“Last year I went from barely running 2 miles to finishing the NYC Marathon. Honestly, I did not enjoy running before that. It took a lot of discipline and pushing through some really uncomfortable moments, but I did it, and that meant everything to me. What I didn’t expect was how much that discipline would carry over into other parts of my life. Showing up when things get hard has become something I can actually do now, not just something I aspire to. Now I’m taking on Chicago, and while the training hasn’t been as smooth this time around, this cause makes it worth showing up anyway.

This time, I’m running with Bri, my college roommate. Even though we’re in different cities now (she’s in Boston and I’m in NYC), training for this marathon together has kept us close and given us a mutual goal to work towards across state lines. It’s been one of those unexpected gifts that comes from committing to something hard.

I’m running with Special Children’s Charities, which has been working since 1969 to create inclusion and opportunity for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods. Having spent time as a middle school teacher, and having people in my life with different abilities, I’ve seen firsthand how much it matters for everyone to have the resources and space to thrive. That’s exactly what this organization provides and it’s why this one feels personal.”