Running is an act of triumph, and it never escapes me that my ability to run is only possible because of the extraordinary trauma care I received back in May of 2013. I crossed the starting line of the Boston Marathon for the very first time on April 15th, 2013, and finally crossed the finish line one year later on April 21, 2014. In between those two dates I owe so much to an incredible community of family, friends, coworkers, and medical professionals who rallied around me.

While I’m fortunate that my own story of traumatic injury fades further into the past with each year, there are 3 major things that have stuck with me every single day since then:

• Gratitude for the trauma care I received and the community that surrounded me while I took my first steps during a yearlong recovery
• The resilience that training for the Boston Marathon while recovering from traumatic injury has woven into my bones. When facing challenges, this experience is the roadmap that I return to 
• The Reny Family’s deliberate choice to turn tragedy into hope when they launched the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation. This serves as a reminder that when life throws obstacles our way, there is the choice to respond with love, and that in this choice we can create opportunity, meaning, and better outcomes for others

2026 will be my 7th time running the Boston Marathon, and my 5th time running for the Stepping Strong Team. This year's marathon is dedicated to my mom.