“I always had the idea of doing something for my mother. It was a huge loss and I always thought ‘in a few years I’ll do a crazy scene’ to try to raise money”says Pedro Aquino32 years old. And that’s what he did.
In 2022, Pedro dchallenged himself to run six world marathons to join money to the organization Breast Cancer Now, in honor of his mother, who passed away this dayoence. In just two years has already managed to raise around 17,200 pounds (approximately 19,500 euros) for research into the cure of cancro yes mother. The New York Marathon is the last of this adventureand it happens andare you domingo November 2nd, on the 11th anniversary of his mother’s death, symbolizing a final effort “of great personal significance”.
Pedro swas always “an adventurous person”, admitted. ANDstudied in Malaysia, Barcelona and China, but it was in London that worked until recently. He started running when he moved to the English capital, there is about knows years, but it was only two years ago that he thought about marathons: “QAnyone who starts to reach 30 starts to correrI think that came a bit with age”I sayor Pedroin a joking tone. “O work was quite intense and I foundi in the race an escape”, he said, recognizing the ‘cliché’.
It was only later that he started running marathons. “I did my first marathon in 2022 in New York”he explained, and it was in that year that he began planning this project, of six marathons in a year. “EI was working in investment banking, which is an area bit intensethe hours are long, and it wasn’t something I saw myself doing for the rest of my life. And I thought ‘at 30 I’m going to say goodbye and take a sabbatical’”, reinforced Pedro.
However, I didn’t want to do it just for the sake of it. It started researching how many people had done all the marathons: around 13 thousand at the time; in one year: less than 100 people… and Portuguese? None. ThisAva found the new adventure: Be the firstiro portuguese afrun six world marathons in a calendar yearle raise money for Breast Cancer research.
Chose the Breast Cancer Now for being one of Europe’s largest charities focused on breast cancer research and supporthe said.
Ethis project he had talso the value symbolico: “Ito finish not tenth anniversary of my mother’s death”, but a leare forced him to postpone the challenge for a year. “In the first marathon I damaged my knee”, I had everything sorted out and had already started to receive some donationswhen it happened. However, this obstacle did not stop him. During the recovery yearthe young tried, through comical videos, to attract more peoplepeople to his Instagram page and the cause, and he did it. When The year 2025 has arrivedI already had some money raised and was ready to start over.
The second time is it
In the second attempt, stopping was not in his vocabulary. In the first marathon, the one in Tokyo, I chose to go to walk (if the same thing wouldn’t happen again). It was the test test, Pedro confessed. “Proast one month I did London and then I went running, then I had Sydney which was quite good, I almost broke the barrier of three hours, I did 3h03pmthen I had Berlin”.
With four marathons completed, Pedro’s focus became athletic achievement, in addition to the cause. He wanted to raise money, but he also wanted to surpass himself and so he started finding more challenges. The new ambition became to run the marathon in three hours or less. In Chicago, he managed to surpass his personal record and clocked two hours and 59 minutes.
The effort is physical but also personal, he admitted. A marathon that is sighted this Sundaygois the last and, perhaps, the most exciting. The city where his passion for marathons began now sees the end of this great challenge. THE marathon New York is the culmination of a two-year effort. More than anything, he canon him achieve your desire: transform the mourning in hope, contributing to breast cancer research.
The impact of your dedication is already being felt in the organization Breast Cancer Now. Despite the initial goal is to raise 25,000“era a very ambitious amount, so I’m already happy with what I’ve achieved so far”, he said. The amount reached of 19,500 euros represents 68% do totala significant amount that, he guarantees, is entirely for research.
With the end of your mission, the fatigue is real, but the feeling of duty accomplished is also felt. After this year? “Maybe an Iron Man,” he says with a smile, but the priority is clear: “first, I’m going to rest.”
Text written by Margarida Nogueira and edited by Pedro Miguel Coelho
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