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Growing up, Dominic DeJulio watched his dad participate in the Pittsburgh Marathon every year. These memories of watching his dad at the finish line have inspired him to tackle the distance for the first time at the 2022 DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. 

“I remember standing at the finish line at the Point every year, waiting for runners to round the bend to see if it was Dad finally making his way in,” DeJulio said. “That sense of pride that I never really understood at that age now feels like something I need to feel and embrace; to be a marathon runner. It's not about time or competing, it's about completing a lifelong dream.”

DeJulio grew up in the City of Pittsburgh and played sports in school, but he didn’t quite understand the appeal of running until he first joined his dad on a training run when he was 8 or 9 years old. 

“When Dad would go for runs on weekend mornings, it was always a ‘mysterious’ hobby that I didn't really understand,” DeJulio said. “So when Dad finally started taking me out sometimes with him to train, it was so interesting to be out on city roads early and seeing the same things I would see from a car window. I instantly became hooked.”

As part of his marathon training, DeJulio has been participating in local races and will be running the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler on Nov. 7. 

“The EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler is more or less a good distance where I can push myself hard enough for time and see where my strengths and weaknesses may be for marathon training!” DeJulio said.

On race day, he is looking forward to running through all the different communities and neighborhoods, knowing that all the spectators on race day will make the miles go by fast.  

“I just can't wait to run a race with people I don't even know but have the same goal and drive as I do to get the race done,” DeJulio said. “Running races are a rare thing in sports. You can run with people you never even met, be cheered on by people who never met you, but the electricity to augment your will to succeed is in every stride.”

When DeJulio crosses the finish line on May 1, he will be most excited about seeing his father .

“My goal for the event is to not think about the miles, or run it just for myself,” DeJulio said. “I want to cross that finish line and know that as soon as I see my father, he and I will share something else that no one else in our family does but us.”