Running

Running To Support Assault Survivors

Area Resident Participating In Marathons, Starts Nonprofit

“If I can make one person feel less lonely, more powerful, it’s a good year,” said Lexington resident Summer Willis, who is running 29 marathons in a year to raise awareness and funds for survivors of sexual assault.

After years of struggling with the aftermath of her own assault, Willis is turning her attention to healing, and to helping others.

“A decade ago I was sexually assaulted as a sophomore in college. It took me years to get over the depression and PTSD,” she said.

“This past summer I started researching and realizing that trauma doesn’t just go away. You can’t just bury it down deep,” said Willis. “So I decided when I turned 29 that I was going to show myself and my boys and my community how strong a survivor could be.”

Though not previously a runner herself, Willis was inspired by the story of Julie Weis, who has run over 100 marathons and raised over a million dollars for cancer research.

“I read an article the night before I decided to do this about Julie Weis, who ran 52 marathons in a year, and she raised, after a decade, a million dollars. And I woke up the next morning and was like, I’m going to run 29 marathons,” Willis recalled.

Willis was able to connect with Weis, and the two ran a marathon together. “It was really neat because I reached out to her, and in LA we actually did a 5K carrying a mattress together. And I got to stay with her while I was there and run the marathon with her,” said Willis. “They say don’t meet your heroes, but she was a great one.”

As someone who has looked up to athletes throughout her life, Willis said her own journey has special meaning to her.

“I love my story because I always looked up to the professional athletes, but I didn’t think it could ever be me. I think I’m as ordinary as people come, and I’m still able to get world records, or do hard things,” she said.

“I hope other people can hear about my story and —whatever their hard time is, their trauma or just self-doubt —know, once you make up your mind to do something — you really can.”

Willis tested her own resolve in one of her first challenges. “I accidentally started the year with three marathons in three days around Lake Tahoe. It was so, so hard. I didn’t even know if I could run a marathon and it was just back to back to back,” she said.

“Once I did that it was like — as long as my body holds up I think I got this. But it was very hard and I don’t know how I did that, other than maybe some willpower.”

So far, she has completed 12 total marathons, running recently in Charlottesville and Roanoke.

The money raised through her efforts will be put toward Strength Through Strides, an organization Willis founded to help other survivors find community.

“Strength Through Strides, which is a nonprofit I started, will offer survivors a four-day retreat that focuses on both education and community building with other survivors,” she said.

“I always thought I was alone. I didn’t tell anyone — two out of three people don’t report. I want women to know that there are other women that have been through something similar,” she said.

The organization will also provide mental health services and educational outreach.

Today, Strength Through Strides is co-sponsoring a Survivor’s Walk in Washington, D.C., inviting people to walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial to raise awareness and show support for survivors of sexual assault.

While Willis has a goal of raising $290,000 this year for the organization, she also hopes that sharing her story will serve to inspire others.

“For so long I felt like a victim, and I felt like I just lost out on a future after the assault,” she said.

“I hope that another survivor will hear my story, and realize, one, they’re not alone, and two, they’re so strong and so resilient.”

Donations can be made at strengththroughstrides.org/donate.