Interior Secretary Deb Haaland runs Boston Marathon to mark Indigenous Peoples' Day

"I run because my ancestors gave me this ability," Haaland wrote.

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day by running the Boston Marathon on Monday, honoring ancestors that ran before her.

“I started running about 20 years ago," Haaland wrote in an op-ed she penned for the Boston Globe. "Along the way to running my first marathon, I began to think deeply about the story of my people who have used running not only to get places but to preserve their traditions and culture. ... I run because my ancestors gave me this ability," she later continued.

Haaland also went on Twitter to mark the holiday, saying "it is more important than ever to recognize Indigenous Peoples as the first stewards of this land."

President Joe Biden became the first president to issue a proclamation recognizing Indigenous People's Day.