Downingtown-native Allie MacNeill, who now lives in Phoenixville, is training for the 2018 Boston Marathon while raising money for the Stepping Strong Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, writes Serenity Bishop for Daily Local News.

MacNeill was born with bowed tibias. As a child she had to wear leg bracers that earned her the nickname “Forest Gump” from her siblings. Even so, MacNeill was active in various sports from an early age.

“Between ballet, soccer and basketball, soccer stuck,” said MacNeill, who played soccer at Neumann University. “But, my dad knew that I would be a runner.”

Now at twenty-seven-years-old, MacNeill aims to complete the 2018 Boston Marathon. To secure her place, she had to either run a certified marathon or run for charity. However, since she had only ever run half-marathons, MacNeill focused on the latter.

“I started looking at the charities available and reading their mission and vision,” said MacNeill.

She chose the Stepping Strong Center, which helped out after the Boston Marathon bombings, and she hopes to raise $7,500.

“I’m just going to be excited to celebrate with everyone that has supported me when I’m done,” she said.

Read more about MacNeill’s efforts at Daily Local News here.