Team LIVESTRONG Runs Boston Marathon-Has Wicked Good Time
by Colleen Wilson (LIVESTRONG Staff)8 Comments
This past weekend was the 113th running of the Boston Marathon and we had 47 LIVESTRONG runners lace up those shoes and take part in this event! The runners came from all over?.California, Michigan, Alaska and even a few runners from the UK. In that total we had 12 Survivors that finished this tough course knowing they had accomplished so much more than 26.2 miles. This team also accomplished big things on the fundraising side as they close in on $150,000 raised for the LAF.
As myself and other LAF staffer, Sarah Appolito, arrived in Beantown you could feel the excitement in the air. Not only was the marathon taking place but the Celtics, Red Sox, and Bruins were all in town to play. It was a big weekend for this city!
There are a few things that I will take with me from this event. First, meeting our runners face to face after 4-5 months of emailing and getting to know their stories and why they wanted to be involved with the LAF in fundraising. Then there?s 3 time Cancer survivor Julie Tyson-Westcott, just 33 days before the marathon she found out she is cancer FREE!! There is Joe Mahoney, or MoJo as we call him, he has returned every year to fundraise for the LAF and take on a different event. Melanie Douglas from the UK was celebrating her 30th birthday on the actual day of the marathon. What a way to spend your 30th, a grueling 26.2 miles! I could go on and on. The best part of my job is the stories that each person brings to the cause. All the stories are unique, yet so pertinent to what we do day to day. I never get tired of hearing them!
Team LIVESTRONG had some time together during the course of the weekend as we went to a Red Sox game on Sunday afternoon and watched the Sox take the Orioles! It was perfect weather and a great opportunity for people to meet one another. After 3 days of a very busy Expo (thanks to all the volunteers that helped us) it was race day!
It was a bit overcast and we prayed the rain to stay away and thank goodness it did. There was a pack of us that headed to mile 21, just after Heartbreak Hill to cheer in our runners one by one and show the support with a little yellow on the course. Little did we know that we picked the right spot to cheer as those Boston College kids know how to spectate a marathon!
Post marathon a few of us met up on Sunday night to toast their accomplishments and then on Tuesday, Sarah and I met up with 6 folks from San Diego that came out to run with us!
I could not have been more proud of the 47 runners that joined us for such a great event in Boston. On the plane ride home I remembered that in 2006 Lance Armstrong spoke at the Tuft?s University commencement and here is what he said, ? I chose active citizenship, and I challenge you to do that as well. The group effort and the active effort is much better! Be active. Be aggressive. Be smart. Don?t be afraid. Being active can only cause change. ? This team certainly exemplified that over the last 4-5 months of fundraising and in completing the event, I can?t say THANK YOU enough! Here are a few pictures from the weekend!
Team SanDiego Finishers
Celebrating post-marathon with Team LIVESTRONG
Julie Westcott and her sister approaching 22 mile mark
Julie's Jersey
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