Evan Mansfield Prepares for First NYC Marathon, Advocates for Autism Awareness

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Evan Mansfield, a 23-year-old graduate student, is set to run his first marathon this Sunday, joining over 55,000 athletes in the TCS New York City Marathon. Diagnosed with autism at age 2, Mansfield has used his journey to raise awareness about the neurodevelopmental disorder.

Mansfield, who is completing his MBA at Fairfield University, shared his thoughts with The Post about the importance of hard work and perseverance. ‘With a bit of hard work and dedication, anything is possible,’ he said.

As a member of New York Road Runners‘ Team Inspire, a group of 26 athletes with compelling personal stories, Mansfield aims to dispel misconceptions about autism. ‘Autism isn’t a problem that needs to be solved or a disease that needs to be cured,’ he explained. ‘It’s a difference in how we process information.’

Growing up in rural southeast Ireland, Mansfield faced challenges early on. He struggled with feeding, toilet training, and communication, relying on his two younger brothers to help him learn words. ‘I had a lot of sensory issues,’ he recalled. ‘Certain environments would freak me out.’

Mansfield’s family played a significant role in his development. His parents sought intensive speech therapy and education to provide early support. ‘It’s taken a lot of hard work that I wouldn’t be able to do without the early access to supports,’ he said.

He found solace in fitness, discovering that sports like running and soccer helped him socialize and interact with others. Despite challenges, he is now preparing for a 26.2-mile race, aiming to finish in under four hours.

‘My master’s is a year-and-a-half, so it comes to an end in December,’ he noted. ‘I couldn’t have imagined a better way to top it off than to run the biggest marathon in the world.’

Alongside his marathon training, Mansfield has made history as the first in his family to graduate from college, completing an MBA with a concentration in AI. He aspires to work as an analyst or product manager after graduation.

Reflecting on his journey, he said, ‘It just goes to show that pushing people outside their comfort zone is very important.’