“I’m so honored and excited to be running the Chicago Marathon in support of Special Children’s Charities! As an adoptive mom who also works in the foster care/adoption nonprofit world, SCC has a special place in my heart – every child has a place to belong.

I’ve never been a “runner” – always last in the dreaded mile run in elementary school and younger me didn’t really understand why people would do this for fun. Fast forward a few decades and life brought 7 moves in the past 8 years, an international adoption during the pandemic, the adjustment to life as a new mom, and some personal hurdles. So, I turned to running as an outlet – I vividly remember the first morning I laced up my shoes – and I’ve never looked back. Slowly but surely, I found a love for this sacred time – just me, the pavement, and fresh air. I began to crave the miles and I started to entertain the idea of a full marathon. Now a Nashvillian, I used to live in Chicago on mile 9 of the course and told myself if I ever ran a marathon, the first one has to be Chicago.

And well, here we are! Training for this race has been grueling during the hot, humid, hilly Nashville summer days, yet along the way, I’ve found confidence, strength, and a newfound belief in myself. I’m often in awe of what my body has accomplished so far, and I hope along the way, my son is learning that we can do hard things, we can overcome obstacles, and we can do it with love and a smile.

I’m anxiously awaiting October 11th and cannot wait to run through my favorite city supporting such an incredible organization.”