Nun Runs Treadmill Marathon To Raise Money For Poor

Sep 26, 2020

No one would argue that COVID-19 has had a major impact on every aspect of life. This is particularly true for activities we typically enjoy in large groups. One marathon runner found a creative way to use the time she would have normally spent participating in a marathon. 

Sister Stephanie Beliga decided she would run the Chicago Marathon on a treadmill to raise money for those in need.

Sister Stephanie Beliga had run in nine marathons and was eagerly training for her chance to compete in her tenth race. Unfortunately, the coronavirus encroached on her athletic career. The Chicago Marathon had to be canceled to protect the public this year.

As was the case for many runners, Sister Baliga took her workout indoors. In addition to training, she planned to run the marathon from the treadmill in her convent's basement so she could still raise money for the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels Food Pantry. She hoped to begin running at four in the morning and enjoy some music from her boom box as she made the solo 26.2-mile trek for charity.

As Baliga spoke to a friend, the friend was amazed and told Baliga that this race was going to be a special occasion. The friend encouraged Baliga to tell others about her upcoming run.

“But then my friend convinced me that this is kind of a crazy thing that most people don’t do. That most people don’t run marathons on their treadmill in their basement, and that I should let other people know about it,” Baliga told ABC News.

After her conversation, Baliga decided to live stream her marathon run on Zoom. Many of her viewers were family members, friends, and clergy. When she reached the final two miles, Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor appeared on the live stream to encourage the weary runner.

Baliga prayed the rosary while running. Since COVID-19 has had such a wide-reaching effect on society, she prayed for many groups who were impacted by it. Baliga didn't just finish the race; she finished it with distinction. Her three hour and 33-minute effort was submitted to the Guinness World Records for a timed treadmill marathon, reports WREX. She also raised more than $130,000 for her food pantry.

While you might not be able to run a marathon, you can let your fingers fly over the keys and spread the word about her generous act. Take a moment or two and give us your perspective on her race–we'd love to know what you think!