A Hudson Valley runner is hitting the pavement this April for a great cause.

When it comes to running, many have a love-hate relationship with the activity. But one Hudson Valley runner is going the extra miles for a great cause and to show her community some love.

Mel Couture and her family moved to Verbank in Dutchess County from Montreal back in 2017. Now 5 years later Couture is saying 'thank you' to her adoptive community. On Facebook Couture wrote:

Moving to another country can be challenging, but when you happen to end up in an amazingly supportive community, it’s a charm. This is exactly what happened to my family in 2017 when we moved from Montreal (QC, Canada) to Verbank (NY, USA). After 5 years of living here, I decided that it was now time for me to give back to our adoptive community.

How will Mel be giving back? Well she'll be running...100 miles. It's called "Mel's 100 Miles for 100 Smiles." She continues:

On April 2nd, I am planning on running 100 miles on the Town of Washington Recreation running track to raise money for the Ryan McElroy Children’s Cancer Foundation, and on the same occasion, I’ll try to inspire people of all ages to get active for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

We reached out to Couture and she said "This is a 100% pay it forward event and the ultimate running challenge for me." Couture, who is a part of the Eastern Dutchess Road Runners club, will be raising funds for the Ryan McElroy Fund which supports children and families in our community who are battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

You can donate to Mel's 100 Miles for 100 Smiles on GoFundMe.

If you'd like to join Mel on her run, you're more than welcomed. Mel said:

I'm also trying to inspire people to stay active. So I invite everyone that day to come run with me or enjoy the entertainment on site.

Mel is working with local sponsors to have donated products raffled through the events Facebook page which you can find here. For more details and to follow along on Mel's 100 mile journey, check out 100miles_for_100smiles on Instagram.

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