Why I’m Running: ‘I realized I was capable of more than my diagnosis’

Tony Rossi is running Boston for the Julie Fund.

April 13, 2023

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: Tony Rossi

Age: 35

From: Chicago, Ill.

‘She is the drive behind all that I do, and the reason I am running 26.2 miles.’

Growing up in the Boston area, I always had the idea to run the Marathon. In 2018, I was diagnosed with asthma. I assumed that running Boston may not ever happen. I signed up for a “rugged maniac” at a men’s retreat in 2021, thinking I’d pull out or just skip the parts I couldn’t do but I finished the whole thing. I realized I was capable of more than my diagnosis.

I started doing 5Ks. When I got the chance to get a guaranteed entry into the Chicago Marathon, I jumped at the chance, but three months prior to Chicago, I took a baseball to the face. I suffered multiple fractures, was scheduled for surgery, and was told I might not be able to run. Thankfully, I take good care of my health. My healing went well. So well, in fact, that I canceled my surgery. I got back to running. And while it wasn’t perfect or pretty, I finished the Chicago marathon.

So why Boston this year? I now know I could run a full marathon. Right at the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 marathon, I HAD to get a bib. So I applied to charities left and right. Everything was full. I took a chance right before Christmas through one more charity I found for women’s cancer. They had ONE bib and I got it.

So my running journey has been hard. Getting to the start line for Chicago was hard. Getting a bib for Boston was hard. And while my fundraising minimum is $5,000, I promised the Julie Fund to raise $10,000, which is also hard. But so is a marathon. So was 2013. We can do hard. So let’s do hard and raise $10,000 for women’s cancer. Thank you, Boston.