Running for a Cause: The Tokyo Marathon

By: Marguerita Cheng, Charm City Run Race Team Member

For me running is more than just crossing the finish line. It is about being a voice for the voiceless or the silenced. 

I recently ran in the Tokyo Marathon 2025 which also serves as: Japan Marathon Championship Series G1, Selection Trials for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025, and Abbott World Marathon Majors SeriesXVII. The organizer was the Tokyo Marathon Foundation.

Not only did I want to complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors, but I also want to do so with intent and enjoyment.  

The Tokyo marathon is extremely competitive, even for charity runners.

As a charity runner for KnK International, Children Without Borders. I identified with Kokkyo naki Kodomotachi, the Japanese name for KnK International.  The organization provides support to victims of child trafficking among other valuable services and support. 

Southeast Asia has witnessed an increase in human trafficking over the past decade, with an estimated 200-225,000 women and children trafficked annually. 

“According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Southeast Asia is a major origin, transit, and destination region for human trafficking. Displaced individuals are among the most at-risk, as traffickers prey on their desperation and limited options,” according to Refugees.org.

I have family in Southeast Asia and the ability to help prevent human trafficking and unjust labor practices resonates with me.  An investment in a child’s education can break the cycle of poverty.   

What I find meaningful and speaks to me is that KnK International allows children to pursue education. So often vulnerable children can’t get out of a life situation and are forced to miss school. 

A highlight for me was meeting representatives from the KnK International and knowing that we are making a difference in this world.

On the run 

I began hitting the pavement with my sneakers, so to speak, in 2018 as I wanted to keep my daughter company while she was preparing for the “Girls on the Run” 5k. The non-profit organization is non-competitive and teaches life skills though running. Running is a metaphor for life as it deals with empowerment, perseverance, dedication, and success. The experience was valuable to me and my daughter. It inspired me to want to keep running and do my part to empower through charity and my role as a financial advisor. 

I stepped up and coached Girls on the Run for five seasons. When my daughter joined the cross-country team in middle school, I started to contemplate how there are many women who may not have the opportunity to do this. There is a plethora of circumstances such as a parent with a health issue, work schedule, incarceration, and many other challenges. 

 I had a mission to use my newfound love of long-distance running to be a voice for women and girls. 

In the spirit of transparency, training for a marathon is a grind. To prepare, you must increase your weekly running to build endurance and get your body ready for the long run. There are specialty workouts to improve speed, endurance, and flexibility. Long runs are extremely important to prepare the legs for marathon running. Runners also need workouts with strength training. On top of that is professional and personal commitments interspersed in the schedule. Despite it all, running is still meaningful. Movement is power. The phrase “Every girl deserves to reach her potential” is a core belief of Girls on the Run. 

When I crossed the finish line near Tokyo Station, I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment knowing that the support for KnK International, Children Without Borders is helping children in SE Asia can pursue education,  build confidence, gain life skills and escape the cycle of poverty. I look forward to running again in 2026. Who wants to join me?