Emma van Duijnhoven is running Boston to honor female athletes

"I am running to share my love and appreciation for sports and to honor all the female athletes, including my mom, who have paved the way!"

April 14, 2024

1 minute to read

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston.

Name: Emma van Duijnhoven
Age: 23
From: Cambridge

I am excited to be running the 2024 Boston Marathon with New England Dairy which supports student wellness, nutrition education, and access to healthy, local food for youth and family wellness. As a former college athlete, nutrition education and access to healthy foods has empowered me to achieve my goals. My dad also grew up on a dairy farm in the Netherlands where one of his chores was milking cows before and after school, so supporting dairy farmers has a personal connection for me. Plus, I am a firm believer that everything is better with cheese!

Sports have been an integral and empowering part of my life. I started running with my school’s Girls on the Run program in third grade. I did this with my friends from 3rd to 5th grade and this is where I realized I liked running if I could do it with my friends! In 2023 I finished my collegiate swimming career and immediately missed the community, shared passion, and drive that is the heart of team sports.

Luckily, I was able to convince my roommate and former teammate, Katelin, to begin training for the marathon with me and I am so thankful to be running the Boston Marathon alongside her. Training together has been such a rewarding experience as we reflect on the importance of athletics in promoting mental and physical wellness. We are excited to cheer on all those running the Boston marathon with us and look forward to experiencing the incredible community and energy on April 15.

I am running to share my love and appreciation for sports and to honor all the female athletes, including my mom, who have paved the way!

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