After two years of not being able to run in person, the Right to Run race returned to the historic town where it all started. Participants gathered to honor the women contributing to the women’s rights movement, empowering the women of today.

Celebrating the 19th Amendment, the Right to Run event served as a reminder of the difficulty it took for women to obtain their right to vote. And it started in Seneca Falls, the birthplace of the women’s right convention.

“This is our hometown to me and the women's rights movement was always very big in our school curriculum,” racer Kathleen Treat said. “I grew up with five sisters and three brothers and it was always something we talked about. We just loved everything about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. [We] dressed up as them for holidays, for Halloween. It’s just been a big part of our lives.”

“Coming to Seneca Falls and running this race and going through the Women's Rights Park and the Women's Hall of Fame, it reminds us of how important it is not to forget that there's still a long way to go for us,” racer Missy Rosenberry said. “This is fun, it’s hard but every time I took a step and wanted to stop, it is like remember what you’re running for.”

Many participants find challenges that are still occurring today.

“There’s still too much division,” racer Denise Murray said. “And that's kind of frustrating and kind of sad, we're taking almost equal steps backward. And that's a concern for me now, for my daughters, for upcoming generations [and] for everybody. I don't want to I don't want to see the country backsliding, having respect for those that came before us and fighting for women's rights. You know, myself as a woman and my daughters, everybody deserves equality and a voice to be heard.”

Aside from accomplishing the race, participants gained a sense of pride from the event as well.

“I feel accomplished,” Rosenberry said. “Like after every race, I feel accomplished. But I feel especially good for doing this, for something that I really feel strongly about. You know, I do a lot of races, but this one is very important to me.”

Funding from the event will be able to contribute to bigger projects in the making to highlight women within the community.

“The main overall mission of this race is to help benefit the Women's Walk of Fame,” community event coordinator Rick Newman said. “We've identified women of distinction in certain categories and businesses in downtown Seneca Falls mostly women-owned for the first installment and we'll be placing bronze plaques that honor these women in the sidewalk in Seneca Falls to create a walk of fame similar to that of Hollywood.”

As organizers anticipate more events like this to come, racers walk away with the biggest win of all.

“One small step adds to bigger steps, never stop trying, no matter how small or how big,” Murray said. “I can't change the world, but I can change my corner of the world and make it the best that I can for myself and my family and friends.”