Hello! 

My name is Richelle, and I'm your friendly, sparkle-filled, fair-weather runner. I often make the joke that I don't run, I waddle, but I sure have a lot of fun along the way.

I think Grandma's is a bucket list item for any native Minnesota runner...even those of us who prefer the slower side of things...and the 50th seemed like the perfect time to lace up my sneakers, throw on a tutu, and just go for it. I'm looking forward to running along the North Shore in the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon, and can't think of a better way to motivate me for this race than to combine it with raising money for an amazing hospital that has done so much for my family.

In July of 2025, my 6-year-old niece, Sloan, underwent her first open-heart surgery at Children's. She is 1 in 110 who is born with CHD. Her CHD specifically is Mitral Valve Regurgitation with a Cleft. AKA her mitral valve does not close, which creates a backflow. Additionally, it has an extra piece attached to it, known as the cleft. I had the privilege of being able to spend a week with Sloan and her parents (my sister and brother-in-law) while Sloan started her recovery journey. Seeing and hearing how the staff at Children's, especially the Child Life Specialists, worked, supported, and just surrounded my family with knowledge, care, and love was one of the most heart-warming things during an extremely difficult time. I don't think there will ever be a way to say thank you enough to Children's for what they have done and continue to do for Sloan's care. 

I would love any support to help me reach my $1,000 fundraising goal. Running Grandma's is going to be a dream in and of itself, but being able to run it in honor of one of the strongest little humans I know and the absolutely fabulous staff who have been with her along this journey will quite honestly put the experience over the top.