Running For a Cause: Team CARA 'Go Run Athletes Gear Up for NYC

Mark Burns & Colleen Dempsey - Team CARA 'Go Run Spotlight

Team CARA 'Go Run is the Chicago Area Runners Association's charity fundraising team. Team CARA directly supports 'Go Run and Run Crews; programs that expand access to running in communities across Chicago. Over the years, Team CARA has included runners training for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago 13.1, and more recently, the TCS New York City Marathon. 2025 marks CARA's second year as an official charity partner for NYC.

With training starting this week and fundraising efforts already underway, we caught up with two Team CARA 'Go Run athletes, Mark Burns and Colleen Dempsey, to learn about their journey, their connection to CARA, and why they chose to run for something bigger than themselves.

Q: Tell us about your running journey! How did you start running?

Mark: I started running strictly for health reasons. It was a way to try to lose some weight that got me outside. Once I started longer runs, I found that runner's high, and I discovered that I like the way I felt on a nice long run. I trained solo for my first Chicago Marathon in 2006. I thought that I would be a "one-and-done" Marathoner, checking that item off my bucket list item. Years later, I got back into running, and I decided on one more Marathon. In 2022 I ran my second Chicago Marathon this time training with CARA. The Power of the Group made this training session much more enjoyable, and now I've turned it into an annual event. I returned to Chicago in 2023 and then decided to try to complete the World Majors. I ran Berlin in 2024 and now find myself preparing for the NYC Marathon in November.

Colleen: I’ve been active since childhood (shoutout mom & dad for driving me to so many practices and games!), and in grade school I had the opportunity to go to state finals with both my cross country & track team. After that, I took a very long hiatus in running until COVID. Running became the only real exercise for me during quarantine, and I ran my first 10K virtually. Training for my first race was so rewarding, because every distance is the farthest I’d ever run! After that 10K, I dreamt big and signed up to run the Chicago Marathon with Epilepsy Foundation. That’s the saying right? If you can do a 10K, you can do a marathon? Since then, I have completed 5 half marathons and 4 full marathons (3 for charity)!

Q: What does running mean to you?

Mark: Running reminds me of what my body is capable of. It wasn't long ago that running a 5K was a chore. Now I can churn out double digit miles without much effort. Running is my escape from the daily grind where I can do something that I love with friends that makes me feel wonderful. For races, I like setting moonshot goals that seem impossible at the time, but achievable once I set my mind to it and do the work to make them a reality.

Colleen: Running to me is a constant reminder of the absolute gift it is to be able to move my body and to be able to challenge myself to get better. A quote near to my heart is “the healthy man wants a thousand things, the sick man only one.” To have the health and ability to run and chase running goals is a blessing, and running is a celebration of that gift.

Q: Why did you choose to support CARA's mission and join Team CARA' Go Run?

Mark: As stated, I trained for my first Chicago Marathon 100% on my own. I joined CARA for my second and will not look back. The Power of the Group is real on a hot muggy summer morning where you want to give up, but you're driven to finish your miles with your friends. After a year of training with CARA, I was proud to be asked to be a group leader and happily accepted. Though I enjoyed the experience throughout the summer, it wasn't until the morning of the Marathon and the subsequent days that I truly appreciated the work as several runners, many first timers, stopped to thank me for my leadership throughout training. Now, I'm a site coordinator for CARA's Lincoln Park summer training and I get to help even more people get to the start and finish lines. I am a big fan of CARA and everything it stands for.

Colleen: As I got deeper into the Chicago running community, I saw how loved and inclusive CARA is! I love that they have so many pace groups to make community running accessible to all. And as I researched CARA more deeply, I loved learning about CARA’s advocacy for running in Chicago, like when it came to separating the bike and pedestrian lanes on the lakefront path.

Q: What does it mean to you to run for a cause and not just a finish line?

Mark: This is my third time running a Marathon for a cause, but this is by far the most personal for me. As noted above, I've seen the Power of the Group in action, as I'm not sure I would have made it to the start line (let alone the finish line) in 2022 without my CARA training partners. I'm happy to give back as a volunteer group leader and site coordinator, and now I'm thrilled to raise funds for CARA. I believe in CARA's cause in advocating for all runners in the Chicagoland area as well as their commitment to the 'Go Run Program, providing free group runs open to everyone.

Colleen: I have now run 3 marathons for charity and each cause and race have been extremely personal to me. I ran Chicago for Epilepsy Foundation and London for Sarcoma UK and through doing so I have gotten to connect with others whose lives have been touched by epilepsy or sarcoma cancer. I get to feel a deeper connection to my loved ones who have been affected, and make a difference for future treatment of both epilepsy and sarcoma. I ran Boston for the New England Patriots Foundation, and running in my dad’s hometown city for the team we loved was such a special experience. Each cause run for has given my race a bigger meaning beyond just me wanting to improve myself and my time.

Q: How have your family, friends, or co-workers responded to your fundraising efforts?

Mark: A few running friends who learned I was running for CARA wanted to donate immediately. I've sent them my fundraising link, and they responded.

Colleen: My family, as always, have been my biggest cheerleaders!! They’ve donated and traveled to cheer me on. My running friends at Heartbreak Hill Running Company in Chicago have also been super supportive, because they know the dedication it takes to fundraise and train, and they’ll even wake up early to run with me on a long run.

Q: What message would you share with someone thinking about joining the team next year?

Mark: If you run in Chicago, CARA has supported you whether you know it or not. It's a great organization serving and advocating for ALL runners in the Chicagoland area. It's a great cause to support, and I'm proud to be a member of the team.

Colleen: There is no time like today to chase a goal and see what you are capable of! I signed up for Chicago with no more than a 10K under my belt. “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”!  And my running journey would be nothing without the “power of the group.” The personal achievements are important but socially, the friends you make and the causes you're supporting, are what really make it worth it. 

Q: Anyone you would like to thank or give kudos to that has helped you on your running journey?

Mark: I'd like to thank my biggest supporter and fan, my wife Michelle. She puts up with me when I'm tired on run days and when I'm grumpy from lack of running on rest days. She pretends to listen as I take her through each split of every race and most training run in excruciating detail. Michelle is the best spectator in the world at races, finding me 7 times during my Berlin Marathon last year. She doesn't bat an eyelash when I set unrealistic expectations for myself, encourages me as I'm training for them, and celebrates with me when I exceed them.

Colleen: Absolutely my parents, who allowed me to join any activity that interested me. My mom drove me to multiple sports, sometimes all within the same day! And my dad would bike alongside me when I first started running in grade school. I can’t overstate how much that kind of support allows you to grow. Additionally, shoutout to my Heartbreak Hill Running Company friends - who are always pushing me to be better, and all the wonderful people I’ve met across many races.

Team CARA 'Go Run athletes like Mark and Colleen are proof that when you run for something bigger than yourself, the miles mean even more.

We can’t wait to cheer them on in NYC this fall! Want to support their fundraising efforts? Click the link below and choose their individual fundraiser.

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