Running for VE

Mariah Healy
Maine, USA

One year ago, camera in hand, I watched and cheered as four incredible VE volunteers crossed the finish line of the Santiago Half-Marathon. I was in awe of their fitness and motivation, absolutely sure I could never run such a distance. Yet on April 3rd, I completed the Santiago Half-Marathon myself! Running the half was in part a personal challenge and in part my effort to contribute to VE’s Unite Act Engage fundraising campaign.

Until last September, “running” for me meant heading out for occasional 2 mile (3.2 kilometers) jaunts. I was a ballet dancer from childhood through college, so running long distances was never on my radar. After graduating from college and finding myself with no money for dance classes, I started running.

After a few jogs with a friend who had previously run two marathons and who claimed that anyone could run one, I realized how much state of mind affects one’s ability to run long distances. For years I had given into the 2-mile rut, stopping before I even let my body warm up. With this newfound motivation, I dialed up my training and in October and November of last year, had a blast running two 10K (6.2 miles) races.

With all of this progress behind me, running the Santiago half as a way to raise money for VE seemed to be my logical next step. After explaining my goal to my friends and family, I watched as their support came pouring in. I was continually blown away as donations arrived from my parents and their friends, my aunts and uncles, friends from past jobs, friends from elementary school, high school, college and my study-abroad program in Italy, friends from my first volunteer-abroad experience in Guatemala and even former VE volunteers. A total of 19 individuals made donations to my cause, their gifts amounting to $565.00 USD and counting!

This support made a huge difference for me during the race itself. Although I loved running the half, it wasn’t without its rough moments. Between kilometers 10 and 16 I felt exhausted and wanted to walk more than anything. As I trudged on, I kept a mental running list of reasons to keep going; at the top of that list: our amazing VE kids. The children VE works with face challenges and obstacles much greater than tired legs and that blister on my left big toe.

Something magical happened after kilometer 16 and I felt my stride lengthen. I found myself smiling like a goon at the spectators along the route, picturing my friends, family, and co-volunteers, playing their words of support in my head. At kilometer 19, I saw my friend and co-volunteer, Lily, waving wildly from a median. She jumped in and ran with me for a moment, snapping pictures and yelling about how close I was to the finish. With adrenaline and an incredible sense of gratitude, I ran the last two kilometers at a pace I couldn’t quite believe.

For almost two and a half years, VE has been my support network and I’ve made accomplishments I never thought possible because of that. I hope that the children we work with feel these effects of the VE community. I hope that they, too, experience this sense of possibility because of the confidence we as VE volunteers have in them. I hope that each of them someday has the opportunity to accomplish something they never thought possible.