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The 16th DONNA Marathon Weekend concluded Feb. 5 with more than 5,000 runners participating in person at events across the First Coast. Athletes from all 50 states and 10 countries laced up for multiple competitive race events, Feb. 3-5.
In celebration of The DONNA Foundation’s 20th anniversary year, participants choosing to raise funds generated about $250,000 so far this year in support of the critical programs of the DONNA Foundation.
In addition to traditional fundraising efforts, five-time DONNA Marathon women's champion Meaghan Murray-Neuberger participated in this year’s event as the day's “Charity Chaser.” Starting as the last participant on marathon on Sunday, Murray-Neuberger set out to pass as many athletes as possible, raising $1 each time. By sprinting past 2,760 participants, she raised $2,760 in partnership with PUMA.
This year’s marathon Sunday, which took runners through a redesigned double-loop course across the Jacksonville Beaches, saw all new overall champions for its 16th running.
DONNA Marathon Weekend’s Sunday races, including the half marathon and sold out marathon events, extended through several First Coast communities, including Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach. The start and finish line of both signature race events on Sunday was sponsored by Gilead Oncology.
“DONNA Marathon Weekend is truly one-of-a-kind,” said Amanda Napolitano, executive director of The DONNA Foundation. “As we celebrated the milestone of 20 years of survivorship, impact and love over fear through The DONNA Foundation, and 16 years of our iconic races, we were able to reflect on where we are and how far we’ve come. We have celebrated with so many runners, walkers, survivors and spectators this weekend, and we know that while there will be more miles ahead, the destination is the same –– the end of breast cancer.”
