14 Team Urban Initiatives runners have been training hard since this past Spring for the 2016 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. We are excited to introduce you all the members of Team UI and learn a little about why they signed up to run 26.2 for thousands of UI kids across Chicago.
Who are you? Where are you from?
Justine Kessler, MPH student at UIC, originally from St. Paul, MN.
What is your favorite tune to listen to while running?
I like to listen to the sound of traffic when running.
How did you get involved with Urban Initiatives?
My BIL, Sam Sustarich volunteered me to take his place on the team after he decided that “He’s never going to run a marathon again.”
What has motivated you to run a marathon in general and what has motivated you to run for Urban Initiatives?
My dad has run more than 40 marathons so it’s basically in my blood (although I only started running 2 years ago).
My professional background is in youth development and I picked UI because Jim is a friend of the family (My husband grew up across the street from Lake Ripley).
What are some training challenges you’ve faced so far?
I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and I have a hard time running by myself. Last Sunday was the worst run EVER. It was so humid that I thought that I was going to die and had to walk the last 1.5 miles (walking was almost as bad).
