If you know me, you know I love to run – but it was not always that way! I was motivated to join HTT back in 2008 to honor two amazing men – Ron Hirshberg and Paul A Hughes. Ronnie was my mentor and the namesake of the Hirshberg Foundation, husband to my lifelong friend Agi and father to my boss and mentor Jon. Mr. Hughes, father of my dear friend Teri, was founder of the Hughes Market chain. Both were taken from us too soon by pancreatic cancer.
I have been a part of the Hirshberg Foundation since the very beginning, at the first 5K in 1998. But it was a decade later, when I ran my first half marathon and changed my life forever. In the years since, I have run five marathons, many half marathons and countless 5/10K’s all while raising awareness and funds for the Hirshberg Foundation. As Program Manager, I work alongside our coaches, Robert, Euri, and Jack from Club 26.2 and together we have helped hundreds of regular folks become marathon runners and pancreatic cancer fighters!
In 2019, HTT became even more important to me after my dear friend and avid runner Lupe Romero passed away from pancreatic cancer. She was an inspirational angel to everyone she encountered. Just one year before that, at the 2018 LA Marathon, I ran for her and gave her my finishers medal because she was unable to run anymore due to the disease. Each year since I have dedicated my run to Lupe and because of her, and Ronnie and Mr. Hughes, I have vowed to Never Give Up and to Fight to the Finish!