Meet Your Neighbor: Kevin Montalvo

While many kids grew up going to theme parks on the weekends, I spent my time touring neighborhoods in Queens with my father. He’d take me to local landmarks, and I’d soak up everything I could. He also made a point to teach me how to use the subway at a very young age. That served me well as a runner later in life!  In 2013, I co-founded Queens Distance Runners with my wife Maria and good friend Edwin.  We believed there was a void in the Queens’ running community, so we opened our doors to runners of all levels and made efforts to recruit people across the borough. Today QDR organizes annual events, such as the Queens Marathon, and is one of the largest running clubs in New York City. Things come full circle for me when my neighbors and friends join QDR not just to improve their technique and speed, but to also get involved with local issues. Through our volunteer projects and fundraisers, we give our members a chance to get informed and give back.  To me, community can be as simple as standing up for the person next to you. Through QDR and on social media, I advocate that anyone can make a difference, and I try my best to lead by example. 

Kevin is the Founder of Queens Distance Runners and Race Director of the Queens Marathon.