Eileen started her running journey in November 2024. After moving from her home in New York, where her family still lives, to North Carolina and going through a period of change, Eileen was feeling lost. She needed something to keep her going when her husband, a former track and cross-country athlete, encouraged her to take up running.
Eileen ran her first formal race that November, a turkey trot, and she hasn’t stopped since. In under two years, Eileen has run a half-marathon and two full marathons, most recently in May 2026. Her passion for running inspired big goals that, though others called ambitious, she was determined to accomplish and knew she was capable of achieving. She hopes to inspire anyone who believes they can’t run to simply get out there and try their best.
Despite being motivated by “emo” music on her runs, Eileen believes the most important and helpful part of training is maintaining a positive attitude. She says that “every day you have to go out there and appreciate that you are healthy, you are able to move, and you get to do this.” However, even she finds maintaining a positive mindset challenging. During her past two marathons, she found herself being hard on herself and questioning whether she was pushing to her highest potential—something she anticipates will be even more challenging as she works to improve her speed for the New York City Marathon.
As a native New Yorker, the NYC Marathon has always inspired Eileen, but she never imagined herself running it. The opportunity presented itself through a post on Answer the Call’s Facebook page looking for potential runners, which Eileen’s mother shared with her. Her family has deep ties to law enforcement, including her father, a retired officer with the NYPD and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. They were extremely excited to hear that Eileen had joined Team Answer the Call and were proud of the cause she would be running to support.
As the child of a first responder, Eileen understands the sacrifices those working in the line of duty make every day, as well as the sacrifices made by their families. Eileen recalls the uncertainty she felt as a child each day her dad left for work and the impact that uncertainty had on her and her family. She wants other families to know they are “heard, appreciated, and supported in their sacrifices.”
Click here to support Eileen’s fundraising efforts!
We wish you the best of luck in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon, Eileen!
Answer the Call’s 2026 Summer Intern, Bridget McGrath, conducted this interview and wrote this blog post.
