Fit and Healthy Mamas Inc. hosts 5K
Runners of all athletic levels huddled around the bananas, bagels and apples, on Saturday, Sept. 29, when families came together to participate in the Healthy Mom 5K race. Companies that sponsored this inaugural 5K included Sprigs, Organic Cravings, Kaitie Monda, Cleansing Concepts, Power Ice, Yoga Rocks, and Parents R Talking.
The hour-long event kicked off in Field 5 at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. The field was filled with supporters and participants, expressing a collective appreciation for mothers, as well as full support for leading a healthy and active lifestyle.
Melissa Monteforte, a health and nutrition coach as well as an avid runner, is the founder of Fit and Healthy Mamas Inc. Her vision organizing this race was in effort to bring families together. She told Anton Newspapers that nutrition and being active are the first two steps that bring a person closer to living a healthy lifestyle. She said these were just a couple of the reasons why the race was created.
Although this was the first year for the “Moms Run For Health” event, Monteforte already hopes that it becomes an annual event for families to get together.
From its inception, the race began generating positive response with about 100 pre-race registrants. On the day of the 5K, runners, joggers, and walkers, even as young as 12 years old arrived, ready to run. Monteforte told Anton News that about 130 people completed the run.
One of the run participants included sponsor Kaitlin Monda of Kaitie Monda Graphic Designs, who says she is a big fan of not only Fit and Healthy Mamas Inc., but also of the message that the race sends.
“I think her [Monteforte’s] company is great; I’m 23, so I’m not a mom yet, nor do I plan on getting there quite yet, but although her company gears itself toward mothers,” said Monda enthusiastically, “It doesn’t shy away from welcoming everyone.”
Yoga Rocks, another one of the event sponsors, led a five-minute pre-race stretch and a post-race stretch. Following the race, many of the sponsors, including Gaia’s Essence, shared samples and things from their product lines for runners to purchase, to celebrate their race finale.
“Any step toward health is a step in the right direction,” said Monteforte. The impressive turnout for the Healthy Mom 5K Race showed this was a widespread belief.”
