Today is Global Running Day, a time to celebrate running and everyone who runs — and to inspire others to join us.

This year’s holiday is more sacred and serious to me than it has ever been as I think about how I am marking the occassion.

Brooks Running recently challenged runners everywhere to Run it Forward today by pledging miles to our community, environment or people we love. When I first read about the challenge last month, I knew immediately who I’d be running for and how I would support my community.

I just wish my reason was different.

Two weeks ago today, I started receiving strange text messages from friends while on a plane for a business trip. They were asking generic questions like, “Hi, how are you doing,” which struck me as rather odd. I quickly learned they were checking to make sure I was still alive.

From my seat on the plane, tears streamed down my face as I pieced together emerging news articles and closed Facebook posts sharing the unthinkable. A 24-year-old mom was pushing her 21-month-old daughter across Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa’s most beautiful and popular street for walking and running. It is five continuous miles along the water, and it is part of nearly every route I run.

Just before noon, several recent high school graduates were car racing down the street as this beautiful mom, Jessica Raubenolt, and her daughter Lillia were crossing the road. One of the vehicles hit the mom and baby going 102 miles per hour, sending the stroller flying and instantly killing Jessica. Her baby Lillia died the next day.

I cannot put into words the intense sadness and despair I have felt for this beautiful family. They were visiting friends in Tampa, and now they will never return home together. I have cried countless tears. I have tried to imagine how that father and husband has possibly been coping. I have thought of that young woman’s mom.

And I know it easily could have been me.

I run on this street every week. It is where I push Baby rUnladylike when we run. I have stood with my daughter in her running stroller at a legal crosswalk in between the north and south lanes. I share the same first name with this mother and my baby is just four months younger than her precious daughter was. I cannot stop thinking about what happened.

This unbelieveable tragedy has spurred our community into action. Moms across the city have been talking to local policymakers and leaders about real solutions to make this and other streets like it safer. I, too, am taking action by running it forward today for Jessica Raubenolt and her daughter Lillia and dedicating our 12 Months of Kindness Project for June to this family.

Baby rUnladylike and I ran four miles on the road where this mother and daughter were killed this morning, running to the site of her memorial and pausing to honor their lives and pray for their family. I could see the memorial site about 100 yards before we reached it, and my entire body felt like it was going to fail me. My chest tightened and tears flowed from my eyes. Being in that spot and imagining the horor of what happened was beyond overwhelming.

After we returned home, we donated $25 per mile for a total of $100 to the fundraising page that was set up to help their family. If you’d like to support this family, you can join me in doing so here. Nearly $90,000 and counting has been raised in two week’s time.

Whether it is today or later this month, I hope you will join me in the Brooks Run It Forward challenge to dedicate your miles to something bigger than yourself. I hope you will also run a mile for Jessica and Lillia and hug your own families even tighter than usual.