CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON. YEAH, I LOVE MY JOB AND I LOVE THIS DAY BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH ENERGY. THE ROOM ABUZZ AS THE DAY BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE JUST TO FINISH. THERE ARE PEOPLE HOPING FOR A PR. THERE’S HOPE. THERE’S OLYMPIC HOPEFULS. THERE ARE OLYMPIANS HERE. WE’VE BEEN MEETING UP AT MARATHONS OUTSIDE OF MARATHONS. WE’VE JUST BECOME, WE CALL OURSELVES A 26.2 BESTIES. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SCENERY, THE NETS, DOWNHILL AND JUST EXPERIENCING A RACE IN A DIFFERENT AREA THAN I’VE BEEN BEFORE. IT’S BEEN A JOY RIDE. IT’S BEEN THE PLEASURE OF MY LIFE, REALLY, AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE CROWD. THE SUPPORT, THE COURSE, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL HERE FOR THEIR OWN REASONS. HERE FOR HER FIFTH TIME, THIS YEAR, HAS TAKEN ON AN EVEN LARGER MEANING FOR LAURA DIDIER. I QUALIFIED FOR BOSTON HERE IN 2015. MY SON ZACH WAS AT THE FINISH LINE. I HAVE A GREAT PICTURE OF US AT THE FINISH LINE. HE WAS VERY PROUD. HE WAS A RUNNER HIMSELF. HER FAMILY MAKING NATIONAL HEADLINES SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFTER HER SON, ZACH DIDIER, DIED FROM FENTANYL. I LOST MY SON ZACH IN 2020. HE WAS ONLY 17 YEARS OLD. HE WAS A SENIOR AT WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL WHEN A COUNTERFEIT PILL KILLED HIM IN 2020. AND SO THAT’S WHAT BROUGHT ME TO THIS WORK. SPREADING AWARENESS. LAURA ALONE, REACHING OVER 100,000 CHILDREN AND PARENTS. EDUCATING OTHERS ON THE DANGERS THAT TOOK HER SON’S LIFE. SO THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR BEING INVITED TO PARTNER WITH HIM TO RAISE MONEY FOR OUR MISSION. BECAUSE WHEN WE GO TO SCHOOLS, WE DO NOT CHARGE SCHOOLS. THEIR GROUP, SONG FOR CHARLIE RUNNING TO RAISE MONEY TO PROVIDE EVEN MORE OUTREACH IN THE HOPE TO SPARE LIVES. A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE WITH A VARIETY OF MEANING. BEHIND EACH STEP, THEY’LL TAKE IN THEIR GOAL OF REACHING 26.2