If running were solely about racing, many of us would have quit long ago and missed out on its extraordinary ability to transform lives. You already know how running makes you feel: strong, limitless, full of energy.
But there’s something else about running, something less tangible yet indisputably real: the way it inspires many of us to harness its power for a greater good. In a sport where so much attention is focused on the highest achievers—track phenoms, record setters, Olympic champions—sometimes this fundamental truth about running gets overlooked. At Runner’s World, we celebrate all runners, including those who are less visible but whose achievements are just as profound.
To assemble this inspiring group, we tapped into our deep network of leaders, influencers, and 87,000 of you—our RW+ members—to identify individuals or groups actively working to create positive change in their communities and the world. With so many worthy recommendations, it wasn’t easy to narrow down our selections, but we focused on consistency of effort and clarity of mission. These athletes are trailblazers, community builders, storytellers, and advocates. They are leaders, former pros, complete amateurs, and fundraising superstars.
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Not everyone on this list has a formal mission. Three-time All-American sprinter Katelyn Hutchinson is one of the very few Black women running journalists—her trackside presence ensures that a diversity of stories get told. And consider Neil Wallack, a private equity manager who has run the Boston Marathon 17 times and raised millions of dollars for Type 1 Diabetes research along the way. Then there’s Making Every Mile Count, who has completed a marathon in all 50 states while living with ALS, so that hopefully, one day, others with the incurable disease will survive long enough to follow her path.
They and the other runners profiled are standout examples of the sport’s potential to do so much more than build strength and endurance. Along with every run they do, every marathon they finish, and every ultra they sign up for, these running heroes make sure every ounce of sweat goes beyond their own self-improvement. And they remind us all what we’re capable of each time we lace up.
Aum Ghandi
Gandhi uses ultra trail running to raise awareness and funds for the Richstone Family Center. Up next, he is tackling the Triple Crown of 200s.
Neil Wallack
Wallack was the top fundraiser at this year’s Boston Marathon, raising $135,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Hector Espinal
Espinal started We Run Uptown to bring together residents in northern Manhattan and the Bronx. This past July, the 230-member group celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Katelyn Hutchison
At 23, Hutchison is a multi-platform content creator and one of the few Black women reporters covering track and field.
Verna Volker
After discovering the lack of representation for Native women in the sport, Volker created a platform for sharing their stories and building a community.
Mary Cain
After founding Atalanta NYC in 2021, Cain seeks to empower girls using running as a tool for physical and mental well-being.
Victoria Lo
Lo started Chinatown Runners in part to protect AAPI runners from racially motivated harassment and to reclaim the strength and independence that running provides.
Making Every Mile Count
Peet has completed a marathon in all 50 states. Along the way she’s raised $1 million for ALS research.
Juan Antonio-Sorto
When Sorto started running, he was rewarded by personal achievement. Now he's focused on helping others reach their goals.
Mary Ngugi
Bicycling: Dave Jaewon Oh, Dave Hashim, Chris Cooper, Courtesy of John Peet and Mary Rosenblatt.
Jake Fedorowski
Fedorowski has been instrumental in paving the way for nonbinary divisions in some of the world’s biggest marathons.
