Hi everyone. I'm Kate Monteiro and, if you know me, you know that I really do not love running. You also know that I moved to Texas a few years ago after living my whole life in New England. Because of this, you *also* know that I'll probably mention how hot it is down here pretty regularly. Because it is.

Which is why you know that I must be serious about supporting a cause when I say I am embarking on "100 in the 100s". That's right: I'm running 100 miles when Austin regularly exceeds 100F during the day.

I'm doing this to raise money for Girls Gotta Run, an incredible group that keeps girls and young women in school through distance running scholarships in Ethiopia.

In Ethiopia, nearly 1 in 5 girls are not in school. Issues facing girls include early marriage, early pregnancy, sexual assault, child labor, food insecurity, and conflict. The news cycle rarely covers the Ethiopian Civil Conflict, but its threat to Ethiopian women is extreme. The Guardian's recent article is disturbing proof.

Will you sponsor my run? Every contribution, big or small, makes a real impact. Perhaps a certain amount for every mile I suffer through down here? Did I mention how hot it is yet?

If you can’t donate right now, sharing this fundraiser is also incredibly helpful. Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. It means the world to me, and to Girls Gotta Run.

I'm aiming to record my miles on Strava (https://strava.app.link/1oDjqdMg0Ub). Follow the suffering and hilarity on Instagram: kd.monteiro