The 2024 TCS New York Marathon promises to be a spectacular affair. With a long list of Olympians waiting to show their mettle next Sunday (November 3), it should be scintillating for any track and field fan around the world. While all eyes will definitely be on the returning Marathon champ Hellen Obiri to see if she can defend her title, the Olympian certainly won’t be the only one who will be running for a cause.

Marathon events provide an opportunity for track stars to not only prove their worth but also a platform for casual sprinters to do something they believe in. The recently held Chicago Marathon also saw one such participant running the distance to honor his late father. Naturally, the upcoming Sunday event won’t be any different, either.

US Teacher to run the Marathon for a cause

An article by MSN from October 27 narrates how Matt Gouise of Attleboro, Massachusetts, has a special reason behind enlisting for the NYC Marathon 2024. The special education teacher has spent the last seven years of his life spreading more knowledge about Down Syndrome and raising funds for the fight against the same. According to the article, Matt’s daughter Cecilia has a genetic disorder and will be running through the five boroughs of New York to show her that “anything is possible.”

Over the past few years, Gouise has participated in four of the six Marathon Majors and has already raised $50,000 to battle the stigma and treatment of Down Syndrome. “When we line up next Sunday I just don’t show up to these races and float through 26.2 miles. It’s a hard effort, and that’s partly why we do this. It’s to show Cecilia that you could do hard things. And nobody is going to put limits on you, you can struggle, but every step you take, you move forward, and you get closer to where you’re going,” said the teacher about what fuels him to run at Marathon races.

The route of the NYC Marathon is not unfamiliar to Gouise, who will be running at the competition for the second time. Gouise will undoubtedly feel pumped up, especially since it’s his daughter who will be supplying him with the motivation to run next weekend. However, in case he’s thinking about going out there to win the race, he might need to take a moment to look at the lineup that will run alongside him on Sunday.

The 2024 TCS NYC Marathon will be one to watch out for

Along with the Kenyan juggernaut Obiri, the 3x Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas will also be present at the NYC Marathon for the first time. The Harvard graduate will serve as the Grand Marshal for this year’s race and will also kick off the race at Verrazano Bridge. The 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon gold medalist Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia will also be among the crowd and will be aiming to defend his NYC Marathon from last year. Along with track and field athletes, celebrities like Jennifer Connelly will also up the oomph quotient at the upcoming Marathon Major.

With a long list of sponsors pledging their support for the event, next weekend’s Best Day will undoubtedly be one to remember for the fans. With how recent races saw runners taking the opportunity to raise awareness about issues like mental health, it should be warranted that Gouise will not find himself advocating for Down Syndrome all alone. Will the teacher find support from you for his cause? Share your message for Cecilia in the comments!