Jericho Teen Sets Sights on Boston Marathon While Fundraising for Brother

The 18-year-old has already raised $15,000 through social media efforts to honor his brother.

Zane White, an 18-year-old from Jericho, has set a remarkable goal as he prepares to participate in the Boston Marathon. This achievement comes after a childhood bet with his father during the pandemic, where he challenged himself to run 26 miles on their family treadmill. Now, he carries a deeper motivation: raising funds for his younger brother, Max, who has been treated for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome at Boston Children's Hospital. 

Inspired by his mother, Brooke, who previously ran the marathon for the same cause, Zane was determined to keep the family legacy alive, especially after her health challenges due to long Covid made it impossible for her to compete this year. He believed that if he could manage a treadmill run, he would thrive amid the cheers of thousands along the race route.

Despite the minimum age requirement of 18 years to participate in the marathon, White's patience has paid off, as he has become one of 84 Vermonters qualified for this iconic race. His journey hasn't been without its challenges; he initially struggled during his first treadmill attempt, finding the initial miles easy but faltering midway through. Over the years, he consistently trained, but his previous time still fell short of the marathon cutoff for his age group.

However, White’s perseverance led him to apply for a charity entry with the “Miles for Miracles” team at Boston Children's Hospital, providing him with coaching and the opportunity to raise funds. Since beginning his training, he has successfully increased his running distances, recently tackling the first 21 miles of the marathon route, which stretches from Hopkinton to the heart of Boston. 

In addition to physical challenges, he has also made significant strides in fundraising, reaching $15,000 through social media efforts to honor his brother. Zane expressed his desire to contribute to the institution that supported his family during difficult times.

As graduation approaches, Zane is contemplating a gap year to explore his artistic interests in music before pursuing further studies. Yet, his focus remains on the marathon. He expressed eagerness to experience the event from a runner’s perspective and indicated he would gladly participate again for the causes he holds dear.