Representing LLego Boston in 2023 Boston Marathon

My name is Racquel Mendez, and I am a proud Latina living in the city of Boston with the honor and the privilege to run the 2023 Boston marathon.

Why do I Run? Running motivates and pushes me. Running challenges me, which helps me evolve as an individual. When I run, I feel unstoppable, like all my dreams are attainable as long as I persevere. I find peace within myself when I run. I use running as an outlet to work through the stressors in my life. The faster I run, the stronger I feel. The more miles I run, the more I feel I can achieve. I feel so proud, determined, and capable. Running empowers me to set, beat, and surpass my goals. I run for ME. It is my self-care, and I hope it pushes others toward greatness. I run because I want to inspire my daughter, for her to be proud of me, and remind her that she is powerful beyond all measure.

It has always been a goal of mine to run the Boston marathon. My love for running has led me to become a part of LiveFitArmy–a local community empowering all to improve their cardiovascular health. When I first started running, I couldn’t even run a mile. Over the years, I challenged myself to run 5ks, 10ks, a half marathon and a marathon. When I finished my first marathon, the course was being disassembled, and I was the second to last person to finish. I was proud of my accomplishment but knew I was capable of more. I have consistently challenged myself to overcome obstacles that once seemed impossible, so much so that I recently completed the Chicago Marathon.

I am honored to represent LLEGO Boston in the Boston Marathon. LLEGO Boston was formed in April 2017 with a mission to unite the knowledge and experience of Latino emergency first responders and promote diversity in law enforcement. Soon after, we realized that if we wanted to be impactful and be leaders in our community we needed to be fully inclusive. LLEGO Boston now has hundreds of members who represent several demographics.

I, as a proud Dominican American, am running for mental health awareness, suicide prevention, women, single mothers, and Serenity Mendez (my daughter). I hope to represent all of these people and ideals at the Boston Marathon, “Empowered people empower people.”