Boston runner to take on 2026 Marathon for Corey C. Griffin Foundation

Annie Yardley was "not an athlete before this." Now, she's gearing up to run the Boston Marathon for the Corey C. Griffin Foundation.

March 25, 2026 | 1:03 PM

1 minute to read

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: Annie Yardley
Age: 30
City: Boston

I’m running the 2026 Boston Marathon for the Corey C. Griffin Foundation, which is still a sentence I say with a little disbelief.

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I truly was not an athlete before this. In high school, I somehow convinced my PE teacher to give me credit for neighborhood walks, which should tell you everything you need to know.

But somewhere during training, something shifted. I realized how often we put ourselves in boxes — athlete or non-athlete, capable or not capable — and how limiting those labels can be. I never thought of myself as a runner. Until one day, I was.

That shift in mindset is part of what I admire most about the work of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation. Through access to education and healthcare, kids are supported in seeing themselves beyond the boxes often placed around them and in imagining futures that may not have felt possible before.

Training for 26.2 miles has been a significant departure from my long-standing commitment to being cozy on my couch, particularly during Boston winter mornings, and it has shown me that growth begins when we stop deciding who we are not.

I’m honored to run for this cause and grateful for the chance to support such meaningful work, one mile at a time.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

Are you running the 2026 Boston Marathon? Share your story with us.

Kelly Chan

Content Producer

Kelly Chan is a content producer at Boston.com. She designs multimedia content on site and across social media platforms, and experiments with new ways to engage readers.

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