Why is running important to me?

I began running in 2016,  initially to improve my physical health--at 16, the scale tipped 185 pounds! My mental wellbeing began deteriorating as embarrassment set in. I knew very little about fitness and even less about the gym; I was too intimidated by peers who seemed to have it all figured out. There was one place, though, where I ran free--the forest behind my house. I began running in a safe space familiar to me. I recall glimmers of sun dancing through the canopy, the unique feel of the duff beneath my feet, and the distinct serenades of the forest the fueled my early jogs. 

Over time, I began to fall in love with running. In the woods I was uninhibited. And while I began to shed pounds, more importantly-and somewhat unexpectedly-my  mental health  improved with every run. As my confidence grew and my runs ventured new paths through neighborhoods and parks, I began to notice fellow runners all around me. I even joined my high school's track and field team! I continued running socially throughout and beyond college until I discovered marathons. Today, I've turned my love of running into a community endeavor to create greater good in the world. Since 2024, every marathon is a new opportunity to leverage a beloved activity to generate greater good in our world. I am currently working towards the majors--8 races across the globe considered to be the premier marathons. Join me in the journey; your support creates immense good--one dollar, one step, and one race at a time! 

In 2024, a colleague overheard my desire to run the 8 major races across the world. She asked me if I’d considered running  for charity. And while I hadn’t, I shared that I’d just lost a close friend to cancer. Without missing a beat, she invited me to run the Chicago marathon (2024) for a charity dear to her heart: Imerman Angels—a nonprofit connecting survivors (mentors) with those battling cancer. Since then, I’ve transformed a personal running goal into a mechanism for greater good. I remain grateful every day for my unique gift of an able body that allows me to rally a community of support even if, and especially when, those in need cannot.