Running To Give Back
Some of our runners joined Withum 300 to stay or get in shape. Others did it to hold themselves accountable. Or because they have a genuine passion for running. And then some participate for the sense of community — joining together with the purpose of hitting a common goal. With around 250 participants, it’s not surprising that several motivations exist. In this month’s guest blog entry, Brooke Morgan, a Marketing Coordinator in our Philadelphia office, tells us how it wasn’t a love of running that got her involved in the group — it was the opportunity to help others.
I started with Withum in August of 2016 after leaving a job at a company I had grown very comfortable at. My job search began the same way any professional’s would in the 21st century: scouring the internet, specifically LinkedIn, for opportunities on a daily basis. When I came across a job posting at Withum, I did a background investigation of the firm because I had heard of the Withum name but didn’t know enough about the firm culture. In doing this research, I found that Withum was rated one of the best places to work in a majority of the cities that it had offices in. The reasons for why it deserves that accolade is extensive, but the one that stuck out to me the most was its devotion to give back. And with this discovery, I knew I had to apply for that job.
Growing up, I watched my parents find joy in giving back to others. Whether they know it or not, they raised me on the notion that when you are given many blessings, you must find ways to bless others in return, no matter how small. It is a lesson that has stuck with me since I was little and I have no intention of forgetting it any time soon.
After officially starting at Withum, I began to learn about all of the company’s initiatives I had read about when researching the firm. I loved that the firm had created ways to not only give back to the surrounding communities, but also the team members it employs. When I learned about the Withum 300 and how the firm was willing to match fifty cents to every mile run by participants with an overall goal of donating the funds to the Staff Hardship Relief Fund, I didn’t hesitate to sign up. Okay, that’s a lie. I did a little.
Running has never been one of my favorite activities and I won’t pretend that it will become one in the future. I would be lying if I said I was not a little intimidated to participate in the initiative when I heard at Withum’s State of the Firm in January that nine people ran over 1,000 miles in 2016. I’m not sure I have run 1,000 miles in my entire life! Then I read the Withum 300 blog and was relieved to find that not everyone who participates gets that “runner’s high” every time they hit the treadmill. For me, running has always just been a way to stay in shape, to get my 10,000 Fitbit steps in, or one of the ways to get the universally suggested minimum of 30 minutes of cardio in every day.
Since starting with the Withum 300, it doesn’t take nearly as much will-power to motivate me to run. I surprisingly want to push myself to run that extra mile every day just because I know that it will help me live up to my parents’ and my personal expectation of helping others. And what better way to give back than to my Withum team members who I may not even know are suffering from a tragedy? Are there days I come home and don’t want to run? Of course! If that is the case, I cut myself some slack and elliptical or power walk instead, just as long as I am getting my miles in. And if I miss a day due to a previous commitment, I make sure that I make up for it on the days that I do run.
From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.
Arthur Ashe
If you aren’t participating in the Withum 300 but are able to run, I encourage you to join us on this yearly journey even if you do not enjoy running. Not only will it lead to a healthy heart and overall lifestyle, it will lead to a joyful one as well!
