The PVSS Mother’s Day Run/Walk started out as a way for my mom and her sisters to honor their mom after she passed 36 years ago. In the time since, it’s become an event my mom and I can’t miss! Others have joined us over the years, but this is consistently our tradition. We do it together every year without fail (barring no national lockdown measures, of course). And as soon as I got pregnant, I knew my child would join us, too. He’s now 8 and looks forward to it every year. Just like us. I love that PVSS brings and keeps families like ours together, on and off the racecourse.

Our mother was the rock of our family. We lost her in December 2016. There are ten of us siblings. I knew that the next Mother’s Day would be a tough one for the family, so I proposed that we honor our mom by participating in the Mother’s Day Run & Walk. Now, there are 13 to 15 family members who participate in the 5K race – wearing the same T-shirt in honor of our mom. After the event, we go to the cemetery and then we share a meal with our dad.

The Pajaro Valley Shelter Services’ Mother’s Day Run holds a special place in our hearts as it not only supports an amazing program that I am so thankful for the work that PVSS provides, but it has also launched four running careers in our family.