When Taylor Lantz laces up her running shoes before dawn on Saturday mornings, she takes the subway all the way uptown to West 168th Street, meets her closest friends, and runs the entire length of Manhattan back down to East 3rd. It is an ambitious route through the city she now calls home, but on November 1st, Taylor will be taking on an even larger challenge: twenty-six point two miles through all five boroughs as a member of Team AFBS in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon.
Taylor, twenty-two, originally from West Des Moines, Iowa, is no stranger to road racing, having competed in half-marathons, five-milers, and many 5Ks. Yet stepping up to the full distance required a deeper motivation.
Running for Greta
The inspiration took root just before high school graduation, when Taylor stood on the sidelines of the New York City Marathon watching Misty, a close friend of her mother’s, tackle the course. That display of grit sparked an ambition that stayed with her, but it was family that gave it real purpose.
“I was super excited to join to help support my cousin, Greta,” Taylor explains. “I’ve always been an active individual and wanted to set a goal for myself to do something out of my comfort zone and I remember at the last marathon I came to right before I graduated high school I saw my moms friend Misty run and was determined that I would run eventually for my cousin and all of her friends too!”
Greta Baier lives with Nemaline Myopathy (NM), a rare congenital neuromuscular disorder that impacts skeletal muscle function. Caused by genetic mutations affecting muscle proteins, NM leads to muscle weakness throughout the body. For many individuals and families, the condition brings daily hurdles in fundamental tasks like walking, breathing, and swallowing, often requiring intensive therapies and assistive devices. Greta has also stepped forward as an active Youth Ambassador, offering leadership and connection for other young people navigating life with NM.
Community, Apps, and Saturday Mornings
Tackling twenty-six point two miles for the first time demands serious training, but Taylor has kept the process energizing by weaving it into her social world. She leans on running groups and friends who turn grueling workouts into shared time together.
“My training has been amazing,” Taylor says. “I train with a run club and with my besties. My best friend built a training app that we’ve been utilizing, and even been enjoying our long runs together. My biggest challenges have been having to sacrifice some activities, like going out with friends, for long runs so that I’m in the best health and conditioning possible and not tired early Saturday morning haha.”
Her routine balances rigorous physical preparation with the communal pull of city running.
“I love to wake up at 6am on Saturday mornings and take the train all the way up to my friends at w168th and run all the way home, which is e 3rd,” she adds. “I also love to try out different run clubs to meet new people and feed my social battery while getting my training in at the same time. Having friends that are runners has made it a lot easier to train because I feel like I am constantly getting to hangout with my friends.”
Racing Toward Real Treatments
On race day, Taylor is aiming to finish under four hours, with a stretch target of 3:50 or faster. Alongside her time goals, she has set out to raise $5,000 for A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS).
AFBS is the only organization dedicated exclusively to funding scientific research into effective treatments for Nemaline Myopathy. Because NM receives limited public research support, grassroots marathon teams play a critical role in advancing laboratory studies, developing preclinical models, and moving therapies toward human clinical trials.
When supporters ask about her campaign, Taylor keeps her response straightforward and grounded in family: “I usually talk to them about why I am running and about my cousin Greta and the importance of who and why I am running.”
When she steps onto the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge this November, Taylor will bring the camaraderie of Manhattan running clubs and the enduring inspiration of her cousin to every stride, helping speed the search for treatments that can change lives.
A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the development of treatments for Nemaline Myopathy. Our mission is to fund cutting-edge research to find effective treatments while providing resources and a strong community for families affected by NM. We are proud to be at the forefront of driving Nemaline Myopathy research breakthroughs forward through collaborations with research teams across the globe.
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