Defne Runs Chicago for ALS

I first heard of A Long Swim through my school friend Dr. Hande Ozdinler, who has made groundbreaking discoveries in the research for a cure for ALS. When I secured a place in the Chicago Marathon I knew I wanted to raise money to support this work.

My love of running was instilled in me at school when I used to win cross-country races. Then after a long break from running, I decided to take it up again years later and once I had run my first half-marathon, I was hooked. I had never thought I could finish a full marathon so my first one in Istanbul, where I grew up, was very special to me. This is an intercontinental marathon where the race begins in one continent (Asia) and finishes in another (Europe). After this, I continued to take part in many events including cycling and swimming. It takes a great deal of hard work, dedication and discipline to achieve results but it is worth all the blood, sweat and tears along the way. Running races gives me the chance to raise money for good causes. On a personal level, I run in memory of my younger brother who lost his life in a traffic accident at a young age.