Meet the Readers & Runners Racing the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
by Allison Yates
Read & Run Chicago’s 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon team.
While at Read & Run Chicago our programming focuses on combining movement and stories to explore Chicago, our community also participates in athletic challenges year round. Between Chicago’s countless 5K races to half marathons around the Chicagoland area, readers & runners run for both fun and to push their athletic limits.
[Related: Guide to Chicago’s Running Community 2025]
We also have five readers & runners racing the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 12, 2025 through the Entries for Equity Program. Meet the incredible Chicagoans who are tackling 26.2 miles for the first time this fall. Several members of our Read & Run Chicago team are training with the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) and running in New Balance, as well as fueling with SaltStick.
[Related: Chicago Readers & Runners Race the Chicago Distance Series in the Entries for Equity Program]
Meet the Runners
Xavier Murphy
Favorite place to run: Lakefront Trail
Favorite type of run: Long runs
Training mantra: I can
Why he’s running this year: Making his family and friends proud and showing them he can stick to his goals
With his dedication to training for other Chicagoland races, we can’t wait to see Xavier train and complete the 2025 Chicago Marathon. He brings his cheerful demeanor and love of history to all Read & Run Chicago’s programming, and we know he’ll be making history for himself and his family this training season. His goal? Beyond knowing that he can (and he can!), he’s looking forward to making his friends and family proud by making a goal and sticking to it.
Sophia Upshaw
Favorite place to run: The Bloomingdale Trail at the 606
Favorite type of run: Recovery runs
Training mantra: One more mile to go
Why she’s running this year: To break her distance PRs (personal records)
Sophia is taking her running practice to a new challenge by training for her longest distance ever, the marathon. Whether she’s biking, taking public transportation, or soaking up a good book, Sophia has many interests—and we’re so grateful she added marathon training to her repertoire this summer. Each completed long run will be another distance PR. Way to break records all summer long, Sophia!
Rukhsana Iqbal
Favorite place to run: Fullersberg Woods
Favorite type of run: Long runs
Training mantra: Run the mile you’re running
Why she’s running this year: See how far she can push herself and to represent Chitown Muslimah Athletics
This physician, mother, reader, and runner lives with intention—and running is no exception. She’ll be listening to audiobooks and soaking up nature on her runs while she shows other working mother what’s possible. We can’t wait to cheer her on. Let’s go, Rukhsana!
Cynthia Chen
Favorite place to run: Lakefront Trail
Favorite type of run: Tempo or speed.
Training mantra: Get into the flow state
Why she’s running this year: She’s excited to do it
Read & Run Chicago’s community lead Cynthia Chen is more than the field trip and social outing extraordinaire—this Lincoln Park-based runner is ready to run her first 26.2. And guess what? Ask Cynthia about ANY Chicago summer street festival, because she’s a pro: every summer she tries to visit all of them. She’s also an avid traveler and loves to share tips on how to save money while traveling and how to book an international vacation from scratch in 60 minutes or less! Now, we’ll be asking her for tips on running instead.
Cynthia Okechukwu
Favorite place to run: Lakefront Trail
Favorite type of run: Long runs
Training mantra: Challenge herself
Why she’s running this year: Getting faster after not training since high school
Read & Run Chicago guide and the organizer of Black Girls Read Book Club is an Uptown transplant who helps Chicagoans engage with histories and stories across the city. She’s excited to challenge herself and get faster after not training consistently since high school. We’re so lucky and excited to watch her grow in her running practice this season.