These are the thoughts of a group of young women who have participated in the Omid mindfulness and strength-training program in Afghanistan this year, and wanted to share their experience.

Like many, we’ve had marathons on our minds lately at Free to Run, and we’re thrilled to share some inspiring news with you.

October 27 marked a momentous day as 43 dedicated runners participated in the Erbil Marathon in Iraq. The team had trained diligently all year, eagerly awaiting the chance to test their limits across various distances at the event.

Free to Run will continue offering hyper-local programming in Afghanistan, despite new policy announcements by the Taliban that ban women from attending work at NGOs. Girls’ and young women of Afghanistan need mental/physical health support through embodied experience more than ever.

A new opportunity to bring joy and reprieve to Afghan girls in crisis through physical activity

Free to Run, the film, has just been released by The North Face and we’re incredibly proud to share this with our entire community. It documents the dramatic journey of Zeinab and Zahra - two leaders from our program who left Afghanistan as the Taliban took control of the country. The film also captures Stephanie’s emotional journey leading the evacuations of our team members and then racing in a 450K ultra just a few short weeks later.

Six months ago, in August 2021 , Free to Run faced its toughest race yet. You, our global community, rose to support us. Your generosity and kind messages encouraged us through some of the longest nights and darkest hours any of our staff can recall. We are so thankful and would like to share updates on where a few of our evacuated Afghan staff are today, despite losing their homeland and possessions, as a result of that support.

Free to Run began seven years ago as an ‘impossible’ idea. Women and girls running outside in areas of conflict seemed crazy to many. I wasn't even sure if it would work. The challenges seemed insurmountable at times, but the voices of the women and girls, for whom Free to Run was designed, could not be ignored. In many ways, 2021 felt like we were returning to those impossible early times.

Earlier this year, 9 of our participants in Iraq experienced their first-ever hiking and camping expedition to the village of Hartel in a mountainous district near Lake Dukan in Iraq.

Zahra, a Free to Run alumni and former Community Development Leader in Afghanistan, is running the New York City Marathon in November in support of the organization. This is her story…

Come race in solidarity with our participants in the second annual Free to Run Virtual Race! Show your support for the women and girls in our programs in Afghanistan and Iraq by running alongside them virtually this November.

The Free to Run team are currently regrouping after the most chaotic month imaginable. We wanted to update you on the latest developments.