One story is quite emotional; the team is running in memory of a young student killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
"You're running to get somewhere," said Ian Hockley, Dylan's father.
You can run from something, and you can run toward something. Ian Hockley runs toward healing, knowing he may never get there, but knowing that he'll never stop trying.
December 14, 2012 Ian's family was changed forever when 6-year-old Dylan was among those killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings.
It's been almost one year without his son's laughter, his dimples, his eyes, his stop you in your tracks snuggles at the end of a long day, and those days just get longer.
"Dylan was just pure joy. He was just the happiest little boy. I just miss him so much," Hockley said.
The Newtown community does too as they miss all of those killed on that day.
It is the type of hometown where you feel what your neighbor feels.
"We spend time wondering what he would have become," Hockley said, "We absolutely have his memory and while it's hard, if we can keep that, just keep that memory with us then that's how you go on day by day."
Ian is a runner and he started to get in shape after the tragedy. That time spend on the road, in his head, just became something more.
"It was so useful in those first few days and weeks after 12/14," Hockley said.
The NYRR and the running community came running with everything they had. Ian, his wife Nicole, and son Jake, established a foundation called "Dylan's Wings of Change".
A team of runners is running for charity and runs for Dylan.
"If we are helping in a little bit of a way, then that's what we have to do," Regina Lovely, "Dylan's Wings of Change" runner.
"When you think about that, it's easy to keep going," Dave Conrad, "Dylan's Wings of Change" runner.
Putting one foot in front of the other has almost turned into a metaphor.
"It's taken on just a whole different meaning, it's very healing," Hockley said.
Dylan was autistic, but Dylan was progressing. The mission of the foundation is two-fold, to buy necessary equipment for schools, and also provide access to sporting activities to kids on the spectrum.
For more information please visit: http://dylanswingsofchange.com/
