My goal is to run 100k (approximately 60 miles) on October 9th to raise awareness for the Children's Miracle Network. And yes, my goal is to raise $100,000 for CMN by midnight on that exact day as well. 

Why did I get involved in this? Our first child, Ryder, spent time in the NICU, and I can never, ever truly repay the nurses, doctors and staff that took care of him when Andy and I couldn't. As a mother, I see the crucial importance of supporting ALL of our pediatric programs in Yakima -- and I want to do whatever I can to help these programs be the very best that they can be... for our children, for our families and for our entire community. 

On October 9th, I will begin the 100k at the NICU entrance at Yakima Valley Memorial and then will wind my way up to the Cowiche Conservancy Uplands trailhead. From there, I'll hop onto those trails and make my way over to the Summitview Trailhead where I will then pop over to Rocky Top. Up and over Cowiche Mountain, I'll find myself at the CCC Snow Mountain Ranch trailhead. After some backroad running to Tieton, I'll run through town, then down the grade into Naches. After running through the town of Naches, I'll take the Yakima Greenway to Mapleway where I will head over to Selah. After a jaunt through Selah's town center, I'll make my way back to the Greenway. At Yakima Ave, I'll run through much of the city's center, and then will wind my way through town until I end my 100k at Children's Village.

We plan to have mini-festivals at each town that we run through (Tieton, Naches, Selah + Downtown Yakima), with food trucks, a few vendors and a donation table where our community can help us to reach our goal. These towns will also be my major aid stations as well where I'll get a few minutes to fuel up before I carry on with my mission.

You can also donate and run portions of this event with me -- I know I will thoroughly enjoy the company. :)

If you have questions or would like to be a vendor or volunteer at one of the mini festivals, shoot me an email at shannon@mahremade.com.

Thank you all for your supporting Yakima's pediatric programs. 

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Interested in learning more about Children's Miracle Network? Check out the info below:

The funds raised for Childrens Miracle Network always stay local to support vital pediatric programs. Yakima Valley Memorial has been Central Washingtons designated CMN Hospital since 1993.Memorials Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is the only place in Central that offers specialty care for at-risk infants (we treat babies from Kittitas County down through Prosser). The 15-bed, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit treats more than 485 babies per year (15% of the babies born at Yakima Valley Memorial).The Pediatrics Department treats children and youth 17 and under for a variety of health concerns while providing support to their families. Last year the department cared for 1,300 patients.Family Birthplace since opened in 1950, there have been over 140,000 births, averaging 2,500 births per year.Children's Village, a regional integrated center for children with special health-care needs and their families, with multiple service providers all under one roof.