Last spring, I decided to be honest with my friends and family, and I came out as gay. However, my struggle with depression and suicide began much earlier. In the winter of my freshman year, I fell into a debilitating and life-threatening depression that attempted to derail my academic, athletic, and professional aspirations. I sought out running as a way to cope with my depression and to remedy my dissatisfaction with my sexuality. With the completion of my first marathon in the spring of that year, I felt that I had finally overcome my depression and come to terms with who I am.

On November 22nd, I’m running the Philadelphia Marathon and donating the money I raise to The Trevor Project, a non-profit that serves as a suicide hotline for LGBT youth, as well as a resource to help educate individuals about suicide, its warning signs, and how action can taken before it’s too late.

I have already run my own marathon and overcome my own depression. Now, I’m running the Philadelphia Marathon for all of those LGBT individuals who struggle with suicide and depression, for those who have yet to take the first step to recovery, for those who are struggling with the process, and for all of those who took their own lives under the incredible pressure of their depression. I’m running to help them complete their marathon. I’m running to help them overcome their struggle with suicide and depression. I’m running with them on their journey to recovery.

I’m running this marathon for them.

My story:
http://www.outsports.com/2015/11/3/9655730/gay-dartmouth-athlete-phil-claudy-coming-out-trevor-project-marathon