Boston Marathon

She’s running Boston for gender-based violence prevention

"I'm running Boston so that these women are remembered as more than just statistics."

Riley Peck is running the 2025 Boston Marathon. (Photo courtesy of Riley Peck)

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.


Name: Riley Peck
Age: 23
From: Paxton

I’m running the Boston Marathon for the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation because I believe we should all be able to walk and run and do the things we love without fearing for our safety. Vanessa T. Marcotte was killed in a senseless act of violence on a walk in Princeton, MA in 2016. Her family established the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation to promote gender-based violence prevention in her honor. I, along with many of my family members and friends, walk and run around the Wachusett district all the time. It could’ve been any one of us.

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As a student at the College of the Holy Cross, I championed sexual and gender-based violence prevention in both my extracurricular and academic activities. I published my senior honors thesis on the status of Title IX at the College. One day, I hope to advocate for stronger public health policies as an attorney. For this reason, I have always been closely aligned with the values and goals of the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation.

However, this was solidified when Meghan Moore was killed last year in a murder suicide in Miami, FL. Meghan was a family friend to me, but a sister, daughter, friend, cousin to so many others. I still have trouble wrapping my head around her death. She was always the cool, older co-worker who made everyone laugh, who served as a model for how I wanted to live my own life. Meghan was only 25. 

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I’m running Boston so that these women are remembered as more than just statistics. I’m running so that one day I don’t have to strap pepper spray on my wrist before I set out on a long run. I’m running for Vanessa. For Meghan. For their families. And for every woman who can’t.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

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Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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