Back in November of 2022, I started running.

I gave myself permission to be terrible at something (which I most definitely was) and just accepted the beginner mindset like any good yogi or athlete should. Since then, I've done the Rotterdam 10K twice, started a medal collection and done 3 half-marathons in 3 countries. It's been a wild ride! Running and this new mindset empowered me to make massive changes in my life and become the best version of myself. Running has given me so much and now I want to give back.

This year, I became an Ambassador for Free to Run, a small women-run organisation that organises training and group runs for girls in Iraq and Afghanistan. The goal of these trainings is not to achieve athletic excellence but to empower young women through sports. We regularly have calls with the teams on location and the participants, their stories touch your heart. If you want to learn more about the history and the mission of Free to Run, check out this video.

Curious about what a donation means? Well, let me break it down for you

- $7 is a week's worth of water and nutrition for a runner at a training session.

- $15 is the entry fee of one runner to the Erbil Marathon which the athletes spend months training for.

- $25 means one runner gets the gear they'll wear at training or race.

- $33 makes it so 3 young women can join the annual Free To Run camping trip which for many is their first time away from home.

- $79 goes towards one Iraqi girl joining a running+leadership program for an entire month.

- $115 gives a group of young women access to a secret weeklong strength and resilience program in Afghanistan.

To find out more about Free to Run, you can check out their website here.

Like I said before, running has given me so much and I know what it is giving these young women who don't have the privilege we do to move our bodies in a safe environment. I want to give them a chance and I hope you want to do the same.