Good Sports has been fortunate enough to have a team of runners in the Boston Marathon for the past two years! This means we have had the honor of meeting individuals from all over the US that share our passion in athletics, sports and fitness for kids everywhere. These runners are going the distance quite literally to raise funds to support our mission. As we near Marathon Monday, we wanted to give you the chance to meet our 15 runners!

Caitlin and John Yancheck are more than a power couple. Caitlin played on her town’s first female lacrosse team and female hockey team. Her husband John found a positive outlet in hockey that helped him receive a 4-year scholarship to play at Middlebury College. Both Caitlin and John recognize the financial investment their parents made in equipment, so they understand what it would mean for more kids to have similar opportunities.

If you would like to contribute to Caitlin and John’s campaign, you can do so here.

Kim Ebeling has been running since she was 5. Yes! She joined a fun run group as a kid and hasn’t stopped running since, except to maybe get married and have two amazing children. Kim has grown up around sports, instilling in her the ability to be unfaltering and determined. During her training this winter, Kim suffered a stress fracture, which can end a runner’s training until the following year. Kim successfully has pushed through and is ready to bring about more opportunities in sports for kids everywhere.

If you would like to contribute to Kim’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Spenser Brown is not new to the world of Good Sports; he sits on our Chicago Young Professionals Board. After a career in hockey, Spenser was hired to be an NCAA Division 3 ice hockey coach at Milwaukee School of Engineering. A marathon veteran, Spenser is running the Boston Marathon for the first time alongside his mother, who is running it for the ninth time.

If you would like to contribute to Spenser’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Coming with competitive running in his blood is Scott Strycharz. From Western Massachusetts, running the Boston Marathon is like coming home since he now lives in New York City. An avid runner, Scott also coaches youth soccer as an homage to the life skills playing sports brought him as a kid. He often refers to being active as being “in the zone,” a mantra he’s brought into his adult life and on the field.

If you would like to contribute to Scott’s Campaign, you can do so here.

A love for athletics runs deep for Dorota Strzelecki, who immigrated with her parents to the US when she was only 8 years-old. Growing up, Dorota credits the ability to play in keeping her motivated while many of her peers lost direction. Now a mother of two who actually lives alongside the marathon route, Dorota has found a new purpose in running. With her love of sports, she hopes to bring more opportunities to kids who just need that one basketball or pair of shoes to keep them going on the right path.

If you would like to contribute to Dorota’s Campaign, you can do so here.

At just 4 years old, Lauren Norris was diagnosed with JRA (juvenile rheumatoid arthritis), which meant she would face physical barriers in sports. However, she persisted and played on as many teams as she could growing up, all the way through college. She then went on to coach collegiate lacrosse for 10 years, making it to two world cups and a National Championship. Now that her daughter has also been diagnosed with JRA, Lauren is running to prove that one is not defined by their conditions but by the effort they put forth in everything they do.

If you would like to contribute to Lauren’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Tom Caraccioli has run to fundraise before and his determination is no different this time around. An athlete his whole life, Tom values the feeling of competition and knows it has served him well. And above all, he believes in people being ‘good sports,’ people who motivate themselves to push forward no matter the score. Additionally, his passion for sports helped empower him to have a career within the industry as the VP of Communication for Outdoor Sportsman Group.

If you would like to contribute to Tom’s Campaign, you can do so here.

The word ‘unwavering’ belongs to Mona Marimow, a marathon veteran. She held her first child in her arms as she walked away from the 2013 Boston Marathon finish line moments before the bombing. She was also put on bed rest for five months during her third pregnancy. With all of her previous marathons before her kids, Mona is ready to complete another 26.2 as a role model to her children and kids everywhere who have been denied sporting opportunities. As someone who knows what it’s like to miss out on sports, Mona is a determined member of our marathon team.

If you would like to contribute to Mona’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Another experienced runner in the name of charity, Tom Edwards has deep ties to the Boston Marathon. He remembers his freshmen year at Boston College being intensely unforgettable as he and his peers witnessed the bombings in 2013. He also remembers the confidence and self-esteem playing sports has brought him. Tom was lucky enough to try any sport he wanted, from baseball to rugby, but he knows not every kid is that fortunate. Though he lives in New York now, Tom is coming back home to help get more kids playing.

If you would like to contribute to Tom’s Campaign, you can do so here.

It’s not uncommon for a Boston Marathon runner to have harrowing memories of 2013, including Jerry Brown. He ended up finishing early, so one of his daughters approached the finish line area just as the first explosion went off causing his family to be separated in the wake of destruction. Thankfully, everyone made it home together but it never stopped Jerry and his love for exercise. With so many young people without access to sports, Jerry knows how training for a marathon has made him a stronger individual. This year, he enters his 20^th year of running marathons.

If you would like to contribute to Jerry’s Campaign, you can do so here.

A last minute flight out of Boston kept Harper Cornell away from the events of 2013 – but she kept her sights on finishing the Boston Marathon. Unafraid of hard work, Harper says her athletic ability didn’t “come naturally,” and describes her training as intense and riddled with toughness. Harper knows that other kids may not see their own abilities flourish without a similar chance and knows equipment is the best way to create that opportunity.

If you would like to contribute to Harper’s Campaign, you can do so here.

With seven half-marathons and two full ones under her belt, Carly Wee comes prepared. Another Boston native who knows the sense of pride in being part of the city and its rich athletic history, Carly is ready to tackle more than the infamous Heartbreak Hill. She’s had the enjoyment of trying all kinds of sports, so she’s excited to give back to kids so they can have similar empowering opportunities.

If you would like to contribute to Carly’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Hands up for siblings who support each other! With Tony Tatro, it’s his appreciation for his sister, and Good Sports co-founder, Melissa Harper that inspires this marathon run. Tony has two sons of his own in the military where much of the discipline and determination they have comes from athletics. While he has run marathons before, this is his first time running 26.2 miles in Boston. Tony has been training up in Buffalo, NY so Boston should be easy!

If you would like to contribute to Tony’s Campaign, you can do so here.

Michael Sullivan knows the Boston Marathon route very well by now; he’s run it four times. He’s also been a part of the Good Sports story since 2003. Now a father of 5 and a coach to their teams (yup, all 5), Michael is ready to make his next Boston Marathon run one for the kids of Good Sports.

If you would like to contribute to Michael’s Campaign, you can do so here.