Marathon Monday: Iris Pegeron

“Fitness has always been a big part of my identity. I started running back in middle school and fell in love with sprinting. In high school, I was on the varsity track team, competing in major meets like the Penn Relays and New Balance Nationals. After high school, life got busy and I drifted away from running—but during the pandemic, everything shifted. With gyms closed, I started running again just to clear my head—first around the neighborhood, then eventually along Chicago’s lakefront.

In 2024, I completed the Chicago Half Marathon sponsored by HOKA—and this year, I’m taking on the full Chicago Marathon for the first time. I’ll be running it alongside my partner, both of us supporting Special Children’s Charities—a cause that holds deep meaning for me and my family.

I’m dedicating every mile to my nephew, Cory Orlando Ruffin. Cory was born at just 26 weeks, weighing 2 pounds. On his second day of life, he stopped breathing and needed 20 minutes of CPR. That moment changed everything. He developed lung complications, lost sight in one eye, and was later diagnosed with Dandy-Walker Malformation, a rare brain condition that affects movement and development.

Today, Cory is a thriving 6-year-old. He uses a trach to breathe and a G-tube to eat, and while he can’t walk, sit, or talk—he has the biggest personality in the room. He loves music, soft basketballs, scary movies, and playing with his siblings. If you walk past him, he might try to trip you with his foot just to get a laugh. And when he laughs, everyone laughs.

I chose Special Children’s Charities because their mission—to enhance the quality of life for children and adults with developmental disabilities—mirrors what running gives me: strength, confidence, and connection. Supporting this organization is my way of honoring Cory and helping more kids like him experience joy and opportunity.”