Dianca became an avid runner during her second year of college and continued running through her admission to the police academy, where it became a sanctuary for her. She soon began participating in sanctioned races and has completed more than 50 over the past 17 years.
As a first responder herself, Dianca was especially moved to learn about an organization providing much-needed support to the families of fallen first responders. Though she currently lives and works in Philadelphia, she is originally from Brooklyn and felt it was only right to, as she says, “bring it home” by running the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon with Team Answer the Call.
When she feels ready to give up, Dianca turns to gospel music, anything Jay-Z-related, and the support of the running community to help push her through. Running with friends, and enjoying a cold brew afterward, is her favorite way to have fun while training and remind herself not to take it all too seriously. Outside of running, she enjoys reading and training dogs as a hobby.
Dianca finds one of her biggest challenges is balancing training with a busy schedule and the demands of her career. Still, she believes in making time for what is important and stresses the value of good time management. Her advice for other first responder runners is, “Don’t let the outside world get in the way of the commitment you made to yourself and the charity you are running for.”
Through this race, Dianca is honoring the commitment she has made to herself and her mental health. She is also running in memory of all fallen Philadelphia Police Department and Temple University officers. Her message to the families of fallen first responders is:
“Thank you for sharing your loved ones with the city. The work they have done will never go unnoticed.”
Click here to support Dianca’s fundraising efforts!
We wish you the best of luck in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, Dianca!
Answer the Call’s 2026 Summer Intern, Bridget McGrath, conducted this interview and wrote this blog post.
