My dad wasnāt always a runner. An athlete, yes. A competitor, always. But, Juan āJohnnyā Irizarry did not start running until he was nearly 50 years old.
He treated running as he treated most things in life ā as a challenge to overcome. As a competition to win, even if it meant a race against himself. He decided to run his first ever marathon in his hometown of New York City in 2016 at 51 years old. (And he kinda crushed it, by the way. For a relatively novice runner, he ran at a 8:46 pace. See all of his race results here.)
In one of my last conversations with my dad he spoke to me, as he often did, about resilience:
āEveryone goes through things. And itās not really about what youāre going through, but how you push through it.ā
He passed away just a few days later, on December 8th, 2023, losing a two and a half year battle to cancer.
My dad will forever be the greatest symbol of grit and resilience to me. In his darkest days, he continued to shine and to brighten the mood of anyone he spoke to. He continued to move his body however he could, sometimes sneaking in push ups in his hospital room. He continued to fight. He continued to live. And if he was physically able to, he would have loved to continue to run.
Iām running the 2024 New York City marathon to honor my dadās life.
Your support in helping me reach my fundraising goal and run this race in memory of my dad truly means the world to me.
Iām proud to be representing Team Still I Run at the marathon, a nonprofit organization that works nationwide to promote the benefits of running for mental health. When you donate to Still I Run, youāre helping this amazing organization and community to raise mental health awareness and help people experiencing hardship get started in their running journeys. I know running has definitely provided me with clarity and strength during a time of incredible grief and confusion, and Iām proud to represent an organization that shares this benefit of running and movement with others.
Thank you in advance for your support.
Amanda Jayla Irizarry
