We are so excited to have 2 marathon runners from our chapter participating in the Chicago Marathon this weekend on October 9, 2016!

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a 27-mile run through 29 diverse neighborhoods beginning at Grant Park. This is the first time that JDRF will have a multi-chapter team of runners participating. We wish all the runners a great weekend!

Michael Schultz:

Schultz has been an avid runner for many years, but this will be his third marathon.  He has competed in several triathlons, but after knee surgery, he was advised not to run anymore. Well, that didn’t happen, so here we are today!  His 12 year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about 4 ½ years ago after a family trip to Washington DC.  She’s been on a pump for about 3 ½ years now.  Since Michael does not typically change her site, he decided to help JDRF to find a cure by participating in races and fundraising to help make a difference for her and the many other kids and adults affected by this disease. They are so thankful for the overwhelming support from their friends and family.

Katie Abel:

“My brother Dave was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when he was 10 years old.  I began raising money on behalf of JDRF in 2008, when I ran the Hartford Half Marathon.  I’ll never forget the feeling I had the morning of that race, knowing that I had raised money for a cause so close to my heart and was running this race for a purpose that transcended my own personal goals.  Since then, I haven’t looked back.  I ran the Hartford Half Marathon again in 2009 and 2010 and the Smuttynose Half Marathon in New Hampshire in 2011.  Somewhere along the way I decided to graduate to marathons, and ran the Hartford Marathon in 2013, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. in 2014, and the Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota in 2015.  To date, I’ve raised nearly $8,000 on behalf of JDRF and don’t plan on stopping there!”

Click here to donate to their page!

NBC 5 will offered full TV and online coverage of the event beginning at 7 a.m. on Oct. 9. Click here to view time-lapsed coverage from a runner’s point of view.