Alison Mariella Désir initially planned to run 252 miles from New York City to Washington D.C. with four other women, arriving on Inauguration Day, and raising money for Planned Parenthood in the process. She invited women to join them on the journey, too. Well, so many women emailed her saying they wanted in that Désir changed the run into a relay. She will now leave from Harlem at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and arrive on the National Mall on Saturday morning for the Women’s March.
If you’re interested in participating, you can sign up to run a four-mile leg next to Désir and company along the route through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and into D.C. (the list of legs is here, along with safety tips). She and the core group will run the whole thing, “hopping in and out of a van for our legs and sleeping on the road.”
She notes on GoFundMe that they’re looking for more runners in Delaware and Maryland, though if the spot you want is taken you can still run in a group. If you don’t live near the route or just can’t make it there, Désir also suggests organizing a solidarity run on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday using the hashtag #Run4AllWomen.
Beyond the outpouring of physical support, the campaign has raised close to $35,000 in one week.
