This runner is following in her grandfather’s footsteps
"I am aiming higher and doing more in his memory and running the Boston Marathon," said Margot Murphy.
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Margot Murphy
Age: 25
From: Boston, Mass.
This past May I lost my grandfather to complications due to a rare cancer. He battled Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia for nearly two decades, [and was] one of the longest known survivors in the world. He was able to fight for so long thanks to the cutting edge research and care he received at Dana-Farber’s Bing Center for Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia.
My grandfather was an avid runner and placed 18th in the Boston Marathon and qualified to participate in the Olympic Marathon trials. In his later years, even while battling cancer, he would still run to work at his law firm nearly every day, no matter the weather and often ran to his chemo appointments.
I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps to become a collegiate runner where, unfortunately, I was met with a 5 year struggle with illness and injuries that kept me out of the sport. I made my official (and long-awaited) running come-back when I ran the Boston Half for Dana-Farber in my grandfather’s honor this past November. It was the greatest honor of my life. So, now I am aiming higher and doing more in his memory and running the Boston Marathon on April 21st with Dana-Farber and a goal of raising $15,000 to defy cancer. Training has been amazing, but sometimes tough, and every day I am just thankful my body is allowing me to run again (even after having 9 knee surgeries) and do something so special in my grandfather’s honor.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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