On an unremarkable day in the fall of 2013 I was feeling blue. Looking for a boost of endorphins I decided to dig through my closet, dust off an ancient pair of sneakers, and go for a run for the first time in my adult life. I don't really remember those earliest days of running (probably for the best) but by summer 2014 I'd decided to run a half marathon, which I did at Walt Disney World in February 2015. 

In June 2018 I ran my 10th half marathon. As of June 2021 that number is 13. And now, it's time to run "the big M" — a full marathon.

My joke has always been that I don’t want to run a marathon, I want to have run a marathon; I want the pride and excitement that comes from completing the goal. The months of hard work training for and then running the race? Maybe a little less enticing, if I’m being honest. 

And so I’ve never pursued entry into any of the many excellent marathons available to casual runners. Even Disney hosts a full marathon! But being raised in the Boston suburbs and having resided in Boston proper since 2011, I’ve always felt that if I was ever going to go for the big M it would have to be Boston: the world’s oldest annual marathon and arguably the most prestigious.

Part of what makes the Boston Marathon so magical (aside from the Boston Athletic Association’s unicorn symbol) is that to run Boston you need to qualify by successfully completing a different marathon at lightning-fast pace (a “Boston Qualifier” finish time), or you need to receive an invitational entry as a charity runner on behalf of a non-profit. Given that I’m never going to be fast enough to qualify, the seemingly obvious answer for me is to be a charity runner.

Obvious, perhaps, but less simple than it may seem. Charity runners commit to raising thousands of dollars. That type of fundraising effort requires tremendous passion towards the cause, and as much as I’ve looked longingly at the list of official BAA charity partners I’ve never felt the necessary pull towards any of them. The only local charity I’ve ever wanted to run for is the MSPCA, but they don’t regularly receive charity entries.

In 2017 I emailed the MSPCA asking if they’d ever tried to become an annual BAA charity partner, knowing full well that an animal organization doesn’t fit the BAA’s “strategic focus area” of health and fitness charities. But hope springs eternal and it felt worth a try.

And friends, let me tell you, was it ever. May 7th of this year I received an email from the MSPCA saying they had access to a charity bib through the City of Boston, who receives complementary bibs to distribute to local charities each year. Because I’d reached out in 2017, and because I’ve been an enthusiastic participant for the MSPCA’s annual spring fundraiser, they were offering me a bib!

Throughout the pandemic I’ve been woefully sedentary. I only began running again in early April, so being offered a marathon bib in early May felt pretty intimidating. But doing this – running this race, for this charity – has been a dream of mine since the moment I crossed my first half marathon finish line. 

On May 8th I began my training plan that will span what I expect to be some of the most challenging weeks and months of my life. But with your support and encouragement, come October 11th I will be running down Boylston Street to cross the finish line of the 125th Boston Marathon.

Please help me reach my fundraising goal so that I can succeed not only in finishing my race, but also in supporting the only non-profit organization that I love enough to run 26.2 miles on their behalf.

With love and gratitude,

Han