Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!
This November, I will be running the TCS New York City Marathon alongside Team for Kids. Every donation goes towards youth fitness programs - helping kids build confidence, stay active, and develop healthy habits.
I feel beyond blessed to have all of the emotions: fear, excitement, and everything in between.
Below, I have written out my full story and a little more into what this means to me. If interested, I would love to share my journey with you :)
My love for athletics started at a young age. Sports gave me friendships, confidence, an outlet, and (most importantly) a passion. As I got older, I began to push myself to more competitive levels, working overtime just to stand out. I was experiencing the thrill of my hard work paying off, but often without listening to my body or its limits.
By 16, the recklessness caught up with me and so did the injuries. I was experiencing constant and severe leg pain and had to leave the sports I loved. Following months of extensive tests and extreme discomfort, I was diagnosed with 3 rare conditions: chronic exertional compartment syndrome, entrapment syndrome of the popliteal artery, and amplified pain syndrome (all of which having no direct fix).
At 17, I had to accept that my relationship with athletics, and the future I had pictured for myself, was going to look very different. It was one of the hardest experiences of my life, but through the unwavering support of the people around me and the grace of God, it also shaped so much of who I am today.
Six years later, I still feel the injuries, but I’ve learned that with a healthier approach, they don’t have to keep me from living an active life.
In April 2025, I completed my first 10-mile race (something I once wasn’t sure my body would ever allow me to do again). A year later, I completed my second 10-miler and began training for the NYCM 2026!
That journey is a huge part of why running the New York City Marathon with Team for Kids means so much to me. I get to pursue a passion I once thought I had lost, all while raising money to give kids the opportunity, resources, and support to discover what being active can bring to their own lives.
Not only do we need physical activity and healthy habits to experience the life we are meant to live, but we also need the support to know when it’s time to rest, the access to care when needed, and the encouragement to get back out there. Team for Kids supports the children who may not have access to the resources they need to thrive, the training for those who lead them, and the opportunity they need to be kids!
I’m doing this not because I have to, but because I GET to.
November 1st is approaching quickly! I deeply appreciate and all support, and thank you for reading my story.
