Although some of them are only doing the 10K or half marathon, they are all running for the sake of raising donations for the kids of Our Lady of the Assumption School in Beloit, part of the parish. 

“This was a vision that Father David brought to the table as soon as he joined the parish team as the new [parochial] vicar,” Nicolas Rojas, youth minister at Queen of Martyrs Parish and one of those committed to running, said.
“It was beautiful and exciting that amid the economic stresses, Father saw a light to run, run for the school, to run miles, and raise money.” 
 

A worthy challenge
Father David’s mission began months ago. 

“Training has been challenging and intense. I am doing an 18-week training program, combined with short runs, pace runs, speed runs, and strength training . . . Though I have been running for years now, this is for sure the hardest I have trained,” he said. 

Training started in July for most of the team of runners. Some have been training even longer than that. 
Martin Reza, father of two students at Our Lady of the Assumption School, has been training all year, and almost entirely outside. He knows well that this takes serious perseverance. 

“Honestly,” Reza said, “It doesn’t get any easier. You just keep working and get every workout done. Because I love sports, it keeps me healthy, and I know these efforts are going to make a difference for these kids.” 

Reza’s aware of the challenge, but he believes whole-heartedly that it’s worth it. 
 
“It is not easy to balance my training with other church commitments, working a normal job, and being a father of three children, but at the same time it gives me the motivation to keep going, knowing that God is with us, He knows that our goals are good-intentioned and somehow He makes everything possible,” he said. 

Rojas also commented on the spiritual discipline that running, as a physical discipline, helps to inspire. 

“We see it in Hebrews 12: ‘And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us!’ Doing a sacrifice, preparing to run a physical race, has personally kept me mentally and physically engaged to the concept of the discipline it takes to run the race set before us, the race of running towards God, and bringing others into that run!” 

And why a marathon? “Father David is crazy! Awesome, but crazy!” said Rojas. “I am running half of it. It seems to be very deep in the culture of Madison, so as part of our diocese, it just seems fitting and fun to run in this event, and ask for the support not for our sake, but for the sake of the Gospel.” 

Jaqueline Gonzalez, another teammate, also appreciates the challenge and community the race offers. 

“It’s a reminder that with faith and dedication, we can go further than we imagine,” she said.

Running in Madison surrounded by a supportive community and doing it for a faith-filled cause makes it even more meaningful . . . Each run gives me time to reflect, pray, and grow stronger.”

‘Miles with Mary’
The effort is being called “Miles with Mary.” 

The name developed as the runners began to seek donations, and is inspiring in its own right. 

As Father David pointed out, “It is also a good initiative to motivate not just students but also parents to go to Mary and ‘run’ with her.”

Rojas commented, “Running with Mama Mary is a new perspective that I hadn’t used in training before this initiative, and there is a beauty in inviting our Blessed Mother in the sacrifice we get to offer in training, trying to unite my little fiat of running for this cause, to the Fiat that Mother Mary gave the Lord.” 

Gonzalez agrees.
 
“Running with Our Lady gives my training a deeper purpose. It reminds me that I’m not running just for myself but for others: for the children, families, and for our Blessed Mother,” she said.

The team has spent months on the discipline of preparing for the race, and now they are in the final stages as they continue to gather donations leading up to November 9. 

Father David commented, “I’m looking forward to the race. The real marathon is the training . . . I think the excitement keeps building, and we are all looking forward to November 9 and an excellent finish to the fundraising efforts.”

All of the donations they gather are going directly to the school, and they are hopeful to make a difference. 

Rojas said, “With these funds, we get to provide opportunities to families who want to receive a good Catholic education but are unable to because of economic difficulties. It takes the burden of mission from the shoulders of a few people, and spreads it to more people, part of our Catholic Church — runners and donors alike!” 

Rojas added, “I’m hoping this initiative will grow more and more each year to support our Catholic education, and the wonderful job that our Principal Trevor [Seivert] and his staff get to do in striving for excellent, Jesus-centered, Catholic education at Our Lady of the Assumption School,” he said. 

With a good cause and good company, the runners are enthusiastic as they near the date of the Madison Marathon. 

Father David’s words sum things up nicely. “We are very excited as the race day approaches!”