London, ON: Western Mustangs are hosting a Track and Field 50km Virtual Run Challenge to raise money to create a Black, Indigenous and Racialized student athlete scholarship for the Mustangs Track and Field program. 

In the upcoming month of March 2021, the Western Mustangs Track and Field team will be hosting a 50km Virtual Run Challenge! Individuals are challenged to run, walk, bike (or any method of choice) 50 km in support of raising money to create a scholarship for the Mustangs Track and Field Program. 

March will also (hopefully) be the start of spring in Ontario, so it is the perfect month to go outside to get some fresh air and exercise. The Western Mustangs Track and Field team encourages everyone to reach out to friends and family for support for this exciting event, which will not only benefit the team, but offer physical and mental health benefits to all those who participate. And to top it off, all registered participants that reach the 50km mark will be entered into a draw to win various prizes. There's also a reward for the person that raises the most money. Visit the website for more information: 2021 — Western Mustangs Track and Field 50km Virtual Run Challenge — Race Roster — Registration, Marketing, Fundraising

Because of the ongoing pandemic, the run will be held virtually, so there will be no need for a large gathering and participants can run at their own pace and on their own time.

Although they are disappointed to not be able to host an in-person event, there are some benefits to a virtual run as stated by assistant coach of the team, Derrick Johnston. "The biggest benefit of a virtual run/challenge, is that we don't have to set up an actual course. This would require a large team and a lot of hours of planning and managing on the day of an event. With the event being virtual, there is a much smaller team of people managing the back end of the platform. We are fortunate to be working with RaceRoster on this. They are based right here in London and one of the co-founders, Brandon Laan, is a former Western Mustang!"

This event has been planned to help fundraise to raise money for new scholarships for Black, Indigenous or Racialized student athlete(s) on the Track & Field Team. This was decided through discussions with coach Vickie Croley, Daniella Castello, the teams' Equity and Inclusion Captain: student athlete and major force behind the creation of this event and scholarship, and Dory Mounsey, Senior Development Officer for Western Mustangs Athletics. 

Current student athletes on the team are excited for these new scholarships: "I am lucky to be part of a team that is incredibly diverse and celebrates this diversity. It was not long ago that racialized groups were prohibited from participating in sport altogether. This scholarship is a great way to continue to diversify our team and to provide the opportunity to participate in a sport to as many people as possible," current Track and Field team member Sophia Beraldo told us.

Antonina Struminski, a fourth year student who has been a part of the team since 2017 also stressed the importance of supporting the Black, Indigenous and Racialized student athlete community with this scholarship and event. "When my father was a student at Western, no one would rent to him because of the colour of his skin. Over twenty years later, I have racialized peers who have gone to see a listing and after meeting the renter been informed that the place is no longer for rent. We still have a long way to go, but this event is a way to show our support for Black, Indigenous, and Racialized student athletes and shows the commitment that the Track and Field program has to creating an equitable and inclusive space."

Sophia Beraldo, a third year student in Media, Information and Technoculture (MIT), and Hannah Rudin, a first year student in Social Science (Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies, BMOS), are currently both the top fundraisers of this event, having currently raised over $700 each. The overall goal for this fundraiser is to raise $10,000, and they are very pleased that $3,700 was raised in the first week.

Beraldo has expressed her gratitude to her family for their support in this event. "I am very passionate about the initiative; I think the scholarship is an incredible opportunity and I am fortunate that my family feels the same way. I have a few Western grads in my family who see the same value in this fundraiser as I do and have been very generous with donations."

Rudin has also expressed her appreciation towards her family's support. "I am lucky to have a big and generous family. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have always been very generous with me and were very willing to donate to this good cause and support my efforts."

Both students feel excited about this virtual event.

Although Rudin understands that it may be challenging to complete the run on her own, she is motivated knowing that her team is also completing the same goal. Rudin also feels that the virtual event is still a great opportunity amidst the pandemic. "Right now, virtual events are the only option, so we have to make the best of it. I would rather participate in a virtual event than have no events at all. It's important for our team to work together to meet our goals and raise money."

Beraldo is also quite optimistic that the virtual event will be rewarding. "Many people are having a hard time staying motivated towards reaching their fitness goals. With gyms under strict restrictions and winter in full swing, exercising can seem daunting. Therefore, keeping each other accountable through a virtual run is a great way of promoting activity. While a virtual run may not be accessible to everyone, it has the potential to reach a wider variety of individuals" 

Beraldo further states that the overall virtual efforts of sport teams this year has helped her stay connected. "A virtual event is a great opportunity to stay connected throughout a really difficult time. I have been living with my family at home rather than in London this year, so I have been training predominantly on my own. This has not been easy. However, our team has been great about staying connected and motivating each other whether it be through virtual core sessions or game nights! While an in-person race would have been very fun, I think that a virtual event is a great substitute."

Registration will be open for this event from Feb 14-28, with the event taking place throughout March: https://raceroster.com/events/2021/38102/western-mustangs-track-and-field-50km-virtual-run-challenge