Saturday, October 11, 2025 – Day 424

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Good morning, blog readers and marathon participants.

One day until the Chicago Marathon!
Fundraising total for Andy’s Army stands at $58,902 — what an incredible achievement for this team.

A big thank-you to our four runners — Nikki, Alex, Meghan, and Michael — for their commitment to run, and another heartfelt thank-you to everyone who’s donated to ALS United.

How It All Began We were in St. Maarten last December when the kids first came up with the idea of running the Chicago Marathon. There was a lot of concern about getting into the race, since registration goes through a lottery system if you don’t meet the guaranteed entry qualifications… which they didn’t.

There were a couple of ALS charities they could run under, but I wanted them to choose ALS United — for good reason. They’re my ALS care team.

That decision kicked off a string of emails between Sarah Brandt (she’s responsible for ALS United entries) and the runners, and one by one Sarah confirmed their entries. Then the hard part began: the training and the fundraising.

Well, they’re through both now (though there’s one more day left to donate), and all that’s left is to enjoy the marathon. I am deeply honored and awed by what you’ve all accomplished this past year.

Nikki You came up with the concept of Andy’s Army and started training for this goal before you even had a race bib. You and Alex told me at my birthday celebration — just two days after my ALS diagnosis — that you had my back. And you carried through on that promise.

You’ve got a demanding job, two young kids, and somehow you still made time to train for a marathon. That’s no small feat. You’ve put in the miles, and I have no doubt you’re ready.

Alex The swimmer who once hated running jumped right into this challenge with his sister. You’d never considered running before, and even a single mile used to feel torturous.

But when you realized you could support me through this marathon, you committed. You’ve pushed through injury, slogged through training runs, started a new job, and got married — all in one whirlwind year.

Those many years of racing in the pool will serve you well tomorrow when the mental miles get long.

Meghan We officially welcomed you into the Snarski family last October when you and Sally were married, and you came out of the gate running (literally) to support me.

Thank you for being part of this Andy’s Army team. You too logged the miles while also remodeling your home — and to go from a long run to swinging a sledgehammer says a lot about your grit. You did it all with a smile.

Michael You’ve been Nikki’s coach for this marathon (her secret weapon), and along the way became part of Andy’s Army.

Your schedule is just as packed as the others (with twin toddlers), but you carved out time to train, race, and even aim for a Boston Marathon qualifying time. I don’t know your exact goal, but I think it’s around three hours (no small feat). I’m rooting hard for you to get it.

To the Spouses A big thank-you to all the spouses. None of this training happens in a vacuum. You’ve carried the early mornings, the long weekends, and the extra family load so your runners could make this happen.
You are the unsung heroes behind this team.

To Andy’s Army You have all been supporters of mine and what you’ve done to lift me and Cindy up during this past year has been so powerfully strong and extraordinary. Thank you!

See you all this weekend for what’s sure to be a fun and memorable celebration.

Make it a great Saturday.
Love you guys! ❤️

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