Meet our next Marathon Muse, Lauren Pedigo. She too is running for the One Fund and is almost at her goal of $12,000 (so amazing) help push her over the top here. Looking forward to making Lauren's Personalized Marathon Print after she flies over that finish line!

Lauren in her One Fund uniform.

In fifth grade, I ran my first race. It was the Miracle Mile at Southeastway Park in Indianapolis, an annual tradition where students who participate in intramurals at the Franklin Township elementary schools come together to race one another. I ran a 7:04 and placed fifth–I remember being completely exhausted and so proud of my shiny medal. After that day, I was hooked.

I ran track and cross country through middle school and high school and played basketball. One race during my senior year, I was ‘spiked’ in the back of my calf and my right shoe fell off midway into the 5K. Of course, I couldn’t let those girls pass me, so I picked it up and ran the last half with a single shoe. Somehow, I set a personal best time! My Nana still the picture of that race–me in my FCHS uniform, running with one shoe and carrying the other–on her refrigerator.

During track season, I was the chick volunteering to do the 2-mile race–that’s 8 laps around the track. Distance running was my thing. I loved the feeling of outlasting the competition, holding back at the beginning and knowing I’d catch ‘em by the end.

Throughout college and afterward, I continued running and have done three half marathons. Being from Indianapolis, running the Indy 500 Mini Marathon had to be my first. Completing a marathon never really appealed to me until I moved to Boston.

I moved to Boston shortly after I graduated from Butler University in 2012. Indianapolis had been my home since the day I was born; Butler is a 25 minute drive from where I grew up. I set my sights on a new adventure in Boston and in the sixteen months I’ve lived here, I’ve met people who will be lifelong friends. Boston gave me my first job, my first apartment, my first blizzard, my first lobstah roll and more New England escapades than I can count. It’s taken me by surprise how quickly this vibrant city found its way into my heart.

Last year, I was at work on Marathon Monday. Heartbreak didn’t pour into my life on April 15, 2013 like it did for thousands of other people. Yet, still, I received such an outpouring of support, just for living here–countless emails, text messages, hours of phone calls, cards, hugs and so much more. It felt like I wasn’t justified to receive such an immense amount of love. Other people needed it so much more than I did. But, there was a way to harness all this good and share it.

After the tragic events last year, I knew I had to be a part of the 2014 Boston Marathon. It’s been an honor to be a member of the One Fund team. Long runs through Wellesley and 6am workouts on the icy New England streets have prepared me for Marathon Monday. But, witnessing generosity from people I’ve never met, feeling the undying support from my family and friends and seeing our team of strangers turn into close friends has made this experience so much more than I ever anticipated. Thank you all for being a part of this marathon journey; you’ve made it all worth it. At the time of this writing, I’m 88% to my goal of $12,000. If you’d like to make a donation to One Fund, you can here.