This will be my second marathon, following my completion of the Prague Marathon in May 2026. I've also run the Brooklyn Half Marathon as well as several 5Ks and 10Ks and have been running consistently for the past two and a half years. What started as just training has turned into something I genuinely love: the discipline of it, and even more, the community.

Running the NYC Marathon this year means so much to me because of the moment I'm in. It's my senior year of college, and I can't think of a better way to cap off this chapter than tackling my bucket-list marathon. While I grew up in Colorado, I was born in Brooklyn and go to school just north of the city, so New York has always held a special place in my heart. The chance to push myself alongside thousands of others through the greatest city in the world is what pulled me in.

Running for EHTP and the EHSA community connects directly to something my family has cared about my whole life. Both of my parents have spent decades working in education, focused on expanding access to quality education and charter schools. Growing up around that work showed me firsthand how much a good education can change the trajectory of a life. I've also had the chance to work with nonprofits focused on college access for youth across NYC, so getting to run in support of an organization that's been doing this work at the highest level for over fifty years means the world to me. Every mile I run this fall will be for the students and families EHTP serves.