MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry runs an HRC marathon in Washington in 2013. (Photo courtesy HRC)

At 1.5 million members, the Human Rights Campaign is the largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBT equality. In an effort to continue moving forward, its members maintain multiple programs to raise awareness at a grassroots level.

Athletes for Equality engages people in the LGBT and allied sports communities to become involved with HRC efforts by competing in a world-class marathon.

Tommy Lodge, associate director of HRC’s membership outreach, travels to multiple festivals throughout the year as part of HRC’s Pride Outreach and is also an organizer of Athletes for Equality.

“By joining one of our endurance teams, an individual commits to raising money for HRC in exchange for coaching and training support, team camaraderie and fundraising support,” Lodge says. “Plus, during the race they get to wear our gear and are cheered on by groups of enthusiastic HRC volunteers.”

Athletes for Equality is attached to four current marathons: Marine Corps Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Los Angeles Marathon and Publix Georgia Marathon.

Coming Oct. 26 is the Marine Corps Marathon which has already sold out at 30,000 participants. The contributions received by the runners are earmarked for the HRC 501(c)3 workplace programs which qualifies the HRC team to receive additional guaranteed spots for each year they participate.

In this, their fourth year at the Marine Corps Marathon, there are only a few spots remaining in the 50 guaranteed openings and team captain, Angel Boord, is excited to be a part of the team.

“I have always been an athlete and a runner. Now, I am happy to also call myself an activist. I know many experienced runners who may not have run with a charity before, but I wholeheartedly recommend it,” Boord says. “The camaraderie provided via HRC’s Athletes for Equality helps me push myself more than ever before.”

Lodge says the program will be expanding in the future with more sponsored events to be added to the four already in existence.

For now, athletes can also carve their own path if they want to participate in an event under the Athletes for Equality banner. Over the past two years, about a hundred cyclists have completed bike rides and marathons have been run in places as far away as France and Namibia.

“We even had a mountain climber who wanted to climb Mount Everest for us,” Lodge says.

The peer-to-peer fundraising platform is an added benefit for raising awareness at a grassroots level. A family member may be aware of his or her relative’s athletic capabilities, but may not be familiar with the HRC vision.

“Athletics are one of the last bastions of homophobia,” Lodge says. “We meet the team members where they are as athletes and offer them the chance to push themselves physically all while doing it for a cause.”