Kilometres of Friendship & Fun (AWA Running Group), by Keri Matwick
As an American women’s organization, we celebrate the friendships and relationships we have with other women. Besides running with friends, running with family members, especially daughters, is rewarding and creates unique experiences.
In this season of Mother’s Day, we feature a mother-daughter pair who run together, Katy and Maggie Matvey. Moving from Hong Kong to Singapore in 2022, Katy soon joined the AWA and Running Group. Maggie joins the group when off-season from her varsity track and cross-country season at Singapore American School.
Katy:
When did you start running? I started running in high school and was on the cross country and track teams. I have continued to run off and on over the many years since then depending on where I was living, friends to run with and stage of life. Was your own mother a runner? My mom grew up before many women participated in athletics but I do remember her running for a few years when I was young - maybe just to get some time away from four young kids.
How did you get Maggie interested in running? I don’t know that I actively did anything to get Maggie interested in running. But she certainly always saw me running and came to cheer me on in some races when she was young and we did a few fun 5Ks together. Her running started a few years ago. She had been a competitive swimmer for many years but had decided she wanted to stop that sport. I encouraged her to find another sport to do for both physical and mental health benefits. She decided to join a running training program in Hong Kong. This was just as Covid was starting and we would often run together in the mornings before working/schooling from home. She has loved being on the Singapore American School cross country and track teams since moving here.
Maggie:
What's the best advice your mom gave you on running?
She didn't say this specifically for running but when I was doing competitive swimming she would say this when I was nervous about an upcoming race or meet: "What’s the worst thing that can happen?" It was more about just getting out there and giving it your best shot than worrying about the result.
For Katy and Maggie:
What are your favorite memories running together?
Katy - My favorite running memories are probably when we run while traveling. It is a great way to start the day and explore a new place whether it is along the river in Melbourne, loops around the hotel in Bali or around the lakes in Minneapolis.
Maggie - My favorite memories running with my mom are when we run together in a new place. Then it is more about going out for fun and exploring than doing a serious run. We share airpods so we can share music and sing along and just chat and have fun.
 | Keri is a linguist and teaches writing at Nanyang Technological University. When she’s not running with the AWA Running Group, Keri carries out research on food, language, and culture. To see her publications, go to kerimatwick.com |
 | Interested in having fun while running? Yes, it is possible! Join us Tuesdays at the Botanic Gardens. Then, explore new routes and see Singapore in a new light on Thursday and Saturday mornings. |
