Multiple Women's Lacrosse Alumni Running in Next Month's New York City Marathon

RIVERDALE, NY - In anticipation for the annual New York City Marathon, taking place on Sunday, November 2, the Manhattan Women's Lacrosse program will have several of its previous alumnus running in the 2025 edition.

Three members of the 2022 graduating class make up the majority of former Jaspers, in Grace Lipponer, Meghan Rodino, and Gianna Skowronski. Rounding out the formerly Manhattan list is Deb Peifer '21, and Jill Reiner '23. 

The New York City Marathon is the largest across the United States, with over 54,000 runners in 2024. Athletes will run the 26.2 mile journey in front of two million spectators across all five boroughs of the city. Over 150 countries are represented, with a $100,000 prize for first-place finishers. 

Since the start of the event in 1970, its scenic and challenging course across bridges and various hills requires the utmost endurance and strategy from its participants, culminating at the finish line inside Central Park. 

"I'm running this year's marathon through the JCK Foundation, an organization focused on youth mental health, specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder. Manhattan professor Peter McCarthy put me in contact with them, and this has meant a lot to me due to my own struggles with OCD," commented Lipponer.

"There's no better feeling than NYC! I can't wait to run the marathon and be back alongside the best teammates in the world. I'm lucky enough to be running with Team Ulman, whose incredible purpose is supporting young adults through their journeys with cancer. Can't wait to be back!" said Peifer. 

"After graduating and no longer competing at such a high level, I definitely felt lost when it came to training and exercise. Running gave me some of that direction and competitive feel that I've been missing! I hear there's nothing like running in the NYC marathon and I can't wait to experience it," added Reiner.

"Since graduating, I started to slowly get into long distance running and have grown to really enjoy it. After running a half marathon last year, I decided I was up for a bigger challenge. With a bunch of my friends and teammates from Manhattan being on the course with me, I'm grateful we'll have each other to push through when times get tough during the 26.2," said Rodino. 

The first wave of runners will take off at 9:10 a.m., with the final wave commencing at 11:30 a.m. on the Staten Island side of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.