Women Encouraged To Celebrate Their "Jiggle" At Weekend 5K
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ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) - A lot of people have resolved to be more active in the New Year. There are promises to exercise regularly and be more involved in the community. Well, there's an opportunity for women to do both those things tomorrow in Arlington.
It's a fun run, with a fun name! You've heard of the Jingle Bell Run that happens every December? The run Saturday is the Jiggle Butt Run!
The idea is for women to gather and "celebrate" their jiggle while supporting SafeHaven, a domestic violence resource center in Tarrant County. To date, the race has raised more than $120,000 for the organization.
Eleven years ago, three women were out for a morning run and talking about how good it felt to get together and catch up while exercising. At one point they joked that they should start their own 5K… and that's exactly what they did.
Jiggle Butt Run co-founder Mary Hibbs explained, "It was really out of the fact that, selfishly, we needed an 'out' after all the holidays, and the food and the people and the ongoing chaos. We needed a little break to get outside. So, we thought [we'll do it] after Christmas and the New Year.
The women have showed up each January – no matter the temperature outside. "Regardless of the cold, we've had 19-degree weather and we've had 82-degree weather… it is Texas, but the women continue to come," Hibbs said.
Organizers and participants say the event is about more than getting in shape. They say it shows the power of female friendships and promotes a healthy, positive attitude.
SafeHaven events coordinator Valerie Salter said the positive impact is palpable. "Being able to be a part of [an event that has] women helping women, and showing how very important it is for us as women to help each other."
Again, the race is for women only -- no men allowed, unless they're cheering from the sidewalk.
Online registration is over. Anyone interested can sign up at The Runner Shop in Arlington or sign up on site at the race tomorrow morning.
The Jiggle Butt Run will take place Saturday, January 7 at the E.H. Hereford University Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington. The center opens at 7:00 a.m., the pre-race warm up is at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K begins at 9:00 a.m.
The race is open to women of all ages, sizes and physical abilities… so novice and veteran runners alike will be there.
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