Kristin Donde and Colleen Malzahn pounded the pavement in the famous NYC Marathon. According to New York Road Runners online, “… the five-Borough race became the world’s largest marathon ever with 59,226 total finishers.” Donde and Malzahn were among those finishers on November 2, 2025. Donde is part of the Child Study Team at Patrick M. Villano School.
“My husband and I have been running for fun for the past few years, and we found an amazing charity to run for,” Donde explained. “We raised money with shirts, and we ran while supporting their mission.”
Donde was running for the charity Stache Strong which raises money for brain cancer. During the race, Donde said family members watched and cheered.
“We trained a lot for months before so I was feeling great physically. During the last mile I saw my kids cheering me on and it got me motivated to keep going,” Donde said.
It was Donde’s second time running the NYC Marathon. Colleen Malzahn, a Physical Education and Health and Wellness teacher, also ran. It was her first marathon.
“The hardest part of the race for me was at mile 19 at the Willis Avenue Bridge. After seeing my family and the crowds on 1st Avenue, the bridge was completely silent and had a very large incline which was a huge challenge for me,” Malzhan explained.
Malzhan finished in 5 hours, 9 minutes, and 42 seconds. Donde finished in 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 21 seconds. That’s 21 minutes faster than last year’s marathon.
Marathon runners may be sore after the race. They still run, but not as long or hard, according to New York Road Runners online.
“It means easing off intense running so your body can repair microtears in muscle fibers, reduce inflammation, replenish glycogen, and, importantly, restore joints and connective tissue,” the website stated.
