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For those who would
by those who can.

Lori Danko Competes at the OCR World Championships

While Lori Danko claims she is a “very average racer,” her athletic accomplishments are nothing short of impressive. The elementary school teacher and personal trainer competed in the 2021 OCR World Championships in September, held at Stratton Mountain, Vermont, clocking a net time of 1:05:02 and a finish time of 1:11:00.

Lori’s experience at the OCR World Championships reminded her how much she loves the sport. “With the pandemic and everything that’s been going on in the world, racing kind of took a back seat to everything else. There weren’t as many countries there competing, but it didn’t stop the competitiveness.” During the race, the team format made an impression, as Lori is already making plans to compete next year as part of a team.

A Crohn’s Disease survivor, Lori is motivated by “those who would” and keeps certain people in mind as she trains. “I lost both my parents two years ago and they were my biggest supporters. They are the reason for my strength to overcome obstacles, and sometimes that’s who I talk to when I need to dig deep.”

While on the course, Lori still finds the time to reflect, often praying for strength and expressing gratitude for the ability to take part. She finds the training and events help to keep her grounded in what matters most.

The funds Lori raised through her efforts at the OCR World Championships support the work of For Those Who Would, which serves those who are unable to participate in athletic and physical recreation activities due to injury or disease.

“I race to show others what is possible if you are determined and work hard… you don’t have to be a rock star to do what I do,” Lori says of her training and competition. She hopes others are motivated to find their strength by seeing what she has accomplished. “When I started racing, Crohn’s Disease did its best to keep me down. I turned my Emergency Room bag into my race bag and proved I was stronger. Now there’s no way I’m turning back!”

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