For the third year in a row, Santa Clara Unified School District Board President Michele Ryan will participated in the London Marathon, but this year, she completed the race virtually in Santa Clara.
“The London Marathon is an amazing experience with the crowds, the costumes, and all the famous London landmarks,” said Ryan, “but this year I’m glad marathon organizers have found a way to allow runners to participate virtually. While I will miss the cheering crowds, I’ll see the landmarks on the virtual map in the marathon tracking app.”
In her previous two London Marathons, Ryan has raised thousands of dollars for children’s charities in the UK — Starlight UK in 2018, and UK Youth in 2019. This year, she will be raising funds for the Sobrato House Youth Center, which provides support to foster youth and young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. The Center is operated by HomeFirst, where Ryan serves on the Board of Directors.
Ryan kicked off her 2020 London Marathon race at 4:30 p.m. PST [12:30 a.m. BST] at the Pavilion in Santa Clara’s Central Park. The 2020 Virtual London Marathon had to be completed on Sunday, Oct. 4 in the UK time zone, so she had until 4 p.m. PST on Oct. 4, to complete the 26.2 mile distance.
“I’ll be walking 26.2 miles throughout Santa Clara to complete the 2020 London Marathon,” said Ryan before the marathon, “so I am hoping residents who see me walking through their neighborhoods will help cheer me on!”
Though the marathon is complete, Ryan is still raising funds for the Sobrato House Youth Center.
