Hub Virtual Marathon for Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Hub wants to celebrate by virtually joining together Philipstown residents (and friends!) to commit to 26.2 miles over the month of May. So please join the Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub for the Hub Virtual Marathon for Mental Health - because MENTAL HEALTH IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT!

Last year the Hub Virtual Marathon was a huge success and through the hard work, sweat, and generosity of our community members, we were able to raise over $5,000! All of the proceeds go directly towards providing mental health and addiction resources to the residents of Philipstown, NY.  Since the outbreak of COVID-19 hit our region last March, the need for these services has increased.  Your participation in this virtual event will help the Hub work towards meeting the needs of our community while also encouraging you to move your body each day!

Register as an individual participant, a family unit, or register each member of your family separately to maximize your support of the Hub and opportunities to win prizes. This year you will also have the option to gather some of your friends to form your own teams! (Teams are purely for fun and don't affect individual results.)

Several studies have shown that running can improve mental health by decreasing symptoms of depression, alleviating anxiety, enhancing sleep, and increasing creativity.  Studies also suggest that running can help curb drug and alcohol cravings and mitigate brain damage from substance abuse.  By committing to moving your body once a day throughout the month of May you are committing to investing in your mental health.

The goal of this event is to run, walk, hike, or swim 26.2 miles over the month of May. Just like with mental health, not every day will go as planned. It's okay if you miss a day of running/walking, just add it to another day! We hope this will help encourage healthy rhythms as a community. 

Feeling competitive? Walk, run, hike, or swim a mile a day for 26 days, log your best mile each day, and then be eligible for prizes in the following category:

Fastest total marathon time - Individual (by gender and by age group: 13 and under, 14-20, 20-30, 30-39, 40-49, 50+)Fastest total marathon time - FamilyMost improved mile time (comparing your mile time on Day 1 with your mile time on Day 26)

Prizes will be gift cards to local Philipstown businesses!

A private Facebook group will be available for all Hub Virtual Marathon for Mental Health participants to connect, encourage, and support each other throughout this event.  You can help reduce the shame and stigma associated with mental health and substance abuse by taking a post-run picture each week and posting it to social media tagging the Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub and using #HubMarathon.  Prizes and recognition will be given to race participants at random who post a picture tagging the Philipstown Behavioral Health Hub and using #HubMarathon