  I even managed to get in some roadwork and shadow boxing and still made time.

Very proud of this medal!

What’s next:

• The organization has ongoing virtual running events which is used as an outreach vehicle to create awareness around gender-based violence (GBV) and the violence against women and children. They are speaking out about the perpetrators who, most times, walk away!  As an official ambassador I will use my voice and platforms to support virtually and more.

My nature is to put up my hand to help everyone and every cause but as one woman here I can’t spread myself too thin.  I must maintain mental and emotional strength to support with a strong voice so here I am, speaking out when and where I can and taking breaks along the way with the goal to help make a difference.

Follow me for more updates on events and races.

International Ambassador