Adventure Project - World Marathon Challenge - Jared Blank

Seeing the World Marathon Challenge on ESPN in 2015 spoke volumes to me.  Immediately I felt like I was born to run this race because this was an ultimate challenge that mirrored the ultimate challenge I took on as a child.  I was diagnosed at age five with dyslexia and sensory processing disorder and a few year later I was told by educators that I probably wouldn’t graduate high school.  I took that as a challenge and through intensive commitment (studying every waking hour) and coaching (parents, teachers and tutors) I graduated high school as Class President and Salutatorian, and received three collegiate degrees (one undergraduate and two masters degrees).  During all of my years as a student I used running as an outlet for the frustrations that built up in the classroom and through my studies as a result of it taking me four times as long to complete things as students without dyslexia.  Today I run because I love it and it makes me feel free.

I’m using the World Marathon Challenge as a platform to connect to a community on a different level and raise awareness for dyslexia.  I am collaborating with and raising funds for the International Dyslexia Association to inspire dyslexic students and their parents with what is possible when you’re faced with a challenge in life.  That anyone can overcome obstacles in their life with positivity, dedication, and resilience.  When I was a student my parents had to fight with educators to convince them that dyslexia is “a thing”, but I’ve found that there is still widespread opportunity in schools today to better support dyslexic students and I want to be a voice to help.

Completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents, and with good times, will mean a lot to me by completing another huge challenge in life.  Being able to say I helped just one student or one parent believe their future is brighter today than they believed yesterday means the world to me too.  A mother recently wrote to me:

“We take for granted how natural reading comes to us (non-dyslexics) that when kids struggle, we just don’t understand the fallout.  It’s so much more than any parent or teacher can imagine - until somebody spends 24-7 with a child who has a learning disability like dyslexia.  Thanks for your voice!"