In March, six RUN FOR AUTISM runners who made up the first Tokyo Marathon team raised over $33,000. All longtime OAR supporters, they were among over 38,000 athletes who completed the race.
“Tokyo was an incredible experience and opportunity! To be able to represent OAR on the international stage is such a privilege and honor,” said Chris Neil. The 2026 Tokyo Marathon was his fourth race with OAR. He serendipitously spotted an orange RUN FOR AUTISM wristband during the race. “Hopefully, fate found a good home for it,” he remarked.
The race was a chance for ma
ny on the team to earn their sixth star in the Abbot World Major Marathon Series, a premier series of seven world-renowned marathons—Tokyo, Boston, London, Singapore, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City.
Tim Accord was one of the runners who completed his sixth star in Tokyo. “It was kind of surreal and a little emotional,” he said. “There is a moment at the end of a race, especially a marathon, where the pain fades, the euphoria sets in, and you start to appreciate what you just did. It’s a feeling you can only know if you do the thing. It’s a feeling that I hope everyone experiences at some point in life, and it really distills the entire experience into a moment. It’s magical.”
Applications will open for the 2027 RUN FOR AUTISM Tokyo Marathon in mid-April. Fill out our interest list to be notified when applications open.
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