2026 Charity Runners May & June
Hello Everyone!!
We hope you are well, in good spirits, and in community as much as you can be! That’s one of our favorite things about the heart work we do, is being able to connect with new runners, groups, efforts and friends. This program became possible because a handful of runners reached out to us, asking how can they support us or fundraise for the heart work we do. So, we created the Rising Hearts Charity Runner’s Program, aside from our partnership with The Wander Project (where you select a race from them, with set fundraising limits, then we receive the funds at the end of the year), and through some of our bib entries we receive at the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, California International Marathon and Every Woman’s Marathon. So don’t miss your chance to run with Rising Hearts! We help reimburse your registration fees if needed, get you fuel, a singlet, and shoes. And, we have no penalties for not reaching your goal. we’re just grateful you chose us and are supporting us in this way. Wopila tanka, many thanks!!
2026 Special Milestones:
1.) 2026: Team Rising Hearts participated in the DC Rock n Roll Half Marathon ad helped kick off the Boston Marathon team’s fundraising efforts!
2.) 2026: Team Rising Hearts had 4 runners in the 130th Boston Marathon and helped raise $4,223 to support Rising Hearts runners, community and programming!
3.) 2026: Mel Devoney and her friends ran the SoCal Ragnar Relay and all fundraised $2,002
4.) 2026: Mel Devoney participated in the Speed Project in March, and was able to get the team to split funds to donate towards Rising Hearts!
5.) 2026: Susie Stephen ran and finished the Kai 70k and raised $862 for Rising Hearts!
6.) 2026: Alex Staten, ran the Miwok 100k and has raised $184 of her $1,000 for this year!
7.) 2026: Liz McKenzie ran as a Wander Project x Rising Hearts Charity Runner at the Cocodona 250 this year! Even though she didn’t get the results she was hoping for, she made it to the start line and showed up, helped support other Indigenous runners and reached her $6,000 goal for Rising Hearts!
8.) 2026: Colleen Cooley celebrated her 40th return around the sun by raising $1,626 for Rising Hearts!
9.) 2026: Candace Gonzales raised over $1,300 for Rising Hearts!!
10.) 2026: Mel Devoney helped raise $500 for Rising Hearts by running in the Avalon 50k! First trail Ultra!
11.) 2026: Jordan Whetstone (founder and E.D.) helped celebrate her birthday by raising $1,405 for Rising Hearts!
12.) 2026: Dynamic duo and power couple, Ashleigh Thompson and Kendall Murie $290.93 of their $1,000 goal!
2025: Highlights
1.) We had TEAM RISING HEARTS at the Every Woman’s Marathon in Scottsdale, AZ - all 13 women crossed the finish line and raised $7,436 for Rising Hearts!
2.) Rising Hearts had 2 runners at the ‘25 New York City Marathon and raised $4,136.
3.) Rising Heart had 3 runners at The Marathon Project, December 21st in Chandler, AZ, where Hosava Kretzmann (Hopi/Diné) also qualified for the 2028 Marathon Olympic Trials! The 3 runners, including Nate Crail and Kylie Bemis, raised $3,840.
4.) Rising Hearts had 2 runners at the California International Marathon, where Blanca and Carlos raised $1,904, and we donated $700 to NorCal Resist on behalf of Blanca as well!
5.) And 24 runners who collectively raised $18,806 for Rising Hearts!
6.) So far, we have had 5 runners complete their fundraisers who have opted to use a link so that Rising Hearts is able to utilize the funds sooner rather than having access in December of 2026. Appreciate this!!
7.) See our run reflections from our runners - many who have completed their races / runs, preparing for more, and have shared their own special experiences, like Lisa Land who ran the Oracle 50k!
CURRENT CHARITY RUNNERS:
We are so excited for 2026 and can’t wait to support these runners! Let’s give it up for these humans! If you want to be part of this collective heart work through movement and community, we are calling for 10 more runners to fundraise for Rising Hearts! Now, we have 27 runners signed up, 6 Rising Hearts Teams at the SoCal Ragnar Relay, DC Rock n Roll Half Marathon and Boston Marathon, DC Juneteenth Half Marathon and, 5 who have completed their fundraisers, with 10 starting their fundraisers later this summer and Fall!
Current Amount Raised: $12,000+ of our $25,000 goal with over 146 donors.
- Rising Hearts
2026 Charity Bib Runners!
I fundraise for Rising Hearts because running, for me, is about more than miles. It is about honoring Indigenous people and the land we move through—not just using it. It is about visibility, respect, and reciprocity—giving back to communities whose stories are often erased, but whose resilience is unmatched. This is my second year running with Rising Hearts, and I am back because this community is real. I have grown—not just as a runner, but as a person—by being part of something bigger than myself. As someone reconnecting with my Apache roots—Ndee—this work matters deeply to me. I run because I’m still here. And I fundraise because others deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated. Rising Hearts stands at the intersection of movement and meaning, health and healing, and culture, community, and visibility. My miles become a way to honor Native runners past and present, support Indigenous-led wellness and justice work, and turn gratitude into action.
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $1,000
Total Raised So Far: $327
Follow MARK on IG: @CORUNNINGBEAR
I live in Southeast Oklahoma on the Choctaw Nation reservation and the Choctaw Nation offers the P.A.CE. program to associates who work for CNO and all tribal citizens. This program has helped me connect with local runners and races, so I can share the Rising Hearts mission with them. My goal for 2026 is to be healthy enough to complete the Dinosaur Valley 100 miler in November. I struggle with nutrition, especially during stressful times. It would be a big accomplishment to properly care for my body during this training cycle. I’ve been an athlete advocate since 2021 and it has changed my life. Knowing the impact Rising Hearts has had on my life, I want fundraise for them so that others get to experience it as well.
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $1500 ($100ish a month)
Total Raised So Far: $377
Follow Kelsey L. on IG: @longcommakelsey
I love how Rising Hearts really stands up for marginalized communities. It’s so important to lift those communities up and show them they have allies.
I am a wife, mom of three, and an athlete. I love showing my babies that you can do anything you set your mind to.
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $600
Total Raised So Far: $102
Follow Kelsey O. on IG: @dailyvayk
✨ It’s my birthday month 🎉 And this year, instead of gifts, I’m asking for something bigger. I’m turning 39… so I’m raising $390 — easy peasy 🫛 $10 for every year I’ve been alive. That’s only 39 people giving $10. Easy. Powerful. Collective. 💛
Every dollar will go to Rising Hearts, an Indigenous-led organization that has done so much for me and others! Now it’s my turn to give back. Help me give back, too. $10. That’s it. Let’s do this together. 🤍
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $390
Total Raised So Far: $213
Follow LACE on IG: @lacemarieruns
I’ve worked for Rising Hearts for 5 years and every year I've watched our runners reach their goals in running and their races. It's been so inspiring to witness! After watching all our runners cross the finish line at the Every Women's Marathon last year, I decided that 2026 was my year to commit, give it my all and run my first marathon. First, I have a few practice races to work my way up to the full marathon. I'm so excited for this opportunity and what this experience will do for my mental health and my life. Running is in my blood and a part of my culture. I'm excited to reconnect with running in this way and raise funds for an organization that I work for and believe in so much!
RACE: Juneteenth DC Half Marathon
FUNDRAISING GOAL: $2,000
Total Raised So Far: $786
Follow LEX on IG: @lexxsaenz
UPCOMING RACE WITH TEAM RISING HEARTS
Team Rising Hearts is bringing 5 runners to the Juneteenth Half Marathon and 10k in Washington DC June 13th! We are so grateful to be running in this race and to be support the mission of Run Juneteenth!
Get ready to cheer on our runners! Jordan Whetstone, Mel Devoney, Alex Staten, Rocío Villalobos, Alexis Saenz and Shayla Manitowabi Huebner!!
Ragnar Relay Reflection
Ragnar Road SoCal - Good Days Run x Mohawk Wellness Collective
Over the course of two days, 12 women from the LA area ran a 196-mile relay from San Diego to Huntington Beach. This was the first relay for many of the ladies on the team...and they nailed it! Many them only started racing a year or so ago, and I think they all proved to themselves how strong they are, especially when they have such strong support. Tiffani was our team captain, and this is what stood out to her:
“My biggest takeaway from the SoCal Ragnar Relay experience was seeing how much we supported each other. We have all ran distance and hills, but running around the clock, packed in a van, exhausted, and still showing up for one another was the real test.
I am so grateful for the women I shared this experience with and for Rising Hearts for giving us the space to represent something bigger along the way."
They fundraised over $2,000!!
RUN REFLECTIONS
Kelsey Long | Rising Hearts Charity Runner
I surprised myself at Midsouth by completing the half & then a 50 miler. I had done those distances before but never so close together and not with little training. I wouldn’t suggest it but the body remembers & even being out of practice, I completed them… eventually. I spent about 13-14 hours on the course
The half marathon was mostly uneventful. I felt more confident in a finish for that event and I smiled until the end. It was the 50 miler that broke me. I went back and forth that morning thinking that I should drop to the 12 miler. But I couldn’t not try. So I found my All Bodies on Bikes friends & started with them. I’m not used to riding with people so I lost them almost immediately.
I felt great for the first 10 miles. It slowly went downhill from there & I started questioning my decisions. A cold morning slowly started warming up to a hot afternoon. Those easy hills weren’t so easy & my bike found the lowest gear more often. I even had an issue with the aid station water. (I’m a little bit of a water snob & didn’t like the way it tasted) And the saddle, that thing is evil. A torture device!
My ego pushed me out of the aid station at mile 27-28, I immediately regretted it when I had to walk my bike up that little hill to get back on gravel. Sometime between there and mile 40-41, I was ready to give up. I was so mad. I cried. And then I stopped on the side of the road, in the shade & sat there. (Many people did ask if I was ok. I don’t know if I answered or was kind to them, but I know they asked) I was going to call the sag to pick me up. As I’m sitting down, I hear the sweetest voice ask me if she can join. Marley Blonsky & her friend stopped their ride to sit with me, share snacks, & encourage me to get back on my bike. There was another aid station a couple miles ahead. I just needed to get there.
I stayed at that aid station way too long. Got way too comfortable in the chair & almost fell asleep. But there was only 10 miles left. By then I found friends I made on the course. They were two 65-year old friends from Arkansas who were also struggling. We told each other we’d help each other finish. I had the Ride GPS app and it counted down the hills for us. We eventually merged on to the half marathon course and I knew exactly what was ahead. So with about 2 miles left, we took a photo of the three of us. We had to have reminder of the miles we shared. These women helped me get those last 10 miles because I wasn’t focused on myself and my pain, I wanted to support them and see them finish.
This was an awesome reminder that community is everything. And Midsouth has created an environment that foster community in a safe and inclusive way. If you find yourself in Oklahoma in March, you have to come see it for yourself. I know I’ll be back, running, riding, cheering, something
Sara Zapata | Rising Hearts Charity Runner
This April I completed the Scallywompus Siesta Half Marathon in Yanaguana (San Antonio, Texas). The final race in the Texas Hill Country Series! I previously completed January's River Road 10 miler in Comfort, Texas. In February I ran the San Marcos 10k in San Marcos, Texas. Then in March I completed the Wanderlust 10k which took place in Fredericksburg, Texas.
A big thank you to Rising Hearts for supporting me these last few months as I raced and raised funds on their behalf! I am extremely grateful for this running community and all the support it continues to provide. As of April 27th, I have raised $802 dollars of my $1,000 goal! You can still donate at the link below!
Lisa Land | Rising Hearts Charity Runner
The Crown King Scramble 50K had been on my radar for years. It started when my husband and I explored the terrain in our offroad Land Cruiser and yes, the race was happening that same day. I remember watching runners push upward and thinking, Does this trail just keep climbing? It absolutely does. Little did I know then that I’d one day be the one grinding toward Crown King, a former gold mining town nestled high in the Bradshaw Mountains. When we moved closer to Phoenix three years ago, this race stayed in my thoughts. This year, I finally committed. The Crown King Scramble is notorious for one thing: 6,800 feet of elevation gain. The race begins at the beautiful shores of Lake Pleasant and climbs steadily toward the Crown King, AZ. The course spans nearly 29 miles uphill before a final 600-foot descent to the finish. What that means in simple terms: relentless climbing. The opening two miles didn’t go as planned. Caught up in the energy of the race start, I lost focus on a slight descent and took a hard tumble. My hands, elbows, and right knee bore the brunt of it. The pain in my hands was intense, but after a quick stop at the medical station where they wrapped me up like Rocky I was back on the trail. My scraped hands still throbbed with each step, but I was moving forward. The first 15 miles are steady but relentless. Around mile 12–13, my legs started cramping. My trail friend offered me one of her poles. I initially refused, I’d never used poles before and didn’t want to take her support. But as the cramps intensified and my right knee stiffened, I accepted her offer. That single pole became a game-changer. It saved my legs and took pressure off my injured knee. I learned the true value of trekking poles on this race, and I felt deeply grateful for a friend compassionate enough to sacrifice her own support to help me carry the load. From the French Creek Aid Station at mile 15.3, the race transforms completely. The first half of the course travels across rolling, smooth dirt forest roads the kind that let you find a rhythm and settle into the climb. But after French Creek, the terrain shifts dramatically. The back half becomes rough four-wheel-drive jeep trails that climb steeply shifting from desert spines to mountain pines. Lake Pleasant shrinks smaller and smaller behind you, a visual reminder of the elevation you’ve conquered and the distance you’ve traveled. This is also where you realize how much your legs have left to offer, and how much the mountain still demands. Arizona was in a heat wave that day. Temperatures hovered in the mid-80s, and this course offered minimal shade or sun protection. On the stretch toward Silver Mountain Aid Station at mile 19.1, I noticed runners heading back downtrail. At first, my delirious ultra-runner brain thought they were just adding mileage. But then I realized the truth, the heat was forcing runners to turn back or DNF. Many were showing early signs of heat exhaustion: nausea, lightheadedness, disorientation. My heart ached for them. They were absolutely right; this heat was no joke. From that point forward, I made it my mission to hit every aid station and take nothing for granted. I packed ice in my race pack, dumped water on my back, and filled my cooling vest. The volunteers were doing everything they could, but by aid station 19, they were rationing ice, it was becoming a fragile resource. I slowed my pace. I accepted the technical terrain and steep ascents. And I shifted my focus entirely to gratitude: for the privilege of running on this land, for the views of Lake Pleasant from a perspective few experience, for the ability to traverse these mountains on my own two feet, and for a friend who kept the quiet moments of fatigue optimistic with occasional singing. The ascent to Oro Belle Aid Station at mile 27.3 was brutal. I remember looking up at the mountain, spotting what I thought was the aid station tent at the summit, only to realize how much climbing still awaited. A fellow runner had warned us that we had one big climb before the descent into Crown King, and this was it. This climb was the most technical, the sharpest, and somehow the most rewarding all at once. You can see your destination the entire way up, which makes it feel even longer but when you finally reach the top, the views and the volunteer support make every step worthwhile. The volunteers at Oro Belle were extraordinary. They’d spent all day cheering on exhausted runners, and they knew exactly what we needed to hear. One fireman offered to clean my bloodied, bruising knee, but I declined. That knee was crossing the finish line exactly as it was battered but determined. It perfectly reflected my soul at that moment: beat up, but ready to go. The final four miles blur together in my memory. Once the descent began, my legs desperate for relief from climbing carried me forward almost on their own. I let them run, and before I knew it, my family was waiting at the finish line. Due to the remote nature of this race, no pacers or crew are allowed on the course, so seeing their faces at the finish hit differently. The finish brought me into an athlete’s village where volunteers served hearty BBQ sandwiches and cold drinks. I took a moment to rest and watch other runners cross the finish line. Honestly, one of the best moments at any race. After years of wanting to race Crown King, I can finally say: I tackled it. I completed it. I’m proud of myself. Is it a repeat race for me? I’m not sure yet. But I’m carrying this empowered strength forward into my 100K training; the longest distance I’ve set for myself. If Crown King taught me anything, it’s that we’re capable of so much more than we think, especially when we have people who believe in us and lend us their strength when we need it most.
Alex Staten | Rising Hearts Charity Runner
The Miwok 100k will always be a special race to me. I first ran it in 2024, and it was the first race my dad and my grandpa ever saw me do. Going into it I knew my fitness was not where it should be. I was having a difficult time staying motivated during the winter and then my grandpa passed away in March. I shifted my focus and told myself to do this for my grandpa, to honor him and to run in gratitude. Early in the race I was chasing cutoffs and working hard to make up time. With every aid station I got to, I was sure that I had timed out. Throughout the race I thought about my grandpa and my family. I believe they gave me the strength to keep going. I worked hard for every step and found myself smiling despite the discomfort that comes with running ultras and soaking up the beauty of the land I was surrounded by. Finishing this race was one of my proudest moments. I felt my grandpa’s presence, and it was special to share this experience with my dad and my husband, both who were there in 2024. I also received the best finish line hug from race director, Magda Boulet, who pours so much love and care into this race. I proudly wore my Rising Hearts singlet that says, ‘Be a Good Relative’, on the back. Every time I wear that singlet, my hope is that people take that to heart and take that with them beyond the race.
Run with purpose
In 2025, we had 37 runners dedicating their run / race to Rising Hearts! We met our goal of $36,000! Here’s a chance to support our heart work through a different means - running!
Now, we have 26 runners for 2026 and hoping to find 9 more runners!
OPTION ONE: THE WANDER PROJECT
WANT TO RACE FOR RISING HEARTS OUTSIDE OF THESE WE HAVE SELECTED?
Not seeing a race you want to run in this list? Check out all of the Wander Project events and choose the “Your Choice” option. They will reach out to learn more about your charity of choice and once you let them know that you’ll be running for Rising Hearts, they will make sure your funds come to support our mission!”
Athletes who want to support Rising Hearts for a race that is not listed, can sign up for any of the events on The Wander Project calendar: https://www.wanderproject.org/event-partners/ and pick 'Your Choice' for charity and then fill out the form to indicate they want to support Rising Hearts: (FAQ page here: https://www.wanderproject.org/athletes/frequently-asked-questions/).
Reach out to us via email, info@rising-hearts.org. Share with us your plans, then we’ll set you up with the link!
OPTION TWO: RUN FOR RISING HEARTS!
Dedicate any race you have signed up for to Rising Hearts. If you want to register for one, we can reimburse your fee, if needed (pending fee and may need to be added to fundraising amount)! Donation page is through GiveLively where you can create you own account to fundraise. Through this new option, we had 37 runners dedicating their run / race to Rising Hearts for 2025, with $36,181 raised, meeting our goal! And rounding out 2024, we had 5 California International Marathon runners as well! There are no penalties for not reaching your goal!
Suggested minimum fundraising limits:
RH Athletes / Community = $600
Non RH Athletes / New Allies/Friends = minimum $800
Perks: RH Singlet, merch, stickers, fuel, and if shoes are needed, we can help you! We are excited to learn from you and support you. We are here to amplify your efforts through our platforms and help you reach your goal.
Email us at info@rising-hearts.org if you’re interested in dedicating a run and raising funds for Rising Hearts.