10/12/2026
Happy Indigenous Peoples Day! Thank you for supporting an Indigenous-owned business. I am Oneida. My rez is the Six Nations of the Grand River in Ohsweken, Ontario. My grandpa and his brothers grew up there and many Porters still live there today. I am so happy to see so many posts today celebrating and honoring the people who first called this land home.
To learn more about the Six Nations, the Hodinohsho:ni people of the Great Lakes region, as well as great educational resources and programming, follow and visit https://woodlandculturalcentre.ca
This year on Indigenous Peoples Day, I am asking for help funding several races I'd like to sign up for in the coming months. I am looking to run my first half marathon next month as well as a race series in Chicago next year. Registration costs money because there is a lot of support that goes into producing these races.
I post a lot of sweaty selfies from my racing journey but I don't think I've ever talked about the specifics here. I started training seriously two years ago after some time off due to family stuff that took priority in my life and a sprained ankle that left me laid up for six weeks. At the time I felt physically and mentally a wreck; I was on fibromyalgia drugs that didn't control my unexplainable chronic pain, I was exhausted every day after work, I was put on medication for high blood pressure, and I often had trouble going up the stairs. I started out walking one mile a day just to set aside time every day to focus on something other than work. Once I was comfortable walking, I asked myself what if I could try running? So I decided to try just a little bit and found that it was the only thing that has kept my chronic pain at bay. Since then I've joined a gym, lost 45 pounds, and my resting heart rate is consistently in the mid-50s. My VO2 Max is in the top 15% for my age and my doctor now tells me to "keep up the good work."
More than the physical benefits, the mental benefits of running have made a huge difference for me. For the first time in my life, I have goals, and running has made me disciplined. Running has taught me patience and how to be okay with discomfort. Running has shown me that I am capable of things that I thought were impossible for me. I never dreamed that I would be talking about racing but I did my first 5k this spring and got hooked. Now I am hoping to finish out the year as a half marathoner. It wasn't in my plan for this year but the more I train, the more I feel like I am ready.
So why racing? All of my training is done alone; race day gives me the opportunity to be in community with my peers. There is something weirdly meditative about it; when I'm in that crowd, I feel a connection to the rhythm of the universe like I've never felt before. And every time I look at my medals or race shirts or pictures from that day, I feel so much pride knowing that I am accomplishing things I never thought I would be capable of.
So far this year I've been funding races with my crochet (not Mew's Roos, that money is allocated for Farm Bird Sanctuary) and by selling mine and Dave's second hand items on Depop. But our TacoCat sales are down by 50% this year so most months that extra money goes to groceries, rent, and cat food. So I'm asking for help.
Here are the races I'm looking to sign up for next month and in 2027:
- Madison Half Marathon, Nov. 15 - currently $180
- Shamrock Shuffle 8k in Chicago, March 21 - currently $57
- Bank of America Half Marathon in Chicago, June 6 - currently $120
- Chicago Marathon, October 10 - currently $250 (pending lottery)
I'd also like to do the Run Madtown 1 miles, 5k, and half marathon on May 23-24 in Madison. I've applied for an ambassadorship and am crossing my fingers and toes that they pick me!
If you'd like to support an Indigenous runner, I would so very much appreciate any help I can get. My personal Venmo is and any funds sent there will be put toward racing.
Thank you for reading!
