For a decade, Alexander Lundskog measured his athletic life in two furious laps around a track. Representing Sweden on the professional circuit, the Gothenburg native specialized in the 800 meters, an event built on razor-thin anaerobic margins, lactic acid tolerance, and explosive, sustained speed. He stepped away from professional running two years ago, having pushed his body to elite limits, but twenty-six point two miles was entirely uncharted territory.
This November, the thirty-year-old will line up for his very first marathon at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. He isn’t running to return to professional glory; he is running to understand a quiet reality lived by two people he loves most.
Understanding an Everyday Marathon
Alexander’s inspiration to join Team AFBS begins with his family back home: his aunt Anna and his cousin Wilma. Both live with Nemaline Myopathy (NM), a rare congenital neuromuscular condition that impacts skeletal muscle function.
Caused by genetic mutations that weaken the thin filaments inside muscle cells, NM leads to generalized muscle weakness throughout the body. Everyday actions that healthy bodies take for granted, like walking, maintaining posture, swallowing, and breathing, can demand immense physical effort. Because Nemaline Myopathy is currently an untreatable disease, everyday survival often requires hours of therapies, adaptive care, and pure grit.
A simple conversation with them rewired how Alexander viewed physical exhaustion.
“My aunt and my cousin both have Nemaline Myopathy,” Alexander explains. “They’ve told me that by the end of an ordinary day, it feels like they’ve run a marathon. I spent years as a track athlete and never ran one. Now it’s my turn to find out what my aunt and cousin experience every day.”
Running in honor of Anna and Wilma, Alexander wants to experience that depth of physical fatigue firsthand, transforming miles into empathy.
Starting Over on the Road
Switching from elite middle-distance track racing to the grueling pavement of a road marathon proved to be a humbling reset. Middle-distance running demands ferocious speed endurance, while marathon preparation requires slow, methodical aerobic adaptation.
“I spent ten years training for 800 metres,” Alexander says. “Nothing about that prepares you for a marathon, so I’ve mostly had to start over: long, slow kilometres instead of short, hard ones. It’s been a challenge, but a fun one!”
To build the mileage base needed for New York, Alexander has integrated running directly into his daily routine, commuting to and from work on foot every day alongside extended weekend long runs.
Despite stepping into unfamiliar endurance territory, his elite engine hasn’t disappeared. He has set a bold target for race day: breaking the three-hour barrier in his debut marathon, a standard that requires disciplined pacing through the five boroughs.
Opening Eyes and Funding the Science
Along with chasing a sub-three-hour finish, Alexander’s primary mission is to raise as much money as possible for A Foundation Building Strength (AFBS).
AFBS is the only organization dedicated solely to funding scientific research into effective treatments and therapies for Nemaline Myopathy. Because rare disorders struggle to attract large government research grants or commercial pharmaceutical capital, grassroots efforts by marathoners are crucial to moving discoveries from laboratory benches into human clinical trials.
Alexander has leaned on social media to build awareness, reaching a network of people who had never encountered the condition before.
“The support has come from people I didn’t expect,” he notes. “Old teammates, neighbours, patients. Most of them had never heard of Nemaline Myopathy before this. That’s the point of the whole thing.”
When asked what he would tell someone who is considering donating to his campaign, Alexander’s message is direct and practical.
“Do it!” he says. “Nemaline Myopathy is rare, which means research money is scarce. There’s no large public campaign behind it and there won’t be. I’m not asking anyone to give a lot. A small amount from a lot of people is how this kind of fund gets built. Every dollar goes to AFBS and to research.”
When the race enters its punishing final stretch through the rolling hills of Central Park, Alexander knows he won’t be relying on track speed alone.
“It’s very inspiring running for a good cause,” he shares. “It will help me push through those last couple of hard miles.”
Support Alexander’s Journey
Please consider supporting Alexander, Team AFBS, and the individuals and families at the heart of this mission. You can read more about his journey and make a donation directly to his personal campaign by visiting his GoFundMe Page.
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.
Donate to AFBS: Your monetary gift will support critical research and provide vital resources for NM families.
Stay Connected: Sign up for our email list to receive the latest updates from AFBS and learn more about NM research. Are you an individual or a caregiver of an individual affected by NM? Fill out the AFBS Contact Survey to be connected with valuable resources, support, and research opportunities! Visit our “Get Involved” page for even more ways to connect!