Every day, more than 1,000 girls and women die from pregnancy-related complications, and thousands more survive but are left with debilitating injuries. These girls and women are our moms, moms-to-be, wives, girlfriends, daughters, sisters, cousins, friends, and more. Yet, their deaths and injuries are largely disregarded and too often ignored by the world, despite the fact that we have the knowledge and means to prevent many of them.

My mom and I want to change this, and to do so, we have created the Run4Moms Campaign—a 9-month, 9-race challenge to increase awareness about maternal mortality, morbidity, and other maternal health issues and to raise $5,000 for Women Deliver, Inc., a global maternal health advocacy nonprofit organization (www.womendeliver.org/).

Our 9-races gradually increase in distance over the 9-month period, corresponding to the average pregnancy period. The race series began with the Al Gordon Classic, a 4-mile race in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY on February 26, 2011, and will culminate with the Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, VA on October 30, 2011.

Through our running and with your help, we hope to bring much-needed attention to the fact that the world’s moms and moms-to-be are dying and that we have the means and power to prevent these deaths. Now is the time to take action: Join us in this running adventure by spreading the word, donating to Women Deliver, and helping us reach our fundraising goal!  Happy running!

Races completed to date:

--February race:  Al Gordon Classic, 4-miler in Brooklyn, NY (and a great start to our running campaign);

--March race:  Beaufort Twilight Run, 8k in Beaufort, SC (the most beautiful course we have run); and

--April race:  Water for the World, 10k in Johns Creek, GA (home to the 2011 PGA for all you golf fans).

(We are through the first trimester...Yeah!)

--May race:  Heart & Sole, 10k in Chelsea, MI (through beautiful back roads of lovely MI)

--June race:  1st Annual Run4Moms, 12k  ,       in Central Park, NY (only a handle full of us this year, but next year, there will be plenty of runners)

--July race:  Miles For Moms, a 4-mile race in Central Park, NY in honor of mothers everywhere!

--August race:  Leading Ladies Half Marathon, a downhill 13.1-miler with beautiful canyon views in Spearfish, SD (we are definitely coming back next year--so fun)

And...for September:  Labor Day 30k in Milford, Michigan!