Five top reasons to sign up for the Victoria Goddess Run.
With only one month until the Victoria Goddess weekend of events, it’s time to put down that glass of wine (temporarily) and consider why you should not let this fabulous event pass you by.
1. Be part of a race that is more than a crowd of strangers.
The incredible spirit and sense of – dare, I say it – sisterhood gives this all-female event with distances of 5K, 10K and half marathon – a distinctive character that I haven’t experienced at other events. Yes, there are fiercely competitive chicks here but you will also find women who are more than happy to amble along the route with three generations of women from their family. My wild women girlfriends came from Vancouver and Penticton for the inaugural event two years ago. The memories will last a very long time.
2. Celebrate a goddess.
Who is the goddess in your life - a sister, friend, daughter, mother, neighbour?
What elevates a woman into goddess stature? For me, it's someone whom I admire and find inspiration from due to their strength, creativity or wisdom. Humility generally factors into that mix as well.
I like C. Scott Littleton's definition - as "a being with powers greater than those of ordinary humans, but who interacts with humans, positively or negatively, in ways that carry humans to new levels of consciousness beyond the grounded preoccupations of ordinary life."
This is one event where you can dedicate your participation to that goddess or goddesses in your life. With Mother's Day coming up, wouldn't it be grand that you wrote in your mother's card that you've signed up for the Goddess Run to honour her?
3. Support women and children in our community.
You are helping women throughout the region with your registration fees. Fees typically cover the cost of staging the event, from rentals to food to the great swag such as the technical T-shirt and Sporty Jewels necklace (a welcome change from the clunky medals from other races that hang off the corner of my bedroom mirror). The women who conceived of this event wanted it to benefit community groups that help others at a vulnerable time in their lives so $5 from your registration goes to the organization of your choice from among:
Victoria Women’s Transition House Society - provides shelter, support, counselling and education to women of all ages, with or without children, so that they can live free from the effects of abuse in intimate relationships. Last year, the society received more than 2,000 calls on its crisis line and sheltered 122 women and 63 children.
KidSport Greater Victoria- provides funding to families for registration fees so their children can participate in sports they might not otherwise be able to. As we all know, playing sports can help kids increase their self-confidence and have a healthier lifestyle that can have lasting. In 2012, the organization helped 803 children, at a cost of almost $200,000.
Women’s Sexual Assault Centre - provides services to assist individuals ages 13 and over who have experienced sexualized violence. Services include a 24-hour crisis and information line, counselling, support with the criminal justice system, and a team that provides emergency accompaniment to the hospital and
4. Discover new events make the Goddess Run better every year.
It's not just a race, it's a weekend of fun:
May be you participated in the inaugural run but gave last year a miss. It’s time to see what’s new.
You can spend the entire weekend as a goddess, surely you're worth it! The new events are at Westin Bear Mountain, also site of the package pickup this year, and include a Moksha Yoga at Sunset class Friday night, a 3-Km bathrobe walk/run on Saturday morning and 1.5 K family walk/run on Saturday at 1 p.m. There's also a free shuttle from the resort to the start line on race morning.
5. YOU are a goddess:
Let's face it. Too few of us give ourselves the credit for all that we do, day in and day out, for family, friends and co-workers. We make sacrifices, attend to the details for others (who in your family remembers the birthdays on BOTH sides of the family), provide unconditional support for friends, and share the tears as readily as the laughter.
As an incentive to push you from good intentions to the starting line, readers of Woman on the Run who sign up by May 8 will get 20% off your race entry. Use the promotional code Victoriarunner. You can thank me at the finish line.
