Jen Miller's 2024 NYC Marathon Fundraiser

Hello! I created @diaryofarunnergirl to track my training for my first-ever marathon, the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, but my Instagram account quickly turned into an open letter to myself and my community about navigating my everyday life in New York City working in public relations for Havas, as a runner and as a BRCA 1 mutation carrier, which increases my lifetime risk for developing breast and ovarian cancer by 60-75% and 30-50% compared to 13% and 1-2% for those without a high-risk mutation (source: @basserbrca). 

44+ posts and 220+ loyal followers later, each entry is now a time capsule in of itself, documenting my life living in nyc - including my many runs around the city and elsewhere and my revolving door of doctor appointments as part of my preventative care plan for the BRCA1 mutation. And now, in just a few days I am running the race with team Sharsharet, the only national organization supporting jewish women and families of all backgrounds, facing breast and ovarian cancer – those who are diagnosed and those at high risk (like me, with a BRCA1 gene mutation). 

Since starting my training and joining team Sharsharet, I have found so much comfort and confidence from hearing stories of others with the gene and what led them to make their own BRCA1-driven decisions as it relates to egg freezing, screenings and opting for surgery. So as I continue to share a window into my world on @diaryofarunnergirl, my hope is to pass on that same sense of comfort and confidence to others with the gene, so they can feel inspired to take on this long and winding road we’re on together. That’s my fuel to get to the finish line. One day, one brick, one step at a time.