My connection to Lauren
Growing up with Lauren means I've been able to see both the challenges NF has brought into her life and the way she continues to be herself through all of them. I've watched her go through countless doctor's appointments, MRIs, struggles at school, and challenges that most people her age have never had to think about.
But she's also just my little sister. We mess with each other, make fun of each other, fight over who gets to use the basement TV, make sure everything is “fair”, you get the idea.
I'm currently a student at UW-Madison, so I don't live at home with Lauren anymore. If you ask her, she'll probably tell you she doesn't miss me at all, but I know she does.
Being away at college has made me appreciate our relationship extra. I don't get to see her every day anymore, but she's still a huge part of my life and a big reason why this cause means so much to me.
I can't change the fact that Lauren has NF. But I can do something to support the people working toward better treatments and, hopefully someday, a cure.
The history of Links for Lauren
Before Miles for Lauren, there was Links for Lauren.
My family started Links for Lauren in 2013 after Lauren was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis Type 1. What started as a golf outing in her honor grew into something much bigger than I think any of us could have imagined.
Over 12 years, our family and an incredible group of supporters hosted 11 golf outings and one virtual concert during the pandemic. Through those events, Links for Lauren raised more than $600,000 for neurofibromatosis research at the University of Wisconsin.
Growing up, Links for Lauren was just part of our family. Every year meant getting ready for the golf outing, seeing familiar faces come back to support Lauren, and watching businesses, friends, family members, and people from our community come together for the same reason.
Unfortunately, Links for Lauren was not held in 2025. Economic uncertainty made it increasingly difficult to secure the corporate sponsorships that were essential to putting on an event of that size. At the same time, major cuts to federal funding for NF research created even more uncertainty for the researchers and programs our family had spent years supporting.
After 12 years, it was incredibly difficult to see the event come to an end.
But the mission behind it never did.
Miles for Lauren is my way of carrying a small part of that mission forward.
Instead of a golf course, this time it's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run. I'm hoping to bring together some of the same people who supported my family and Lauren for all those years, while also introducing a new group of people to Lauren's story and the fight against NF.
Links for Lauren showed me what can happen when a community comes together behind one person and one cause. I'm proud to have grown up around it, and I'm excited to carry that spirit with me for all 140.6 miles.
Links for Lauren started the journey. Miles for Lauren keeps it moving.
Why I'm doing an IRONMAN
I've decided to take on one of the biggest challenges of my life: completing a full IRONMAN. A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and 26.2 mile run for a total of 140.6 miles.
The idea was inspired in part by some pretty amazing people. My friends Grayson and Walter are using their own IRONMAN journey to raise money for cancer research and mental health awareness. My friend Jaxon was hit by a car that ran a red light two years ago and came incredibly close to losing his life. After an incredible recovery, he completed IRONMAN Wisconsin this year.
Watching them showed me that something as difficult as an IRONMAN could mean a lot more than just finishing a race. It made me think about the cause that's been closest to my family for my entire life: Lauren and the fight against NF.
That's why I created Miles for Lauren.
My goal is to raise $14,060 for NF research. $100 for every mile I'll cover on race day.
Training for an IRONMAN is going to mean early mornings, long rides and runs, hours in the pool, and plenty of difficult days. But those are challenges I'm choosing to take on.
Lauren never got to choose NF.
When training gets hard, that's what I'll remember.
140.6 miles. $14,060. All for Lauren.
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