She didn’t finish in first place, but Dierks Bentley’s wife Cassidy won big at the Boston Marathon on Monday (April 17).

 

She won for Safe Haven Family Shelter, the Nashville charity she was running for, by turning over the more than $23,000 she raised on their behalf.

 

She won for her kids, Evie, Jordan and Knox, who got to see their mother as someone who believes in herself.

 

She won for all of her friends and family who donated to her cause, encouraged her training, and fueled her spirit.

 

And she won for her husband, who was her head cheerleader both at home and all over social media.

 

Before the race on Monday, Cassidy posted on Instagram that the morning was more emotional that she was expecting, starting with a hug from Dierks.

 

“I spent 30 minutes last night trying to write and rewrite a post thanking him for the tshirts, the encouragement…everything. It’s useless. I don’t have the words. I’ll never have them,” Cassidy shared.

 

And when the race was done — just 3 hours and 26 minutes after she’d started — Dierks posted a photo of all three kids completely encompassing their mom in a group hug.

 

The $23,190 in donations came from fans and friends all over the country, with plenty of Nashville celeb donors like Nicole Kidman, Sheryl Crow, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kix Brooks and more.