Mercy Home Kicks Off 2026 Marathon Season

May 21, 2026

The journey to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon begins long before runners reach the starting line in October. For our Mercy Home Heroes, that journey officially got underway at the annual kickoff event.

Held in Mercy Home’s West Loop cafeteria, the 2026 Marathon Kickoff welcomed the team of runners who will raise funds in support of Mercy Home through their participation in the race this fall. The evening focused on purpose, preparation, and community. The event also featured a catered meal from Pompei.

This year’s event featured a few changes. Traditionally tied to Global Running Day in early June, the kickoff was moved to April, a switch that signaled both a rapid growth of the program and a desire to create a more meaningful experience for the Heroes.

“We decided to change the format partly because the team sold out so early, and we felt we could hold a kickoff earlier,” said Mary Connolly, manager of the Mercy Home Heroes Endurance Program. “Separating the events gave us an opportunity to add more value by focusing on our mission, everyone’s ‘why,’ and the ways our partners support them through training.”

“Especially marathon runners, a lot of times they’re really pushing the training and not the recovery as much,” said Diego Cusatis of StretchLab. “We want to reduce the risk of injury and improve performance at the same time.”

For many runners, access to these resources is a defining benefit of joining the Mercy Home team.

“Mercy Home is one of our strongest partners when it comes to charity runners,” said James Diamond of CARA. “We’re excited to guide both experienced runners and newcomers as they prepare for race day.”

While training plans and gear are essential for the race itself, the evening also centered on the mission behind every mile: the young people at Mercy Home. Fr. Scott Donahue and members of the leadership team greeted runners as they arrived.

Peter Marsh, an associate board member running his first marathon, said that this is both a personal challenge and a meaningful commitment.

“When it’s mile 19, 20, or 21, I’m going to be struggling pretty hard,” Marsh said. “But having a good cause to run for is going to completely rejuvenate me.”

First-time marathoner Jack Suvari said that he attended the event to learn more about the mission.

“I wanted to learn about the charity so I can better advocate what I’m running for,” he said.

The event also highlighted the lasting impact of Mercy Home through voices like James Lee, a former resident who volunteered at the event.

“I love Mercy Home,” Lee said. “It’s great to see familiar faces and give back.”

Chicago native and Dick Pond representative Chris Wilhite said that remembers learning about Mercy Home when he was in high school. Now, 20 years later, he’s working with them to make their marathon experience even more beneficial.

“Mercy Home is such a cool organization because not only are they trying to bring the running community together, but they’re also trying to do good,” he said. “You get to run and check off maybe a bucket list item, but also help some kids that are in need with an organization that does a fantastic job. It means a lot to us because we are able to be a small part of what Mercy Home does.”

With 582 runners on the roster and charity bibs sold out, the Mercy Home Heroes team is once again ready for another strong presence at this year’s marathon. Runners who secure their own bibs can still join the team and take advantage of the resources and support network.

Beyond marathon day, the season will include additional opportunities to build community, including a Global Running Day partnership with the Illinois Brewery Running Series at Goose Island Beer Company.

Runners can register and use promo code: MERCYGBR for the Mercy Home (50%) discount off the standard registration.