Al Meriden Runs Through Walls to Help Kids Smile
From Syria to Chicago to Saudi Arabia to Sydney, his drive for good knows no borders
My name is Aladdin Meriden, but you can call me Al. I graduated from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, then spent nearly 15 years in Chicago before moving, to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2024 for work. I am a power and control system engineer.
I started running after losing my mother to brain cancer made me start thinking about my life in a new way. At first, it was just a way to lose weight, but then I ran my first marathon, in Chicago, in 2019. I was supposed to run my second in 2020 when, of course, COVID pushed it to 2021. I ran three marathons that year: First Berlin, then London one week later, then New York. I ran Boston in early 2022 and finished the sixth major in Tokyo in 2023. That made me the first male Syrian to complete all six World Marathon Majors (my friend Rahaf Khateeb, a real sweetheart, finished them all before I did).
When they added Sydney to the list of majors, I was like, I’ve got to be the first Syrian to do all seven and signed up right away. Naturally, I am going to run that race, too, for Smile Train’s Team EMPOWER.
What Keeps Me Going
I’ll always remember that moment in early 2020. I was looking up charities to run the Berlin Marathon for, and as soon as I found Smile Train, everything else dropped away.
Smile Train is absolutely one of the best causes I’ve ever collected money for. People get excited when they hear that every $400 you give can help save a child’s life. I stayed in touch with Smile Train’s wonderful staff through regular online meetings during the pandemic, then ran the New York Marathon for Team EMPOWER in 2021. That was like a dream.
The Sydney Marathon is in late August 2025. I just posted about the cause and the difference you can make on my WhatsApp groups and on Facebook a few months ago and reached my fundraising target within 24 hours!
Running Through the Wall
I have been blessed to run 13 marathons. One thing any marathoner will tell you is that between miles 16 and 20 or so, you “hit the wall” — basically, your body tells you, you cannot go any further. You are dying.
You know how in cartoons you have the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? I can tell you I've really seen those people. Unfortunately, the devil gets stronger at this point and asks you, “Why are you running? What's so important? You are failing. You cannot do this. You are behind. You raised $2,400? That’s what, six kids you’re helping? Look at how many need cleft care!”
That’s when you have hit the wall. When that happens, I think of my family, friends, and the children that I am raising the money for. That moves me from the inside to get the tired out of my eyes and get to the finish line.
Every time I finish a marathon, I get emotional. With all the pains, with everything that you go through over the course of it, you remember that you have a special cause that you are running for. That’s what keeps you going to the next one. That's it. It means the world to you, and that's what Team EMPOWER means to me.
No Matter Where My Legs Go, My Heart is in Syria
But I’ll be honest — I have another motivation, too. A lot of the money I raise comes from my fellow Syrians, and that touches me deeply because the country went through a lot over the past 14 years. A lot of people passed away. They didn't even have a chance to enjoy the simplest thing in life, while I, who lived in the US, had everything I wished for.
I recently started to get some attention in Syria for running all six majors, and I am proud to say I have found a new way to turn that attention into something positive. Earlier this year, I became the co-founder and race director for the Damascus Marathon 2025 — which will be Syria’s first international-standard marathon and a wonderful opportunity to unite Syrians, showcase the country’s resilience on a global stage, and channel tangible support to humanitarian causes.
The need is urgent as ever. Yes, the dictatorship has gone, but food is low and people still have electricity for one hour a day in many places. And it gets into the 30s in the winter.
The Damascus Marathon is more than a race — it is a statement of hope, endurance, and the will to rise again. I believe it is the road to peace.
From East to West with No Rest
I have no plans to stop after Sydney. My next goal is to go after the Middle Eastern marathons: There’s one in Egypt around the pyramids, there's one in Kuwait, one in Bahrain.
Other than marathons, I'm planning to do the SuperHalfs, which is a championship for six half marathons in Europe. And again, I'll be the first Syrian to finish those.
You Make My Heart Race
To all the kids with clefts who have been helped by my running, I want you to know that even though I probably haven't seen any of your smiles, I can see you in my spirit. I'm really happy to at least imagine your smiles because they are the most beautiful smiles I've ever seen in my life. And I really hope to see more of those smiles in the world.
To their families, I want to tell you that you have beautiful kids. You have a grace from God, because your kids are gifts from God Himself to you. I love them too, and that’s why I, a person from the other side of the world, am running for them.
You, too, can turn your passion into second chances for kids in need.