I am thrilled to share that I am running the Chicago Marathon this fall for the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. Thanks to many shared miles and encouragement from those closest to me, I am #stoked to be taking on this distance while also raising money for an incredibly worthy organization. It would mean the world to have your support as I embark on this journey, and I hope to keep you all updated as the year progresses. To learn more about why I've chosen to represent the Girl Scouts read on!

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I loved the Girl Scouts growing up. I joined the Girl Scouts as a Brownie, eventually 'crossing the bridge' to Juniors before I finished out my years with my troop. From cookie sales to learning the value of teamwork and perseverance through troop activities, my experience in the organization provided an outlet for me to succeed.

My time with the organization was something I cherished. I was in a troop with my best friends. We did cooking classes and campouts, and my mom served as Troop leader for a few years. However, I always personally thrived during cookie season - where I got to compete with myself to see how much better I could do than the previous year. Though Girl Scout Cookies Sales and marathon running are not exactly the same, I would argue that there are certainly some parallels. I loved setting a goal for myself, building a plan, and executing it. I now see this as an instrumental part in the foundation that turned me into someone who believes she can run a marathon.

As I got older, the Girl Scouts were planted firmly in my rear view mirror (other than when I needed to track down a cookie booth for my Samoa fix). However, after committing to a college where I knew no one, on a soccer team where I was not very good at all, I began to struggle with my confidence and finding true friends. Once again, the Girl Scouts gave me an outlet.

I had decided to rush a sorority, and it was the sorority with a partnership with Girl Scouts where I found my new 'home.' Throughout my time as a Kappa Delta, I watched my own confidence grow while also supporting Girl Scouts Heart of the South, particularly through hosting college readiness workshops and assisting with cookie sales. Those experiences reinforced my belief in the transformative power of Girl Scouts, and the importance of providing girls with the tools they need to succeed and grow. And it was through all of these experiences that I developed self-belief, confidence, and resilience—qualities that have guided me throughout my life - and certainly in endurance running.

Running for Girl Scouts of GCNWI in the Chicago Marathon is truly an honor. I want to help raise support for an organization that has given so much to me and countless other girls, empowering them to be confident, strong, and resilient in every aspect of their lives.