‘We’ll have each other to lean on’: Team YMCA gears up for the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

When Derek Schlager, Executive Director of the Elmhurst and Greater LaGrange YMCAs, found out about the chance to run the 2022 Bank of America Chicago Marathon for Team YMCA in an internal staff newsletter, he jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s been on my life bucket list for the past 10 years,” Schlager said. “I can’t believe I’m doing it.”

For Schlager, a first-time marathoner, building the stamina to run 26.2 miles will be no small undertaking. A far cry from the 5k runs he’s used to, Schlager will need to channel the same resiliency he encourages amongst the Elmhurst YMCA community in his own training, which begins full force this spring.

Thankfully, he won’t be braving the trek alone.

Agneis Schultz, Senior Director of Operations at the YMCA of Metro Chicago and fellow Team YMCA runner, shared the following words of encouragement with Schlager: “Derek, the body’s an amazing thing. You’ll do fine.”

As a longtime long-distance runner with one marathon and 15 half-marathons under her belt, Schultz speaks from real, hard-earned experience. Still, Schultz will face her own firsts as she, a new mom, balances work, child care, and a rigorous training schedule.

“Can I do all this while mothering?” Schultz asked herself, reflecting on the journey she’ll embark on over the next several months. “It’ll be hard. But signing up for this marathon feels like the first big thing I’ve done for myself since childbirth—it’s my own way of thanking my body for the strength it gives me.”

Running, for Schultz, exemplifies the Y’s approach to wellness in mind, body, and spirit.

“When I am whole, I can be whole for my son, too,” Schultz said. “Running clears my head, is a confidence booster, and gives me an outlet for self-care. It’s an activity that provides space for mindfulness and empowers me to be even more present in other areas of my life.”

Mary Cate Kuhl, Director of Procurement for the YMCA of Metro Chicago and a first-time marathon runner on Team YMCA, also sees a strong connection between the Y’s mission and the lessons running can teach.

“I grew up going to a YMCA Overnight Camp every summer,” Kuhl reminisced. “And one of the biggest life skills I learned there was that it’s good to try something new, even if you don’t know whether you’ll be good at it. As such, it seems fitting that my first marathon will be on Team YMCA!”

Kuhl, like Schultz, is a mother, and she hopes that her children will see in her a positive example of the possibilities persistence can yield.

“Mentally, it’s all about wrapping my mind around this goal and staying positive when things get hard,” Kuhl said. “I constantly remind my kids that ‘we can do hard things,’ and now I’m going to prove it.”

On top of the running itself, Schlager, Schultz, and Kuhl will also work together to raise $1,400 or more each to benefit the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s scholarship programs, which ensure that all families can access our Association’s quality child care, enrichment, and wellness programs, regardless of their financial situation.

“I’m excited to do this for the kids,” Schlager said. “The $1,400 fundraising goal for each runner can support over 20 children participating in our School Days Out programs, so think about all that we can do in our communities by taking this on! These are big goals, but we have a good team. We’ll have each other to lean on.”

If you’re interested in running and fundraising on Team YMCA alongside Schlager, Schultz, and Kuhl, be sure to contact Community and Donor Engagement Manager Charlie Jugwirth at [email protected] by November 22, 2021.