Letter Explaining the Intention for Boston

 

Here’s a letter that I drafted in October explaining my intention for the Boston Marathon this spring and how you have been an integral part of it.

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read):

I decided that the 2026 Boston Marathon would be about joy—and I’m leaning into that by running dressed as Joy from Inside Out. Over the 26 weeks leading up to the race, I’ve been turning joy into a little practice of its own, writing weekly letters to people who have sparked it in my life. This letter is my way of bouncing a little of the joy, light, and gratitude you bring into my life right back to you.

Long Version:

I was on a flight home from a hike with friends in California on October 15th when I suddenly knew exactly what the 2026 Boston Marathon would be about for me. I decided I was going to ham it up again and dress up—because life is far too short not to be a little silly and ridiculous.

In 2013, I ran Boston dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. This time around, I’ve decided to dress up as Joy from Inside Out. Not only does Joy’s blue hair and yellow dress perfectly match the Boston Marathon’s signature colors, but she embodies exactly what I want to hold onto and celebrate as I run: joy.

I’ve often used races as a way to honor the people I love—assigning each mile to a different friend or family member, turning the race itself into a kind of prayer. For Boston 2026, I knew I wanted to do the same. This time, though, the guiding question was simple: Who has sparked deep, unexpected joy in my life?

Who makes me think of Snoopy doing a happy dance—or Joy herself, leaping with arms outstretched?

I started scribbling names on the back of an airplane napkin. And then I realized: October 20th—just a few days later—would mark exactly 26 weeks until Marathon Monday. Perfect. I decided that each week leading up to the race, I would meditate on joy and write a letter to people who have been “joy incarnate” in my life.

On my Gmail signature, I have a quote from Karl Barth: “Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” As I’ve trained for the Boston Marathon, I’ve been trying to practice that kind of joy- without bypassing pain. The world is heavy. There is real heartbreak, real ache that needs naming, and I don’t want to rush past it. And still, for these 26 weeks, in the words of Ross Gay, I’ve been “running the sponge of gratitude over every little thing,” because joy also deserves our attention. It’s become a weekly discipline: to name, savor, and celebrate the joy that so many people — including you — have brought into my life.

So, thank you. Thank you for being someone who makes my heart sing and for being a gift of joy through the years.

Attached is the letter I wrote during these past 26 weeks of meditating on joy—about you.

With deep gratitude and joy,

Emily

p.s. And this is pure joy from my favorite movie:  About Time | The Secret Formula for Happiness