YMCA of the North at the Twin Cities Marathon
Over the weekend of October 4 & 5, the annual Twin Cities Marathon took place with roughly 30,000 participants running 5k, 10k, 10 miles, and the full 26.2 mile marathon. There was sunshine, rain, and wind. The streets were lined with thousands of cheering spectators. There was a YMCA cheer zone that was there for the runners, but also welcomed so many friends who stopped by to say hi throughout the race.
Among those 30,000, were 34 runners representing Y of the North. Their mission-
To advance our equity in the outdoors efforts, creating spaces of belonging in the outdoors for all. The funds will be used on initiatives related to equity and other training and development opportunities that support our team in delivering safe, high-quality experiences for all of our participants.
In addition to training for the race, these participants also took on the challenge of fundraising. They each had a goal of raising $500, with an overall team goal of raising $20,000.
Drum roll please…
$23,158 raised by Team Y of the North!
Congratulations to all Y of the North runners.
Thoughts from the runners
Kayla Martin, donor relations manager for Y of the North shared, “I decided to run my first marathon to show myself that I CAN do hard things and achieve something I never thought I'd be able to, especially after taking a break from running for almost three years. The physical and time demands were incredibly challenging, and I wanted to quit during my training multiple times, but I pushed through and am so glad I did. The race itself was an awesome, once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience, and I feel proud to have persevered through it all!”
Kayla started training for the marathon in March and ran anywhere from 1.5 to 8 hours per week. Including the race, she ran a total of 528 miles!
Dan O’Brien, executive director of Camp St. Croix said, “it’s inspirational to see so many volunteers and supporters coming together and it is such a positive culture. Thanks to everyone who supported. I can’t wait to do it again next year.”
Devan Blake, senior health and wellness coordinator shared, “last year I volunteered at the Y cheer section and I loved seeing all the different kinds of runners. It was such a fun experience to see everyone challenging and pushing themselves no matter what pace, experience, or gear they were using.
It is such a positive environment where everyone comes together to support and cheer others on. I was just eager to be a part of it again, but as a race participant this year. I also love that it helps support y-adventure. I love camping and being out in nature and want to help increase access so that more kids have the opportunity to get outside and explore. Next year I will be running the full marathon! 26.2!”
