New York, October 15, 2019 – New York Road Runners (NYRR) today announced the second edition of Team #MovedMe, a group of some of the most inspiring runners in this year’s TCS New York City Marathon field. The individuals, families, and teams are selected from the more than 52,000 runners expected to take part in the marathon on Sunday, November 3. As part of the marathon’s It Will Move You campaign, all team members embody the transformative power of running.

NYRR’s It Will Move You campaign, now in its third year, illustrates how the marathon moves more than 52,000 people through New York City’s five boroughs while also emotionally moving
family, friends, and spectators and encouraging them to take on their own challenges. NYRR selected a group of 26 individuals and families with incredibly unique and distinct stories—with
the number of stories reflecting the 26.2 miles of the marathon course.

This year’s team consists of world-class athletes, social influencers, local running legends, and passionate supporters of causes and charities. The team members will share their own running journeys and personal stories through a multi-layered approach, with inclusion in the TCS New York City Marathon’s website, televised broadcast airing locally on WABC and nationally on ESPN 2, social media, and media storytelling. Additionally, the full group will be honored at the TCS New York City Marathon Opening Ceremony Presented by United Airlines on Friday, November 1.

“For the second year, we’re thrilled to be able to share stories that embody the marathon’s It Will Move You campaign and also represent New York Road Runners’ mission to help and inspire people through running,” said Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of NYRR. “We are proud to recognize this motivating group of runners who lead by example and to provide each of them with a platform to share their passionate and remarkable causes and stories.”

Among the impactful stories of team members is U.S. Marine veteran Micah Herndon of Tallmadge, Ohio, who garnered national attention when he crawled across the finish line at the
2019 Boston Marathon, refusing to give up. Herndon’s perseverance in Boston was driven by his friends, fellow Marines Mark Juarez and Matthew Ballard and British journalist Rupert Hamer. All were killed in Afghanistan when their vehicle, a part of a convoy Herndon was also in, hit an IED. Following the Boston Marathon, Herndon was surprised with an entry to the TCS New York City Marathon and will again run in honor of his fallen comrades.

Like Herndon, many runners use the sport as an outlet to help overcome life’s obstacles and hardships. Team members who will share their emotional bond with the sport include:
• Monica Chong of Staten Island, N.Y., NYPD officer recovering from a life-changing injury
• Bryan Ehnstrom of Martinsville, N.J., high school running coach running in honor of his son who was born with spina bifida
• Patty Fimreite of Laguna Hills, Calif., polio and cancer survivor and MS and celiac disease patient
• Sean Hennessey of Toms River, N.J., former NCAA athlete and recovering addict
• Jim McCaffrey of Trumbull, Conn., member of the TCS Teacher program running in memory of his daughter
• Andrea McKinney of Norman, Okla., former NCAA athlete who struggled with eating disorders, running with Honey Stinger
• Natasha Meehan of Ireland, Abbott World Marathon Major Six-Star hopeful running in memory of her sister
• Vernell Yvette Shaw of Galveston, Texas, Army veteran who runs to prevent PTSD
• Dave Williams of the UK, visually impaired runner who runs to inspire his son

Many of the most inspiring stories of marathon runners come through the TCS New York City Marathon’s Official Charity Partner Program, which this year consists of more than 400 partners. These runners often have strong ties to the causes they’re running and raising money for. Team members running to raise awareness and funds include:
• Matt, Stephen and Paul Izzo, who will be running approximately 150 miles during race week for NYRR Team for Kids, including over 125 miles each on treadmills at the TCS New York City Marathon Expo Presented by New Balance
• Twesigye “Jackson” Kaguri, founder of the Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project
• Luisa Lyons of Carteret, N.J., former patient at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center running for Fred’s Team in her fifth marathon on the fifth anniversary of her stem cell transplant
• Mike Nichols and Joe Rooney of Munroe, N.J., a duo team running for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
• Matthew Rork of Ramsey, N.J., police officer running in memory of a young boy in his community and for Tackle Kids Cancer

This year’s team also consists of social influencers and game changers who use running as a platform to inspire others, including:
• Mama Cax of Brooklyn, N.Y., fashion model who made waves at NYC fashion week for walking the runway with her prosthetic leg, running for the Challenged Athlete Foundation
• Carlee Daub and Christie Thomas of Norman, Okla., founders and coaches at WAHOO! RUNNING, a national network of runners, running with Michelob ULTRA’s Team ULTRA
• Isaac Grivett of New York, N.Y., transgender and hearing-impaired runner and a member of Front Runners New York, a running club for members of the LGBTQIA+ community

In addition to the elite athletes in the marathon’s professional running fields, some of the biggest names in sports will be a part of this year’s team, including:
• Ray Allen’s mother Flora and sisters Kim and Kristie, running with NBA Cares
• Kikkan Randall, the first American to earn Olympic gold in cross-country skiing and a cancer survivor, running for AKTIV Against Cancer
• Michael Wardian, elite ultrarunner who will be participating in the Virtual New York City Marathon from Hong Kong

Rounding out the team is a duo of local running legends here in New York:
• Ginette Bedard of Howard Beach, N.Y., 86-year-old who runs a minimum of 10 miles a day
• Dave Fraser of Brooklyn, N.Y., born with cerebral palsy and running his 12th New York City Marathon

The efforts of Team #MovedMe will be a powerful platform to inspire, engage, and share the personal journey of runners. To learn more about the team, follow NYRR’s social and digital platforms, tune in to the race broadcast on Sunday, November 3, locally on ABC7 and nationally outside the NYC area on ESPN2, or reach out to media@nyrr.org.

About the TCS New York City Marathon
The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world and the signature event of New York Road Runners (NYRR), the world’s premier community running organization. The race is held annually on the first Sunday of November and includes over 50,000 runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to runners of all ages and abilities, including over 9,000 charity runners. Participants from over 125 countries tour the diverse neighborhoods of New York City’s five boroughs—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Race morning also features the Rising New York Road Runners Youth Invitational at the TCS New York City Marathon, a race within Central Park that ends at the marathon finish line. More than one million spectators and 10,000 volunteers line the city’s streets in support of the runners, while millions more watch the globally televised broadcast. The race is a founding member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which features the world’s top marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT
services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. The 49th running of the TCS New York City Marathon is set for November 3, 2019. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.