On Your Marks: LINC Races to Read at the NYC Marathon!

Literacy in Community (LINC) is proud to return as an official charity partner for the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon!

We’re hard at work helping our team train for an exhilarating 26.2-mile journey through the five boroughs of New York City. Joining seasoned runners from across the world, the LINC squad will undertake this limits-testing race on Sunday, November 2. As they work up their endurance over the coming months, each member of LINC’s team will also be working to build resilience and confidence for families across New York by raising funds for early literacy. Their proceeds will go toward supporting LINC’s continued community-based work.

Meet the 2025 team and learn more about why they’ve taken the leap to race for educational equity for New York’s youngest learners:

Yaneli Rubio

Yaneli is a seasoned athlete who has been running since age 11. She’s run four marathons (in Austin, TX, Portland, OR, and Duluth, MN) and qualified for the 2018 Boston Marathon.  Racing has been her lifelong anchor, and she’s excited to race for a cause so close to her. Early literacy is more than just a passion for her— it’s in the family. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Yaneli shares that books helped her imagine bold futures. Her husband now serves on LINC’s Professional Advisory Council to help advance educational access. She's running this marathon with her heart wide open—for the kids who remind her of her younger self. Help Yaneli reach her fundraising goal here.

Leemen Weaver

Leemen is a passionate reader and racer who clocks 60 miles each month in his training. He has run the Brooklyn Marathon and completed a Ragnar relay endurance race in Florida. Growing up, books and a cozy chair were his launchpad for curiosity, questions, and dreams. He reads regularly to his two nephews, Weslee (8) and Bodhi (6), and sees firsthand how stories shape their imaginations. He’s rooting for LINC’s success not just in NYC, but to expand nationally! Help Leemen reach his fundraising goal here.

Scott Sugarman

Scott is excited to notch his third marathon as a passionate runner, and his first running with LINC! He’s a huge reader and former editor in publishing, who believes books help us build empathy and community. He’s deeply concerned about declining literacy rates in the U.S., and joined the team because he admires LINC’s measurable impact on kids’ lives. Help Scott reach his fundraising goal here.

Tim Wojcik

Tim is a dear friend to LINC, and a multitalented athlete ready to race for young readers! Before training for this, his first marathon, Tim played D3 lacrosse for Hendrix College, a small liberal arts school in Arkansas. He’s played drums and other instruments in multiple bands around NYC, and has been a member of LINC’s Professional Advisory Council (PAC) since 2017, serving as co-chair from 2020–2023. As a book publishing professional and writer, he’s a big believer in early childhood literacy. Ensuring children have a strong start in life is personal to Tim too— he’s a brand new dad to baby Oscar! Help Tim reach his fundraising goal here.

Ashley Giannetti

Ashley believes early literacy is the key to opportunity, change & equality, and is ready to race to prove it! Having powered her way through several half marathons, she’s ready to run her first full marathon with LINC. Endurance is familiar to Ashley, who rowed D1 for Brown University and medaled at NCAA & Ivy League championships. She’s fundraised in the past for Rett Syndrome Research Trust and Stem2Stern, and is proud to run to bring access to books to more kids across NYC. Help Ashley reach her fundraising goal here.

Thank you, Yaneli, Leemen, Scott, Timothy, and Ashley! We can’t wait to cheer you on in November! 

Like the TCS NYC Marathon, LINC spans all five boroughs in our work to help unlock bright futures through literacy and education in our unique mix of joy and passionate advocacy. Please join us in supporting Team LINC as they run for little readers.