10 Things You Probably Don't Know About Run Like A Mother
Ten years ago this Mother's Day, twenty Ridgefield moms gathered outside of Steve's Bagels ready to hit the pavement and give themselves the best gift of all - time together doing something empowering, invigorating, and healthy - running.
What they started on that early morning in May of 2007 would become a long running (no pun) tradition, thanks to Run Like A Mother Founder, Megan Searfoss.
Thank you to Megan, for making Run Like A Mother more than a race. Truly, it's way of life.
Here, my friends (thanks to Megan), are 10 things you might not know about Run Like A Mother.
1. The plan was hatched early one morning 6 weeks before the first RLAM. I consulted with Geoffrey Morris and Evan McGerald (tri-ridgefield directors) about the race over warm cookies and milk at my kitchen table. They suggested doing the race at the Rail Trail because I would likely get 50 or so people. Through the power of the women in this area, I closed the race 2 weeks before race day at 500.
2. Steve’s Bagels was the location of a run in 2007 in which 20 women gathered to celebrate Mother’s Day.
3. One year (possibly 2012) the bib tags got messed up; athletes got times of others. Some people very happy, others mortified!
4. Will Bordash took 2nd place the first year. I only had pink shoes and champagne for the winners, as it was a women’s only race, not prepared for a young boy to place! The following year, I started the kid’s race, because of the “Bordash Incident”. Will now runs for Bucknell and was Patriot League Freshman of the year last year
6. Run Like a Mother Behind the Scenes Master is Chon Searfoss, who works tirelessly for three days. Noreen Papa was always his second in command.
7. The original logo was designed by my 75 year old (at the time) aunt, who FAX’d me the drawing.
8. Karla Murtaugh, was the first supporter and sponsor of Run Like a Mother. We asked to have package pick-up at Neumann. That lasted a year, since over 500 women stood outside to pick up packages.
9. It has only rained one year (2016). In 2011, there was a horrible wind storm knocking down trees on 35. Immediate thoughts from police was to cancel but the threat of 1000s of upset women seemed terrifying. Once everything was deemed safe at 5 am, the race went on in cold and windy conditions.
10. More than 10,000 roses have been purchased from Roses for Austism in the past 7 years for the finishers.