We are proud to run in support of International Animal Rescue (IAR). IAR saves animals from suffering, rehabilitates and releases them back into the wild, and protects their natural habitats. IAR aims to return animals to their true homes whenever possible, but also provides a permanent home for those that can no longer fend for themselves.

We are particularly passionate about the work IAR does because orangutans are our favorite animals! Orangutans are extremely intelligent, emotional creatures (sharing 96.4% of human genes), but sadly, are critically endangered.

These "red apes" are found only on the South Pacific islands of Borneo and Sumatra, which lose over 2.4 million acres of forest coverage each year to deforestation. As a result, orangutans have lost 80% of their habitat in the last two decades, and on average, 2,000 to 3,000 are killed each year. At this rate, experts estimate orangutans could be extinct in the wild in under 50 years.

Thank you so much for supporting this cause. Neither of us has run a race before, so this marathon is a serious undertaking, and we're really psyched to do it on behalf of IAR (and the animals they save). We've trained really hard together for the last year and a half, and we can't wait to share our results with y'all!