My name is Alexander Lum, and I was born and raised in New York City. Growing up in Brooklyn, my Sundays were spent in Chinatown - visiting my grandparents on Eldridge Street, going to piano school, and watching teenagers play handball across the street from my grandparents’ apartment. Though I grew up in Brooklyn, Chinatown has always felt like home. My parents were raised there, and it became a bridge connecting our past and present. Even today, Chinatown continues to be a big part of my life. I still play basketball at Columbus Park with the Chinatown crew, eat dim sum with friends and family, and occasionally walk by my grandparents’ old apartment, reminiscing about my childhood. I’ll admit - I have a love/hate relationship with running. I started running to impress a girl, who later became my wife. She inspired me to run the NYC Half Marathon, the Brooklyn Half Marathon (three times...), and even the Berlin Marathon. And now, she's inspired me to take on the NYC Marathon. I’m proud to be running for the NYC Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club. This is more than just a marathon - it's a way for me to give back to a community that helped shape my parents and myself. I want to represent where I come from and help pay it forward, just as Chinatown has helped shape who I am today.