On November 1, 2026, I’m going to run the New York City Marathon.

Writing that still sounds a little crazy. 26.2 miles through all five boroughs of New York City is a pretty big thing to sign up for, especially when you know exactly how much training goes into it.

But this year I wanted the marathon to be about more than just running.

I’m running the NYC Marathon with Team USO and raising money for the United Service Organizations. The USO has supported service members and military families for generations, and being able to combine something I love with a cause that means something to me made this race an easy decision.

The hard part is going to be the running.

Marathon training takes up a lot of time. There are the long runs, the early mornings, the easy runs that aren’t always as easy as they are supposed to be, strength training, recovery, and trying to figure out how much food and water you actually need when you’re spending hours on your feet.

I’m also training for a 70.3 triathlon this year, so my training isn’t just running. I’m swimming and cycling too, which means my calendar is starting to look like someone got a little carried away with endurance sports.

But that’s part of what I enjoy about it.

I’ve always liked having something to work toward. You start with a goal that seems a little ridiculous, and then you break it down into smaller pieces. One workout. One long run. One mile at a time.

The fundraising is another part of that challenge.

My goal is to raise $3,500 for Team USO. I’m asking people to consider donating $1 or $2 per mile. It doesn’t have to be a huge donation. If enough people give a little, it adds up quickly.

At the end of the day, I’m going to run the 26.2 miles.

I’d like those miles to mean something beyond a finish time.

On November 1, I’ll get to find out what all of those training miles were for.

Until then, it’s just one workout at a time.