Running Club Empowers Teen Mothers at Hope House Colorado
Ahead of the organization's annual 5K, the center launched a training group that's helped build community for moms and their children.
Courtesy of Hope House Colorado
Every Monday afternoon, mothers, administrators, and kids in running clothes gather outside Hope House Colorado. They arrive with strollers in tow, ready to share miles together around the Arvada, Colorado-based center that's dedicated to empowering teenage mothers. With every group effort, the parents foster community and gain a new sense of strength through the sport.
Club co-founder Emily Foster keeps track of the mileage for each training session. Her favorite part of practice is seeing the moms' reactions when she tells them how far they ran. And they have a lot to be proud of.
The first practice involved the group running for a minute and walking for a minute for a total of 20 minutes. In the span of a few months, the group completed a 5K together with many moms running consecutive miles while pushing their children in strollers.
“It's amazing to see them realize they are capable,” Foster told &Mother. “It's powerful for them because they don't often have opportunities where they can be like, ‘I did that and I'm so proud of myself.’ We didn't realize that was going to happen, but it has been so beautiful to watch.”
Every May for the last 10 years, Hope House has hosted an annual 5K, where sponsors and participants fundraise for the organization. Ahead of this year's race, Foster and club co-founder Alicia Lavy, who both work for the center as a personal growth educator and legal advocate, respectively, created a survey to gauge interest and availability from the moms.
When 12 mothers expressed a desire to participate, Foster and Lavy got to work facilitating the club. Supporters of Hope House donated running shoes, clothing, and strollers for the moms to use. And the pair organized weekly meet-ups, where moms run or walk with their children while staff members cheer them on.
“My favorite thing about running club is exercising with other people who want to walk,” Hope House mom Arin S. said. “[The club] has impacted me as a mom by helping me with my depression—getting me out of the house and being around people I enjoy being around.”
Courtesy of Hope House Colorado
Becoming teen parents during the pandemic resulted in many Hope House mothers being unable to enjoy their high school experience, but the run club provides a much-needed outlet. A handful of mothers ran on their high school track team prior to getting pregnant. Now they're able to resume running postpartum with the group.
Practices are also a collaborative effort with club members sharing the running strollers and staff offering to watch the kids, so the moms can go for a solo run.
After meeting weekly for three months, nine moms in the run club participated in the Hope House 5K on May 6. This year, a record $88,000 was raised for the organization.
About 30 minutes before the race, the club met to stretch, tie dye their socks, and put on matching purple and green tutus, the colors of Hope House. Together, they covered the 3.1-mile course, decorated with posters sharing inspirational stories of the moms, another reminder of the progress each one has made in their journey.
“I love seeing the difference and creating more energy in my body,” Hope House mom Unique R. said. “It made me want to be more active, and I'm definitely doing the 5K next year no question.”
Courtesy of Hope House Colorado
After the Hope House 5K, the mothers wanted to keep meeting up for runs. Now they're trying to decide on the next race, possibly a Tough Mudder in the fall. As Lavy and Foster have witnessed, running together goes far beyond miles and medals. Ultimately, they hope the club can act as a launching pad for the mothers to reach new levels of success in the future.
“My hope is they find a place of safety, community and that they believe in themselves,” Foster said. “And know they're capable of doing hard things.”
If you'd like to make a donation to Hope House Colorado, visit the organization's website.
