Last Sunday, 132 OAR athletes took on the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, running 26.2 miles through the windy city to support autism research. Collectively, they’ve raised over $180,000.
Each runner joined the team with a different story; many ran because of a personal connection to autism. “I chose this charity because my son Jax, who is now 7, is non-verbal autistic,” said first-time OAR runner Anna Golebiowski. “Spreading awareness to others about autism and helping families with children with autism find resources has always been my main goal.”
By 5:30 am on race morning, the team headquarters at the Blackstone hotel near the start line was already bustling with runners in teal and orange OAR gear getting ready to take on the challenge of 26.2. Soon, they were headed through Chicago, touring 29 neighborhoods on foot while being cheered on by over 1.7 million spectators. Family and friends joined the RUN staff at Charity Block party, a charity cheer zone just past the halfway point of the race, giving runners an extra boost for the second half of their race.
The windy city lived up to its name, and by mid-afternoon, runners were fighting gusty headwinds as they ran the last few miles back into Chicago to the finish line in Grant Park. Despite this, OAR runners had a successful race. “My race went very well. I even got a PR [Personal Record] by 37 minutes compared to the year before!” said Anna. OAR’s first runner to cross the finish line, Joost Spits, completed the course in 2 hours 59 minutes, averaging a 6-minute 50-second pace per mile. For other runners, the wind and sun combined to create less-than-ideal conditions, making race day a little more challenging. “This year I tested my mental toughness as this was my toughest race yet,” Libby Fink said. This race was Libby’s 10th Chicago Marathon, all with OAR. “I remembered why I continue to do this year after year. It is for my kids and others who have been impacted by autism. I remember all the hard things my kids have overcome and how they continue to go on and accomplish their goals by working hard. This motivates me to continue to be a good person and work hard in all I do,” she said.
Despite the on-course challenges, runners were all smiles when they arrived back at the team headquarters at the Blackstone hotel throughout the afternoon. They were cheered on as they arrived to meet friends and family, get some food, and get a post-race sports massage. “The massage helped so much!” Anna said. Both Anna and Libby are looking forward to next year’s race, after some well-deserved recovery time! RUN and OAR are incredibly proud of this year’s team and all their fundraising and running efforts.
The post RUN FOR AUTISM Chicago Marathon Athletes Take on 26.2 in the Windy City first appeared on Organization for Autism Research.
