Raised by Fire Marathon Mission
Running the NYC Marathon to Support Indigenous Healing & Children Facing Serious Illness
Sponsor a Mile • Support the Mission • Run This Journey With Me
This year I’m running the TCS New York City Marathon, my 8th marathon, in support of not one, but two charities:
Native Strength Revolution — an Indigenous-led nonprofit restoring wellness and leadership in Native communities across the United States and Canada
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp — a nonprofit dedicated to providing “a different kind of healing” to children with serious illnesses and their families, free of charge. A community that celebrates the spirit of childhood, the sound of laughter and the feeling of endless possibility.
Favorite Partners
Why This Matters
Across North America, Indigenous communities are reclaiming wellness through movement, cultural leadership, and community-led healing.
Native Strength Revolution trains Indigenous wellness leaders who bring yoga, movement, and culturally grounded healing practices back into their communities.
These leaders are creating powerful change from within — strengthening physical, mental, and spiritual well-being across tribal nations.
Their work is not just about health. It’s about sovereignty, resilience, and healing across generations.
And, every year, hundreds of children facing serious illness experience the magic of camp at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
Camp provides more than fun — it gives kids a place to laugh, grow, and just be children, even when illness makes that hard - totally free of charge.
By supporting this mission, you’re helping children reclaim joy, connect with peers who understand their journey, and create memories that last a lifetime.
2026 TCS New York Marathon
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My Marathon Mission
Doubling Down on Purpose
This November I will run the TCS New York City Marathon for the 3rd time, just days before my 60th birthday with an expanded goal:
To raise funds for two charities while running the marathon, because the world needs us most right now.
The First Half — miles 1 to 13 — supports Indigenous wellness leaders through Native Strength Revolution.
The Second Half — miles 14 to 26 — is dedicated to the work of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
And the last 0.2 miles are ALL ME!! 😉
My goal is to raise a minimum of $13,000 for each charity. This structure makes every mile symbolic: half for healing communities, half for bringing joy to children facing serious illness.
Each step of the marathon becomes a symbol of strength, resilience, healing and making a difference, together.
It's 26.2 Miles of Indigenous Strength & Bringing Joy
Support Indigenous Wellness & Helping Children Grow
Every donation supports:
• Indigenous yoga teacher training
• Culturally grounded healing practices
• Community-led wellness programs
• Leadership development in tribal communities
• Peer connection with children who understand their journey
• Adventure and fun in a medically safe environment
• Opportunities for growth, joy, and confidence
Your generosity goes exactly where it’s intended—100% of every tax deductible donation goes directly to the charity and to support their work.
You can support the Marathon Mission in several ways:
LaLa's Circle Supporter
$600
($100/month for six months)
Join the LaLa's Circle of Love community supporting Indigenous wellness leadership and help ensure every mile brings hope and happiness to a child..
Mile Sponsor
$1000
Sponsor one mile of the marathon and dedicate it to the strength and resilience of Indigenous communities. Sponsor one mile of the marathon and dedicate it to a child at camp. Each mile is symbolic of the impact your gift creates.
Leadership Supporter
$2500+
Help expand Indigenous-led wellness programs across tribal communities. Support multiple miles or make a transformational gift to empower the camp’s programs for children facing serious illness.
Support the Miles
One Small Purchase at a Time
Not ready to commit to a larger donation? No problem. Grab one of the products below and you’ll still be supporting my run in the TCS New York City Marathon. Every purchase helps fund the miles I’m dedicating to Native Strength Revolution and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.
Every purchase helps fund the miles I’m dedicating to these two missions.
Follow the Journey
Sponsor a Mile I Stoop Stories I Raised by Fire Merch
Training for the marathon takes months of discipline, endurance, and commitment.
Supporters will receive updates throughout the journey — sharing the training miles, lessons learned along the way, and the stories behind the mission.
Together we’ll carry this purpose all the way to the starting line of the TCS New York City Marathon.
Thank you for joining me on this journey — every step, every mile, and every donation makes a real difference. Together, we’re bringing healing, strength, and joy to communities and children who need it most.
Stoop Stories + LaLa's Fuel Pak
While training for my marathon, I've started sharing small moments along the way from the front stoop — reflections about life, resilience, and the people who inspire me.
Those moments became Stoop Stories. Follow me on Instagram to tune in.
Somewhere along the way people also started asking what I use for fuel during my long runs…
So I decided to share the recipes.
Get the RecipesTHE FIRST 13: Dedicated to Indigenous Strength
For the first 13 miles of the TCS New York City Marathon, I’m dedicating each mile to the mission of Native Strength Revolution—an Indigenous-led nonprofit restoring wellness, leadership, and healing within Native communities across the U.S. and Canada.
To honor the resilience that continues to inspire this work today, each of these miles is also dedicated to an Indigenous leader whose courage, vision, and strength helped shape Native history.
Their stories remind us that Indigenous leadership has always been rooted in protecting community, land, culture, and future generations.
Every donation supporting these miles goes directly to Native Strength Revolution and the Indigenous wellness leaders they train and empower.
Choose Your Mile:
Mile 1 — Sitting Bull
SPONSORED - Mel & Pat Doughty
A Hunkpapa Lakota spiritual leader and strategist who helped unite tribes in defense of their land during the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Sitting Bull was known as much for his spiritual guidance as for his leadership.
Theme: Vision and spiritual leadership.
Mile 2 — Crazy Horse
An Oglala Lakota warrior famous for his bravery and humility. Crazy Horse helped lead Native forces to victory at the Battle of the Little Bighorn while remaining fiercely committed to protecting his people's way of life.
Theme: Courage and devotion to homeland.
Mile 3 — Geronimo
A legendary Chiricahua Apache leader who resisted forced relocation for decades, using brilliant guerrilla tactics to defend his people’s freedom in the deserts of the Southwest.
Theme: Endurance against overwhelming odds.
Mile 4 — Tecumseh
SPONSORED - Clay Lovett
A Shawnee leader who believed Native nations must unite to protect their lands. Tecumseh built one of the largest Indigenous alliances in North America.
Theme: Unity and collective strength.
Mile 5 — Chief Joseph
Leader of the Nez Perce who guided his people on a remarkable 1,170-mile journey seeking safety and freedom while pursued by the U.S. Army.
Theme: Leadership in the face of hardship.
Mile 6 — Red Cloud
SPONSORED - Bill Hays
An Oglala Lakota chief who successfully led resistance during Red Cloud's War, forcing the U.S. government to abandon forts on the Bozeman Trail.
Theme: Strategic leadership and victory.
Mile 7 — Osceola
A leader of the Seminole people who resisted forced relocation from Florida. Osceola became a symbol of defiance and commitment to freedom.
Theme: Refusing to surrender sovereignty.
Mile 8 — Sacagawea
SPONSORED - Shelton Wilder
A Lemhi Shoshone woman whose knowledge of the land, languages, and cultures helped guide the Lewis and Clark Expedition across the western territories. Traveling with her infant son, Sacagawea became a powerful symbol of resilience, intelligence, and the essential role of Indigenous women in shaping history.
Theme: Guidance, resilience, and the strength
Mile 9 — Cochise
A Chiricahua Apache chief known for his strategic brilliance and ability to lead resistance against powerful forces while later negotiating peace for his people.
Theme: Strength balanced with diplomacy.
Mile 10 — Quanah Parker
The last great chief of the Comanche, who helped guide his people through the transition from open plains to reservation life while preserving cultural identity.
Theme: Resilience and cultural survival.
Mile 11 — Wilma Mankiller
The first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, known for rebuilding community infrastructure, healthcare, and economic development.
Theme: Community-centered leadership.
Mile 12 — Jim Thorpe
One of the greatest athletes in history, winning gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon at the 1912 Summer Olympics.
Theme: Physical excellence and perseverance.
Mile 13 — Deb Haaland
The first Native American U.S. Secretary of the Interior, representing a historic shift in stewardship of lands once taken from Indigenous nations.
Theme: Indigenous leadership shaping the future.
About Native Strength Revolution
Native Strength Revolution is an Indigenous-led nonprofit dedicated to healing and strengthening Native American and First Nations communities through yoga, leadership development, and culturally grounded wellness practices.
They train Indigenous wellness leaders who return to their communities to share movement, healing, and leadership.
Their revolution is about:
Indigenous people leading their own healing.
Learn more at:
About The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is a nonprofit dedicated to creating a safe, fun, and transformative camp experience for children facing serious illness. Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman to give children with serious illnesses the chance to “raise a little hell.” Through a variety of year-round programs offered onsite, in hospitals and clinics, and right in camper homes and communities, we serve thousands of children and family members each year.
Camp programs provide:
• Peer connection with children who understand their journey
• Adventure and fun in a medically safe environment
• Opportunities for growth, joy, and confidence
Learn more at:
https://www.holeinthewallgang.org
