August 18, 2026 bachelor insider
Julia Rae Reflects on Her Journey with Cystic Fibrosis While Preparing to Run the NYC Marathon
Opening up.
Bachelor Nation got to know Julia Rae on the very first season of “The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart.”
Since her time on the show, she has been keeping fans updated with her life on social media and found love off-screen with long-term boyfriend Matt Lucido.
The two got engaged in the beginning of 2024 and officially tied the knot last year on New Year’s Eve!
Now, the Bachelor Nation star is opening up online about her journey with cystic fibrosis as she prepares to run the New York City marathon.
In a new post on Instagram, Julia shared, “On November 1st I’m running the New York City Marathon for @team_boomer_usa. And this is more than just a fitness goal. There was a long stretch of my life where I wouldn’t let myself think too far into my future because I wasn’t sure how long I would be here.”
Julia posted photos of herself in the hospital from when she was younger, getting different treatments for her cystic fibrosis — including a journal entry talking about missing school.
She continued reflecting on that time in her life and noted how different it is now.
“But now, I sometimes forget that version of my life even existed,” she shared. “That’s how good I feel these days. That’s how drastically my life has changed thanks to the gene modulators. But I’m one of the lucky ones. The modulators work for my mutation of cystic fibrosis. That’s not the case for everyone.”
The Bachelor Nation star revealed that she’s running to hopefully help find a solution that works for everyone.
“I’m running for them,” she stated. “The exciting part is that this ask is tangible — we’re not crossing our fingers anymore. Brilliant people already found what works. We just need it to work for everyone.”
We are so proud of Julia and we’re wishing her all the best as she prepares to run the NYC marathon this fall. You’ve got this, Julia!
