Why I Run United: Tricia Sabra, Team Jeep

I’ve been running since I was twenty-two. When I started, I wasn’t a runner at all, but I wanted to stay in shape without the help of high school sports. I would run for 2-3 minutes and then walk for a minute.

People look at me running now and think they could never do that— but it took me twenty years to get here. At some point, you just have to start. Now, I run for my mental health. My kids know that everyone will be happier after mom has her run.

I first heard about Run United in 2017 while working at Stellantis. I wasn’t able to participate because of an injury. By 2018, I was ready to join Team Jeep. I continue to do it because I’ve really been able to utilize my network and raise a lot of money for kids.

With inflation, it’s difficult for people to put food on the table, let alone purchase school supplies. So, how do we lift each other up and allow kids to have the best chance for success? Our help in either donating money or school supplies goes a long way.

Last year for Run United, I ran 150 miles and raised over $2,000. Almost every year, I’ve been among the top 10 fundraisers. To encourage donations, I’ve made thank you signs. I’ve also posted how much I have left to get to my goal and asked my network to help me get to the finish line.

I love watching other people walk, run or bike on One Cause. It’s inspiring to see other people and realize that if they’re able to do it, I can too.

You can also see how many miles people ran and how much money they raised. I’m competitive, so when I see someone pass me up or put miles down, I’m motivated to get back up there in the rankings. A few of us on Team Jeep will email back and forth joking, ‘I just got above you, step it up!’ It’s just fun and friendly competition, because the kids are the ones winning!

On Team Jeep, we truly want to help each other. Every Friday, we meet to talk about our progress and fundraising ideas. It’s one of the meetings I look forward to the most during the week. We ask, how do we all get to the end goal? How can we help people get miles and fundraise? We come together to motivate and uplift each other.

United Way for Southeastern Michigan’s fifth annual Run United Virtual Marathon will support students in our region, helping them take on the school year with school supplies, books, and access to out-of-school time programming. Participants are challenged to log 26.4 miles from August 12th to September 13th. Through One Cause, friends, family and teammates can view their progress and virtually cheer them on.