Evan Mansfield has been running for as long as he can remember, a passion that started in his early childhood alongside his autism diagnosis.

When he was just two years old, Mansfield was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To help him develop his communication and social skills, he spent years in intensive speech and language therapy.

Now, at the age of 23, Mansfield is preparing to embark on a significant journey in New York City. He is set to participate in the TCS New York City Marathon for the first time, a challenging 26.2-mile course that spans across all five boroughs of the city.

The marathon adds to an already packed schedule for Mansfield. As the first in his family to attend college, he pursued studies in accounting and finance and is currently working towards an MBA at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Amid his hectic life, running serves as a mental refuge. It helps him unwind from stressors such as loud noises, crowded places, and the demands of his academic workload.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mansfield shared, “Running and fitness have been the one constant throughout my life, offering me an escape from chaos.”

‘Being able to lace up my runners, throw on an audiobook and forget all of my other problems is a huge privilege.’

The TCS New York City Marathon often has more than 50,000 finishers every year, making it the largest marathon in the world.

Though new to marathons, Evan Mansfield (pictured here) told the Daily Mail his passion for long-distance running ignited just last year after his first half-marathon

Mansfield, who grew up in the southeast of Ireland, said: ‘My mother was a marathon runner, so during my childhood I knew all about what it took to be a runner, from the Sunday long runs to the recovery, to attending and partaking in local 5k races with my mom and my brothers.’

In his household, athleticism was a family tradition. HIS youngest brother, Ronan, IS A professional soccer player, while HIS middle brother, Aidan, is studying sports coaching in college.

Their childhood was a whirlwind of competition, with all three brothers not only playing but also excelling at a high level across a range of sports.

Mansfield is new to marathons, though, telling the Daily Mail that he only got into long-distance running last year, when he completed his first half-marathon.

He said: ‘From there I got the bug, and have gone on to do three more official half marathons.

‘Crossing the line will be an incredibly proud moment for me, I never thought I would run a marathon, never mind the biggest marathon in the world.’

Mansfield has always found solace in structure, a trait shared by many children with ASD, viewing a steadfast routine as a shield from the chaos of the world. 

This inclination toward disciplined order has become the through line of his academic and physical pursuits.

Athleticism runs in the family. Mansfield’s youngest brother, Ronan [front], is a professional soccer player, while his middle brother, Aidan [far left], is studying sports coaching in college

Growing up in Ireland, Mansfield was immersed in the world of running from a young age by his mother, a marathon runner

He discovered that the world of athletics, with its emphasis on good training habits, was a natural fit for his mindset. Now, he is channeling that same preference for hard work and consistency into the ultimate test of routine: marathon training.

The path to the marathon start line is often paved with a near-scientific devotion to a grueling, months-long routine.

He said he considers himself fortunate, in a way, that very little of life has come easily for him, forcing him to identify the pathways to success at an early age.

Mansfield said: ‘In school, I used to set myself goals that if I completed X amount of work in Y time, I would buy myself something as a reward.

‘Physical challenges lend perfectly to routine, as performing at a high level in sports is always about having a good training routine.’

Mansfield told the Daily Mail that he is most looking forward to running up and down the Queensboro Bridge, which spills out into upper Manhattan. 

‘I ran a half-marathon over the Queensboro Bridge as part of my training, and that downhill followed by the madness of the Manhattan crowds will be a surreal moment,’ he said.

A lifetime of navigating a neurotypical world has prepared Evan for this latest challenge. Far from ever proving to be a disability, Evan has come to call his ASD ‘a different ability.’ 

Mansfield told the Daily Mail: ‘Autism is never going to be some mountain that I am going to climb, it is a journey of understanding myself and taking each days challenges as they arise’ 

Mansfield told the Daily Mail that his preference for structure and routine has helped with marathon training 

He said: ‘I have my own unique challenges that I face day to day, and I have been facing challenges my entire life. When I overcome some challenges, new ones arrive.

‘Autism is never going to be some mountain that I am going to climb, it is a journey of understanding myself and taking each days challenges as they arise.

‘I have had some major achievements, from making it to University, to earning my scholarship and many in between, but these aren’t breakthroughs. They are markers on a long journey of self-improvement and self-discovery which I am excited to continue down.’

The TCS New York City Marathon is produced by New York Road Runners.