DORAL, Fla. – Running marathons was always a family affair for the Langesfelds.
A park in Doral is where Nicole Langesfeld often trained with her dad and brother.
Although it’s difficult to pick themselves up, they’re running the Miami Marathon this Sunday in Nicole’s honor, more than seven months after she was lost in the Surfside condominium collapse.
“Our marathon started on June 24, the day of the collapse,” Pablo Langesfeld said. “It’s been seven months that we’re running nonstop in seeking justice.”
Nicole Langesfeld died along with her new husband Luis when the Champlain Towers South came crashing down.
She was an avid runner, running marathons and 5Ks with her dad and brother Martin.
“For the first year, we’re not doing it with my sister Nikki,” Martin Langesfeld said.
“Right now I’m doing the same route I used to do with her,” Pablo said of his training. “It brings me a lot of memories.”
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On Sunday, Pablo will be running the 13.1-mile half marathon, while Martin will run the full 26.2-mile race.
It’s his first time running that distance.
“Since my sister was unfortunately taken away from us at 26 years old, I’ll be doing one mile for every year she was here with us,” Martin said. “It’s very hard to continue to do this but it’s beautiful at the same time that we can do something in her honor.”
They say it’s important that they get to the finish line.
“I will start running. If I have to walk, I walk. If I have to crawl, I crawl,” Pablo said.
More important, the family says, is getting to the finish line finding justice for the 98 lives lost in the tragic collapse.
“This is a little piece we can connect with Nikki,” Pablo said. “But our real marathon is the one that we have in real life. Unfortunately, we have to fight and we will go to the finish line no matter what.”