by Jennifer Hockenbery
When my grandmother was 5 years old, her older brother, my great-uncle, would hold her hand as they walked one mile to school each morning. As soon as he turned to go in the school room, my grandmother would take off and run the mile back home as fast as she could. She did this at first because she did not want to go to school, but then she realized she loved to run. Even after she adapted to attending school for the day, she would still run the mile home as fast as she could.
My grandmother told me this story after watching me run in high school during a cross-country meet. She wanted me to know that running was in my genes. Like my grandmother, I love to run. My daughter, now running Cross Country and Track for the Claremont McKenna, Mudds, Scripps Colleges combined athletic team, also loves to run. My daughter’s coach, like my grandmother’s older brother did for my grandmother, sometimes needs to hold my daughter back from running. Some days we need to sit still at school! Some days we need to rest. Both resting and moving are part of healthy living.
The generations of women in my family are not alone in our love for running. This year, the Run Walk and Roll has two Girl Ambassadors to inspire all of us! Meet Eleanor and Gwyneth Guillaume of Des Moines, Iowa.
Eleanor started running cross-country with the Johnston Running Club at age 5 and has been running ever since. After the 2020 season, she joined the track team and started in sprints before eventually moving up to the longer distances. She is a multi-year national qualifier in both Cross Country and Track and has competed in the 800 meters, 1500 meters , and 3,000 meters. Running has taken her to compete all over Iowa and the Midwest, as well as North Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky. Eleanor has won the USATF Sportsmanship award for the state of Iowa. She currently runs for her middle school team, Johnston Middle School. Eleanor tells us, “I like running because I have made a lot of friends and the team aspect. I like to compete.” Importantly, “Running makes me feel strong.”
Gwyneth started running with the Johnston Running Club at age 5 and also competes in track and field. Gwyn took to the long distances immediately. Gwyneth has qualified for national competitions in both Cross Country and Track, competing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters in track and the 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters in Cross Country. Gwyneth is also a national qualifier in the javelin. She loves competition and running has taken her all over Iowa, as well as North Carolina, Indiana, and Kentucky. She has twice been named the USATF Cross Country runner of the year in the state of Iowa. Gwyneth tells us, “I love to run and compete because running makes me feel free and powerful, and I like to challenge myself to see what I can do.”
Now, all of us may not be competitive at the national level, but all of us can gain benefits from moving together. One of our top finishers in 2023, Jodi Slatterly, explains:
“Running provides me with an outlet to relieve my stress, and I feel a sense of accomplishment (and I feel healthier) when I complete a run. I appreciate the mission and purpose of Run Walk and Roll to raise up healthy women and girls. It was wonderful to combine my joy of running with supporting the Women of the ELCA health initiative. I pray the triennial gathering uplifts the women of the ELCA to know we are all worthy!”—Jodi Slatterly
Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls began with the bold initiative of Women of the ELCA to “lead boldly—first the church and then beyond—in promoting women’s complete and total health: physical, spiritual, and emotional.” The money raised for Raising Up Healthy Women and Girls Seed Grants has been dedicated to programs that provide education, healthy care, and advocacy to empower women and girls to lead healthier lives.
A major part of this initiative has been the Run, Walk, and Roll 5K, which encourages girls and women to use their bodies in ways that are healthy—by running, walking, or using wheelchairs to complete a 5000-meter course together! And for those who prefer, just come and cheer us on. You can register for the Run, Walk, and Roll 5K here: Women of the ELCA Run, Walk, and Roll 5K for Raising up Healthy Women and Girls.
Dr. Jennifer Hockenbery is interim executive director for Women of the ELCA and editor of the Journal of Lutheran Ethics.
Photos courtesy of Eleanor (left) and Gwyneth Hill.
Register for the Run, Walk and Roll 5K:
