Meghan Lembo has run 10 marathons before turning 30, including all six World Marathon Majors. For her, it means continuing her father's legacy of giving back.
In our “ Why I’m Running ” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter. Marathons give me the purpose and structure that I crave as a retired college athlete. My post-collegiate goal was to run the Boston Marathon, and I never thought it would bring me to where I am today. In 2021, I set out to complete the six World Marathon Majors before I turn 30 in July of 2025. It started with Chicago 2021. I trained to run the Chicago Marathon, but in May of 2021, my family got the news that my dad had been diagnosed with colon cancer. It felt like the world fell still, and my perspective on life completely changed. That summer my training was on the back burner. My primary focus was on my dad and trying to get him healthy. I spent a lot of time home in Connecticut helping my family. After Chicago, I had the opportunity to finally run Boston. During this time, my dad’s health continued to decline, and he was in and out of the hospital. I ran the 2022 Boston Marathon in honor of my dad. A little over a month after Boston, in May of 2022, my dad passed away. My life completely changed from that moment on. I had never experienced such a big loss, and I am so grateful for running to continue to help me through my grief. I dedicate every marathon to my dad and think of him each time I run. My dad, a longtime high school baseball coach, always believed in giving back to our community. He instilled this in us at a young age and he had his team participate in many local charities in our town including Relay for Life and Bread for Life. Each year, he and his team would donate 40 Thanksgiving turkeys to families in need. One of the many ways I honor my dad is by continuing his legacy of giving back. After my dad passed away, my marathon journey continued honoring him through running and charity. In September 2022, I ran the Berlin Marathon, March 2023 the Tokyo Marathon, November 2023 New York City Marathon, April 2024 London Marathon, and October 2024 Chicago Marathon. In London, I completed the sixth World Marathon Major at 28 years old. I met my goal of completing all six majors before 30. I couldn’t be more proud of myself and knowing my dad always has the best seat in the house for every race. Each race, I run with my grandma’s angel that my dad gave me. I never thought I would be where I am today. I have run 10 marathons before I turn 30 and raised over $38,000 for several charities. Running marathons has forever changed my life.
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