Chicago Principal Runs Marathon to Honor Students with Disabilities, Including 9-Year-Old Son with Cerebral Palsy 

Dr. Larue Fitch, an elementary school principal in West Chicago, has completed 14 marathons in just six years — including the New York City Marathon on Nov. 2.

He first turned to running as a tool for better mental health and daily discipline. But everything changed when his son Josiah was diagnosed with cerebral palsy in 2021.

“It impacted his walking, and I said to myself, ‘I need to be an inspiration not only to Josiah, but to a lot of families or individuals currently battling special needs,’ ” he explains. Working closely with many students who have disabilities made this mission even more personal.

Fitch watched his son endure physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy with unwavering determination — even through surgeries, casts and painful procedures no child wants to face. Witnessing that resilience pushed him to take running “more personally.” In 2023, Josiah even ran a 5K after cheering his dad through marathon after marathon.

During the recent NYC Marathon, Dr. Fitch skipped his usual playlist and fueled himself with the sounds of thousands cheering. “You could just hear the energy out there,” he says. He was moved by fellow runners with disabilities, each showing courage and grit. “That re-energized me to keep going. I think about my son and my community.”

When the race became grueling, his motivation stayed strong. “When I get to that wall, I think about my son… saying, ‘Dad, keep going.’ I’m like, ‘I can’t quit.’ ” By the time he reached the Bronx, he felt spent — until Josiah reminded him how close he was to the finish. Fitch pushed through, earning a sub–four-hour finish — his best time yet.

Dr. Fitch is an active member of Peace Runners 773, a nonprofit promoting wellness on Chicago’s West Side. The group showed up at mile 21 to lift his spirits and keep him moving. His support network in the TSC Teachers group also plays a major role in keeping him focused, motivated and accountable.

The day after the race, he was already back at school — medal in hand. He later donated that medal to the students who fueled his journey. “I’m walking around the building with a medal on, letting my kids wear that medal,” he says.

He’s also helping students find their own strength: he established a track and field team to inspire healthier, more hopeful futures. “This is a very trauma-filled environment that I work in,” he says of the West Side. “Anything that I can do to inspire my community to keep going, to show a sense of relentlessness — I do that.”

His advice for future runners is simple: run at your own pace and always “remember your why.”

For him, that “why” starts at home. “My cadence of accountability — that’s my son. He’s motivating me. He’s my hero,” he says. “My running community holds me accountable too. You have to set goals, know your why and have the right mindset.”

As he continues to grow his community and lead by example, Dr. Fitch’s motivation remains clear: “I’m gonna keep running. I’m not gonna stop.”