Why Boston Marathon

Why Boston Marathon

4 years ago, around this time of the year, I was unexpectedly offered a charity spot to the London Marathon. Unexpected because I had been applying for a lottery and charity spot ever since I started running (London Marathon was my THE ONE race that I’d always wanted to do) but had always been rejected. That year after the incredible accomplishment of 70.3 Augusta, I wrote on the blog about wanting to do more. To run for something bigger, something more than just running for myself. Someone somewhere read the blog post and contacted me about running London Marathon. That first international race experience and being a part of my dream race and having so much fun gave me the idea of bundling races and vacations together.

When I got into New York City Marathon Lottery in 2018 after 8 years of trying, I just had to try to complete the World Marathon Majors (Chicago which had been my first marathon, NYC, Boston, London, Berlin & Tokyo). With the popularity of the majors increasing rapidly, I knew that I had to try to get a spot as soon as I could else before I was outspaced and it got harder.

I also had decided that I was going to do what I could towards charity for every one of these races  even when I had my own guaranteed race entry as a way to give back while in the pursuit of a personal dream.

Boston was my biggest challenge.

There was only 2 options for me to Boston –

  1. Qualify by running a “BQ” (Boston Qualifying) time – NOT happening at my sloth pace (please no judgement about how “anyone could run a BQ if only they really really wanted to”)
  2. Run as a charity entry – hard to get a coveted spot and higher fundraising commitments than I had even done
  3. (There is a 3rd option of getting an entry through a tour operator, but residents of US & Canada are not eligible for that)

So a charity entry was my only option for Boston. I also wanted to run for a charity that I am passionate about and not just to get an entry. So I researched and some charities stood out. Among them was Dana Farber Cancer Institute that Carrie, a local mom & runner, had been running with for the past 7 years. I reached out to her to find out more, put in my application and was SUPER LUCKY to be chosen to be part of the team.

This fundraising will be harder than training for the race. $10-13k is not something that I’ve ever done. But with Boston being my 6th and last marathon needed to complete the World Marathon Majors, why not push myself outside my comfort zone (WAY out of my comfort zone and go for it)!

I will be honored and proud to represent Dana Farber on April 20th, 2020 for 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston while also completing my quest.

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