Monday, October 13, 2025 – Day 426

Monday, October 13, 2025

Good morning, fans.

It’s the day after the Chicago Marathon, and there’s so much to talk about—yet I hardly know where to begin.

A year ago, four runners made a commitment to do something meaningful for me after my ALS diagnosis. That was no small challenge. You don’t just wake up one day and run a marathon—it takes months of training, early mornings, and sheer willpower.

Yesterday, on a chilly, cloudless morning, this group lined up at the start—ready to put an exclamation point on their promise and give us all a day to remember. They joined more than 50,000 runners, each with their own story, but ours had a special one to tell.

While the runners were toeing the line, Andy’s Army fans were pulling on their shirts, studying the race map, and planning their routes to cheer from as many spots as possible. They waved handmade signs, blew noisemakers, and shouted encouragement at every turn to keep our runners moving forward.

And to those who couldn’t make it in person—you were still right there with us. Many followed along on the marathon app, tracking every mile, every split, until that beautiful word “Finished” appeared next to each runner’s name.

It was an emotional day for me. I shed more than a few tears—sad because I wish I weren’t the guy with ALS (who would?), but also overwhelmed with gratitude for the love surrounding me. Seeing people come together like that—to support the runners, to support me—is something I’ll never forget. You all embodied that powerful phrase: “Running for those who can’t.”

After the race, we gathered for a celebration of togetherness. It was my chance to hug each runner and thank them—for finishing what they started (DNF not allowed 🚫!) and for raising over $63,000 for ALS United. There’s still one week left to donate if you’re thinking about it.

Now it’s time—past time, really—to find a cure for this shitty disease.

I’ll close with something Nikki said that summed up the day perfectly:

“Every time I started to fall apart, I saw Andy’s Army. This was a team sport.”

Thank you, all of you. Have a great Monday.

Love you guys! ❤️