Most people think that nuns are so different from us, we can’t possibly have anything in common. Of course, that isn’t true. Anyone can become a nun at any point in their lives, and most nuns have ordinary, unexciting backgrounds, just like the rest of us.
Sister Stephanie Baliga is a nun who, before her religious endeavors, had been a cross-country runner at Illinois State University. Even though her life had taken a completely new direction, she didn’t lose her love for running.
She joined her religious community in 2010, and by 2011, she had organized a team to compete in the Chicago Marathon, with funds raised going towards those in need.
Sister Stephanie how hosts an annual team to run the marathon – and, of course, she’s one of the most willing and enthusiastic runners.
So it was gutting to the devoted sportswoman-turned-charity-giver that COVID-19 canceled this year’s marathon in her West Humboldt Park neighborhood. Still, Sister Stephanie wasn’t the sort to shrug her shoulders and move on. She began to devise another way to raise money for the Mission of Our Lady of Angel’s community outreach program.
With this year being an incredibly tough one for everyone, the pandemic resulted in food supplies for the vulnerable falling lower than ever before.
Sister Stephanie knew that she couldn’t sit back and do nothing. So she hatched a plan: she’d still run the marathon – on a treadmill in her convent’s basement.
Though it came as a surprise to Sister Stephanie when the marathon was actually canceled, she stuck by her word and set a date for her treadmill marathon run. The convent set up a fundraiser for Sister Stephanie, which has an initial goal of $80,000.
Sister Stephanie’s marathon day – August 23 – came around, and she donned her habit, her running sneakers and an American flag headband, and stepped on the treadmill.
As promised, her fellow Sisters video recorded the entire marathon on Zoom and shared it with her online supporters.
It can’t be easy running a marathon alone with so many people watching you! Marathons are incredibly challenging, and most of us would struggle to even reach halfway point.
Sister Stephanie admitted,
“I was in a lot of pain in mile 23 and 24.”
But this wasn’t Sister Stephanie’s first marathon, and so she pushed on regardless. For a bit of extra motivation, Sister Stephanie’s running idol, Olympian Deena Kastor, made a call on Zoom to cheer her on near the end of her run.
3 hours and 33 minutes later, Stephanie had completed the marathon. Her story inspired people across the world, and the donations were already rolling in.
Her initial $80,000 goal was surpassed in just days. People are still donating to Sister Stephanie online today, and sharing kind messages of support. One person told her that she was “Jesus with skin on”, while another praised her for her “continuous work, love, and dedication”.
As of writing this article, Sister Stephanie had raised an incredible $125,231.93, all thanks to the kindness of online strangers, and her refusal to take a year off marathon running.
What Sister Stephanie didn’t know when she started was that she had become a world record holder – she was the first female amateur runner to record and document a marathon run on a treadmill. Talk about two wins in one!
You can watch a video of Sister Stephanie in action, featuring an interview with Sister Stephanie herself, just below.
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