Readers Say

Julie Champagne is running with her inspiration — her mother

"This will be my first marathon and my mom's last. She is the reason I started running and is my inspiration."

Julie Champagne is running the 2021 Boston Marathon for her mother and Team Bay Cove.

September 2, 2021

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. If you’re running the marathon, you can share your #WhyImRunningBoston story here.

Why I’m Running: ‘I wouldn’t be here, alive, or running marathons without this community’

Name: Julie Champagne
Age: 28
From: Boston

This will be my first marathon and my mom’s last. She is the reason I started running and is my inspiration. I am running for her and as part of Team Bay Cove to further their mission of providing support for those struggling with homelessness, addiction, mental health, and disabilities in the Eastern Massachusetts area.

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