As the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year unfolds, Allison Mulvaney is enjoying her second year as a health teacher at Scituate High School and working toward a significant accomplishment outside of school. On Friday, October 6th, Mulvaney will travel to Chicago to complete her first-ever 26.2-mile run, the Chicago Marathon, which will be held on Sunday, October 8th.

Mulvaney is running for the international organization Every Mother Counts (EMC). This charity helps women across the globe access maternity care. Many women must travel far to access a medical provider or hospital services. According to the EMC website, 800+ women die daily from preventable complications associated with childbirth. Team EMC runs to raise awareness for the constant maternal health disparities worldwide and has raised over seven million dollars by sponsoring runners. As a mother of two boys, Calvin, age seven, and Simon, age nine, Mulvaney connects directly to this cause and feels very passionate about EMC’s mission. Currently, she has raised $3,100 for EMC and welcomes additional donations (https://fundraisers.hakuapp.com/allison-mulvaney).

Mulvaney’s sons are proud of their mother’s accomplishments and feel she is very prepared. According to Calvin, “I am confident with my mom’s ability to run the Chicago Marathon because she has run many half marathons and 5ks before.” Calvin will attend the race with his uncle, Mulvaney’s brother, Scott Mulvaney. When asked if he was surprised by his sister’s accomplishments, Scott Mulvaney stated, “To be honest, I am not very surprised because my sister has always been very driven and competitive.” He added, “It’s very impressive, and I am very proud of her and can’t wait to see her finish.”

Mulvaney first started running during the pandemic, saying she needed a source of exercise while workout facilities were shut down. She stated, “When I started, I could only run two miles before I needed a break.” In the past year, Mulvaney has completed three half-marathons on the South Shore and one in Geneva, New York. She believes this shows “anyone can do it.”

When asked why she was interested in running a full marathon, Mulvaney said, “I felt as though this was a major turning point year in my life, and I wanted to do something that would challenge myself.”

Although she does not own a treadmill or gym membership, Mulvaney maintained her training schedule throughout the summer. Frequent rain and humid conditions during the summer months did not deter her: “The summers were hot. However, I purposely picked a fall marathon.” She also noted this training plan worked best for her teaching schedule.

Megan Buelow, a lifelong friend of Mulvaney’s, will travel from her home in San Fransisco, CA, to Chicago to support Mulvaney’s efforts on October 8th. As someone who has known Mulvaney for more than fifteen years, Buelow commented, “She needs to remember how amazing she is and how hard she has worked for this moment, and no matter what happens, we are all inspired and proud of her ability to run this race.”

With the race day approaching, Mulvaney said, “Mostly, I’m excited for the experience!”