Micaela Dominguez: "Every Race Feels Like a Milestone"
Micaela Dominguez ran the 2025 United Airlines NYC Half in March and will run the Maybelline Women's Half on April 27. Photo by MarathonFoto.
Micaela Dominguez will be running the Maybelline Women’s Half on April 27. A 19-year-old college student in Queens, she started her running journey in 2024 as a member of NYRR Run for the Future (RFTF), a free program that introduces young women* in high school to running, providing training and other resources, a celebratory 5K, and year-round access to NYRR initiatives.
Those who complete the initial training period can join an alumnae network and continue to register for NYRR races.
“Running has been such a transformative experience for me. I started as a complete beginner,” said Micaela.
“I loved the support we received from the coaches, the opportunity to connect with other incredible girls, and especially the sense of community this program has. I learned a lot about goal setting and pushing through mental barriers, which has definitely stuck with me in other areas of life,” she added.
“The program gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my abilities. Before this, I never thought I could complete a 5K, but with the amazing support of the coaches and the encouragement from this incredible group of girls, I did it!”
Micaela (second from right) completed Run for the Future's initial training period in 2024 and is now part of the alumnae network.
Micaela has gone on to run seven more NYRR races, most recently her first half marathon at the United Airlines NYC Half—“an unforgettable experience” that she shared with other RFTF alumnae.
“I was feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness prior to the race but the support from RFTF definitely made the journey a lot easier. We had such a great time together and the experience exceeded all my expectations,” she said.
The Maybelline Women’s Half will be her first all-women’s race. “I'm really looking forward to the change of atmosphere and getting to run with a lot of incredible women who share a passion for running,” she said.
She’s especially excited that she’ll be running it with her aunt, who introduced her to RFTF. She said that running together “will make the experience even more meaningful.”
Micaela said she’ll keep running NYRR races. “Every race feels like a milestone in my journey.”
She loves the ongoing support provided by RFTF. “They keep us engaged by inviting us to various events, like training sessions at Chelsea Piers and Open Run,” she said. “I also really appreciate when they send me race invitations, as it helps me stay motivated by giving me new goals to strive for.”
She volunteered at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, which her aunt has run, and she wants to run it herself someday.
“The TCS New York City Marathon is definitely on my list!” she said. “I’m hoping to make it happen within the next few years.”
The application for the summer 2025 Run for the Future program is open until April 18; learn more and apply here.
*Please note that we use the word women to include all those who identify as women.
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