Boston Marathon
“I was lucky enough to be born into an amazing one. But, family is also the people who pick you, show up for you, and love you. On Marathon Monday, I’ll be running for every kid, who deserves to feel that, too.”
Alex Castrichini is running the 2026 Boston Marathon. Alex Castrichini
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Alex Castrichini
Age: 37
From: Concord, Mass.
Growing up in Concord, I was surrounded by family. My grandparents lived next door.
I never questioned whether someone would show up for me. I didn’t fully appreciate what that meant until I started attending the Boston CASA Gala with my wife Emily’s family.
Boston CASA trains volunteers to serve as court-appointed advocates for children in foster care, kids who often have to navigate an overwhelming system without a single adult consistently in their corner.
Emily’s aunt, Susan Ganz, was deeply involved with the organization before she passed away in 2012. Susan was an attorney who believed in using her skills to advocate for others, and her legacy lives on through the Susan J. Ganz Award. The award is given each year at the Gala to honor leaders committed to improving the lives of children in foster care. At first, I was just a guest at the Gala. Then, I started listening to the stories.
One story in particular has stayed with me.
A young woman spoke at the Gala about hitting the lowest point of her life, a moment so dark she didn’t know if she wanted to go on. The one person she called was her CASA volunteer. Not a parent, not a teacher. Her CASA. That call saved her life.
I thought about my own life. How I never had to question whether someone would be there. And I realized I wanted to help make sure more kids had that support. I joined the board a few years ago, but I wanted to do more. I wanted to push myself in a way that matched how hard these kids fight every day.
I’m running to bring awareness to what foster kids face: instability, uncertainty, a system that’s hard to navigate alone. And, to show that there’s something each of us can do. You can donate. You can volunteer. You can be that person in someone’s corner.
This race is about family. I was lucky enough to be born into an amazing one. But, family is also the people who pick you, show up for you, and love you. On Marathon Monday, I’ll be running for every kid, who deserves to feel that, too.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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