London Marathon 2019

Over the past 12 weeks, Mat Rosso and Samantha Bower have been hitting the pavement,

sometimes begrudgingly, in the cold, dark Pittsburgh mornings or wearily after a day filled with updates, reports, and interviews. The hardest part for both has undoubtedly been finding the motivation for their long runs. Mat, who is training for his first marathon, initially detested how these stole time from his weekends. He has, however, embraced the hours of solitude to become motivated by his personal progress, encouraged by the growing mileage and pace each week.

Samantha, on the other hand, opted for seeking training partners to give her companionship and motivation while exploring the beautiful scenery of Pittsburgh. Despite their different ways of approaching the training, Mat and Samantha have kept one another accountable, often calling one another before and after runs, to celebrate their victories and build towards the exuberance of April 28th.

Both are very much looking forward to their first meals after training is over: A Big-Mac for Mat and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s for Samantha…

Meanwhile they are raising funds for a London based charity. Kith & Kids supports families who have a son or daughter with autism or a learning disability (many also have a physical or sensory disability) to overcome their social isolation. They provide a variety of volunteer-supported projects and services, offering opportunities to learn new skills, make friends, go out and have fun. They give quality training to hundreds of volunteers throughout the year who support their projects and provide a vital link between participants and the wider community. A Family Support Service helps parents and siblings by introducing them to other parents and siblings as well as providing individual information and support. An Outreach Service provides information, support and training to families, carers and organizations.

Should you wish to support Sam and Mat in their fundraising efforts please visit their page here:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cpna-pittsburgh?fbclid=IwAR0udeTBcjZm7tpl_Pj-rgNbm9IcqJI53aBGfVV-5jGBOjlixD4DrVvHvpE&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_content=CPNA-Pittsburgh&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=PeyEGZKbD