I love running. It’s become my #1 healthy habit, the very foundation of my life after 50. Running keeps me sane, strong, confident, and comfortable in my favorite jeans. It’s a darn good habit to have.
Ten years after putting one foot in front of the other, I’ve gotten faster, can run longer, and have every intention of chugging along the loop in Central Park for the foreseeable future.
Moving your body every day–whether it’s running, walking, tennis, or doing 20 jumping jacks–has a billion benefits, and I want more women and girls of all ages to get off the couch and on their feet.
And that’s why I’m running my 5th marathon in a few weeks.
While running 4 – 5 miles a few times a week helps me live my best life, running in marathons allows me to go outside myself and focus on the needs of others. Every marathon I run is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for a specific organization that I feel needs our help.
On Sunday, November 5th, I’m running in the 2017 NYC Marathon to raise money for the esteemed Women’s Sports Foundation, which was started in 1974 by Billie Jean King, who saw a multitude of inequities in our society, and specifically in the sports world.
You all know Billie Jean. She beat the pants off of Bobby Riggs in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” 
tennis match in 1973 (recently turned into a movie starring Emma Stone and Steve Carell). She fought hard for women’s rights, Title IX, and equality for all. She believes in the power of sport to propel girls and women into leading more successful, healthier lives.
So do I.
In fact, according to the WSF:
- Girls who play sports in high school have higher test scores and higher rates of graduation from high school and college.
- Girls and young women who are active in sports have lower rates of obesity, chronic illness, and are 20% less likely to succumb to cancer later in life.
- Girls who play sports have greater levels of confidence and more positive body images, learn resiliency and leadership skills.
- 91% of women in C-suite positions (CEO, CFO, CIO) participate in sports.
As the mother of two girls, I applaud all the work WSF does on behalf of girls and young women in our country. It has been proven beyond any doubt that exercise is one of the “magic bullets” of health and wellness, and the earlier we get our girls started on the road to fitness, the better and healthier our country will be.
Please help me help the Women’s Sports Foundation in the coming weeks. You can support my 2017 NYC Marathon race by visiting my fundraising page, here. Every dollar counts. Thank you!!
