“I Ran The 305-K Ragnar Relay, And Made Friends For Life.”

There is no finish line with running

Running 5 K can be tough for some, let alone a marathon. So, imagine clocking in 305 K! While that thought would make me want to head back to bed, for Anya Taraboulsy, a costume designer and acroyoga instructor, it was motivating.

She is part of the Parkdale Roadrunner Ladies run crew, and together they trained for and ran the Ragnar relay in May 2017. They were 12 women, running from Cobourg, Ont. to Niagara Falls Ont., to raise money to start a run crew for the girls at the West Neighbourhood House. For Taraboulsy, it was “a mission to enable less advantaged people to gain greater control over their lives — and over their community.” Here is how they did it.

The Parkdale Roadrunner Ladies’ #BHmoment

“Our goal was to give back to the community by empowering young girls through sport,” says Taraboulsy. The group at West NH has been meeting weekly since July to run, train and build their leadership skills, training for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 5 K on October 22 [2017]. We hope that these girls discover the same passion for running we have as well as foster their own little community in their new city.”

Why they just had to do the Ragnar relay and now the Scotiabank Marathon

“Running has changed most of our lives,” she admits. “We were very fortunate to find each other and we want other women to experience the same support and encouragement that has allowed each of us individually to surpass our goals. The Scotiabank Charity Challenge has also fueled our love of running even further by giving us the opportunity to raise money for West NH while training for the STWM.”

Your vibe comes from your tribe, and your run crew

“When you surround yourself with the right people, anything is possible, says Taraboulsy. “Support and encouragement is often enough to help us overcome all our fears and self-doubt.

Finding inspiration in your own journey

“These girls remind me why I fell in love with running in the first place,” she says. “I remember how hard it used to be to run a 5 K, that mental struggle I would go through every time. But then I watch them push each other and I know that it’s all worth it and running is really just an outlet for pushing your limits and letting others encourage and inspire you. […] It’s not the destination, but the journey.”

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