Rashida Santos: Putting Her Health First

Rashida Santos tells people that running saved her life.

She began her running journey in 2015, when a friend was training for a half marathon and encouraged Rashida to try running too. Rashida hesitated at first because she had arthritis and asthma, but she ended up training for a 5K and then a 10K.

In 2016, life took an unexpected turn when Rashida’s sister lost custody of her three young children, and soon after died of a drug overdose. Rashida and her husband took in the children and have raised them ever since.

Running took a backseat until 2021, when Rashida was rushed to the emergency room with severe symptoms and received a diagnosis of diabetes. She began prioritizing her health, including changing her diet and returning to running—this time with her husband and children.

“I realized I had to make some radical changes if I was going to continue to be around for my family,” she said.

They all ran a 5K together, and then a 10K. “We had the opportunity to teach our children something different.”

Rashida and her husband did a half marathon, and in October 2023 they completed their first marathon, cheered on by the kids. They ran their second marathon in Boston this past April.

Thanks to her lifestyle changes and an amazing medical team including an endocrinologist, nutritionist, and dietitian, her diabetes is now well controlled.

Raised in Boston by a single parent, Rashida said she benefited from local programs that were available at little to no cost and “provided opportunities to youth who would otherwise be unable to afford them. It was a centerpiece of our childhood. Without these types of organizations, many of these opportunities would have been out of reach for kids like me and families like mine.”

She will run the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon with NYRR Team for Kids, a group of dedicated adult runners who commit to fundraising for NYRR youth and community programs. “TFK sees the importance of these opportunities and shares the passion of making sure youth have access to these programs, putting them on a path for healthy habits and lifestyles,” she said. “That is a mission that I can wholeheartedly get behind!”

As a person of color, Rashida wants to be "the thing she wanted to see"—everyday runners who look like her. She’s part of Pioneers Run Crew, Boston's first black and brown–led running community.

She can’t wait to run 26.2 miles through New York on November 3. “Crossing the finish line is the curtain call to months of training, fundraising and efforts,” she said. “It is the culmination of not just 26.2 but the grit and determination of the journey.”

Rashida is part of #TeamInspire, a diverse group of 26 entrants whose stories capture the power of running to change lives. Read other #TeamInspire stories at the links below.

Sovena Ngeth: Overcoming Generational Trauma One Step at a Time

Nate Kahaiali'i: Running for Recovery

LaDawn Jefferson: Confident and Cancer-Free