Overview

This second annual Mother Earth/Sacred Water Trail Marathon goes along the Missouri River in Greenwood South Dakota. It was set up to honor the Lakota people who live on the Yankton Reservation, and the run coincides with the annual Sun Dance ceremony. The goals of the Mother Earth Run are:

1. to promote health and wellness to a community that is poor and suffers the consequences of a poor diet;

1. to promote the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota language as part of the race effort. The language is currently on the World’s endangered languages list as “critically-endangered.” Teresa is a linguist, phD, and educator.

2. to establish a race that can grow and be a source of pride for the reservation, and to promote an understanding of the history of the Lakota/Nakota and Dakota people. This history is not well known.

One World Running distributes shoes in many countries, and puts on races in several. As with our other runs, the 2014 Mother Earth Trail Half Marathon is designed to continue for a long time and to provide a way for the local community to connect, and for volunteers to learn about a new culture.

This race is unique in that it coincidences with the Sun Dance, a ceremony that embodies the philosophy of the Lakota people. Runners are welcome to come and participate. There are also dances going on this weekend.

2013 was the first Mother Earth Run, and involved much work in setting up the course along the Missouri River. The race course goes along the Missouri River. As with the inaugural race, One World Running provides shoes, socks, bibs, bags, shirts and medals to the runners and volunteers.

Free camping is available; the Fort Randall Casino Hotel, 605-487-7871 is near the dance site and race course, and fills up quickly.

Event's current local time: 5:11 AM CT