UPDATE:  As I reach the one month mark since running the NYC Marathon and my leg are finally healed, I reflected back on the entire journey.  Being surrounded by 50,000 runners at the starting line from all walks of life, most of whom have spent the last several months day in and day out running countless miles training just to get there was a powerful expression of our community.  Many had T-shirts on representing the myriad of charities that they were supporting, some were blind or missing limbs, some were there running their 20th Marathon, for some, this was their first race they ever did.  It was a powerfully positive experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Every inch of the entire 26.2 mile route through one of the most diverse cities in the world was filled with supporters.   Thank you everyone for your support!

My name is Rob Kotheimer, and those of you who know me, know I am always up for a challenge. I am always seeking ways to make myself, my community, and our world a better place, and to have fun doing it. Whether it’s through public service or fitness competitions, I am always challenging myself and my friends to be better. So what better way to challenge myself than to run the greatest race in the world, in the greatest city in the world, the New York City Marathon. But what’s a challenge without a cause to fight for and a team to help you through it? That’s why this year, November 6, 2022, I will be running the New York City Marathon to raise money for the Keep a Child Alive (KCA) Foundation, an organization whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable children, young people, adults and families around the world, with a focus on combating the physical, social and economic impacts of HIV/AIDS.

Founded in 2003 by Alicia Keys, KCA’s goal was originally to provide essential support to children suffering from HIV/AIDs. With expanded support thanks to donors like you, KCA has since been able to grow its mission beyond just essential support, to helping children overcome poverty, disease, and inequality around the world. KCA works shoulder to shoulder with frontline activists and local partners to deliver thematic programs that help to lift people out of poverty, gain access to education, and secure a low impact, sustainable future for children and families. For more information on KCA, to include information about projects, locations, and services, please visit their website at keepachildalive.org. They are a great organization and I am honored to be running on team KCA!  

Donating any amount helps this great cause and I will be extremely grateful for your love and support on this journey. To understand the impact of your donation and the work KCA does, a $30 donation Provides one month of comprehensive life-saving care to a child living with HIV, $75 Offers a place to live, including care, for an orphaned child for one month, $100 Feeds two families in South Africa impacted by HIV for a month, $250 Pays for skills training and a loan to start a small business, enabling Indian mothers to support their families, and $500 Provides a Ugandan pregnant woman with 18 months of care, everything she needs to prevent mother-to-child transmission to her baby.  Donations made through this platform are secure and will be remitted directly through to KCA. Thanks so much for your support, and please follow me on Facebook and Strava as I train for the NYC Marathon on November 6, 2022!