Why a Marathon? My name is Blake Rock Von Hein. I am 22 years old and have recently begun entering the world of endurance sports. My journey first started in January of 2021. I reached a point in my life where I found that I was overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, etc. My mood was deteriorating, and I just felt disappointed with myself. Through the inspiration of David Goggin's book "Can't Hurt Me" I began to change my philosophy on life. I started holding myself accountable for everything in my life (bad/good). I learned to view past/present struggles as fuel rather than poison, and I took that fuel and began running. Through running, I accomplished the 4x4x48 challenge. This is essentially running 4 miles every 4 hours for a total of 48 hours. I completed this task after never running more than 6.2 miles in a single day and never running more then 25 miles in a week. After this, I went on to accomplish the 2021 NYC triathlon on about a 1 month notice with decent run training and little to none experience swimming and biking. Now, while I am nowhere close to being perfect or even close to where I want to be in life, there is one thing I can say for certain: I no longer let the mental and physical struggles of life hold me down. January 2021, I threw my first punch back and I will continue fighting. And it is through these endurance events that I can battle with my mind and prove that I am stronger then it. 

What I was able to learn from these two events is that with an armored mind and a strong "why", anything is possible. The most important of the two is the "why", why your running or doing whatever you choose in life must be strong enough that when self-doubt and fear cast their shadows over you, you can remember why you started and accomplish anything. So, why a Marathon? I chose this event because I want a chance to push my body to the limits and see what I am capable of. I want further affirmation that by using the fuel from my struggles, I can accomplish the extraordinary. Lastly, my entire life I have always wanted to be able to help others. I realized that through those past 2 endurance events, I was able to raise money for causes that mean the most to me while also bettering myself. Words cannot describe how incredible that feels, and this is why I am fundraising again for an amazing organization.

Why Miami? The reason I chose the city of Miami to run my first ever marathon is that I truly admire the strength of the city. In June of 2021, the City of Miami suffered a collapse of a beachside condominium which took the lives of 98 people. As the news broke, I remember reading stories of the brave first responders who searched tirelessly through the rubble to find survivors. I read about city wide efforts to assist the families and first responders through food drives, fundraisers, etc. The strength that Miami and it's first responders have is truly remarkable. So when I run through the streets of Miami I know that when it gets tough, I can fall back on these heroic stories to push me that extra mile.

Why Team Tackle Kids Cancer? I first learned about this amazing organization through the 2021 NYC triathlon. I researched further into the organization and was able to see some of the great work that they put forward to fund pediatric cancer research as well as patient care programs. I was also able to read the stories of some of the children who these donations will effect. Reading the strength and courage that these kids have to go and fight their battles against cancer sent an emotional wave throughout my body. The strength that these children hold is unlike anything I have ever seen. Something that stood out to me was that most of these children had smiles on in these pictures. Whenever I am faced with a tough situation, I remember the strength that these children have to put on a smile through such a difficult time and remind myself that when life comes crashing down on me, I too can smile. Read more below for how your donation can help change a child's life!

I will be participating in the inaugural #TeamTKC: Powered by Eli’s Challenge 2021. All money raised will support Tackle Kids Cancer and Hackensack Meridian Health Children’s Cancer Institute, funding critical research and innovative patient care programs. Every dollar we raise will help move one step closer to a cure!

Join with me today and your donation can have double the impact with our matching gift from Eli Manning through Eli’s Challenge.

Every dollar raised, no matter the size, has an impact for children fighting cancer. Even $25 would make a big difference to support Tackle Kids Cancer and their crucial work.

Thank you for supporting me in raising funds for this incredible cause! Together, we can make a bigger, more meaningful impact.