MARATHON EDITION IT ALL STARTS HERE!
HMS principal runs for school
Vol. 22 | No. 20 | October 6, 2021
COMMEMORATIVE
HOPKINTON INDEPENDENT
Marathon pioneer Gibb immortalized in bronze
2021 ISSUE
By Chris Villani Contributing Writer Hopkinton Middle School Principal Alan Keller is running the Boston Marathon to raise funds for the Desire to Inspire program.
By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer
P
rincipal Alan Keller has been running Hopkinton Middle School for the past 12 years. Now he is running — literally — in the Boston Marathon to support his school’s Desire to Inspire program. Keller first ran the race in 2012, the year before the marathon bombing. He became familiar with the event after meeting his wife, a Newton native, years before and moving to Massachusetts about two decades ago. He watched the race on the sidelines with Keller | 11
PRST-STD U.S. Postage PAID Hopkinton, MA 01748 Permit No. 109 ECRWSS Postal Patron
INSIDE
W
hen children are young, they tend to gravitate toward joyful activities like art and running, Bobbi Gibb has observed. Now 78, Gibb says, “I just never stopped doing those things.” “I have always loved to run,” she said. “And I kept on running, even when other people had stopped.” Gibb is the first woman to run the entire Boston Marathon and she is recognized as a three-time winner in the Pioneer Women’s Division in 1966, 1967 and 1968. She also is a lifelong artist, and the two passions were to meet when a sculpture, her self-portrait, was unveiled Oct. 5 at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. The sculpture will be displayed at the HCA until the completion of the Main Street Corridor Project, at which time it will be installed at the corner of Main Street and Hayden Rowe Street. Gibb | 9
Page 6: Fire Chief Miller tabbed as race starter Page 7: ‘Love Letters’ film welcomes marathoners Page 8: Hoyt’s legacy lives on in Hopkinton Page 14: Upalekar runs virtual race to help India Page 15: Resilience key for CrossFit runners Page 18: Dragsbaek back to run 15th Boston for PJB Bobbi Gibb, shown sculpting her selfportrait, still runs, some 55 years after she became the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon.
Page 20: Pete continues 21st century streak
Wishing you well every step of the way!
2 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 COMMEMORATIVE
Hopkinton Independent The Hopkinton Independent is published by Hopkinton Independent, LLC, 32 South St., Westborough, MA 01581. The publisher assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors or errors in advertisements, but will reprint that portion of the ad that was in error if notified in writing within three business days of the publication date. All material is the property of the Hopkinton Independent. Permission must be obtained in writing before reproducing any material. The Hopkinton Independent is delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to 100 percent of the homes and businesses in Hopkinton, reaching more than 7,200 addresses. It’s also available at Price Chopper and Hopkinton Drug as well as at many other local businesses.
STAFF
INTRODUCTION
2021 ISSUE
Marathon Committee welcomes runners to Hopkinton
Publisher: David Bagdon Dir. of Business Development: Susanne Odell Farber Founder: Sarah Lothrop Duckett Managing Editor: Jerry Spar Social Media director: David Bagdon Editorial contributors: Lyn Calkins, Michelle Sanford, Chris Villani, Deborah Burke Henderson, Tricia LaCascia, John Cardillo, John Buday, Sandy Quadros Bowles, Christine Strickland, Mary Ellen Gambon, Christie Vogt
contact us
FOR ADVERTISING: Contact Susanne Odell Farber Cell: 508-954-8148 or Email: Sales@HopkintonIndependent.com FOR MAILED SUBSCRIPTIONS, Contact the Hopkinton Independent Office: 508 435-5188 or Email: Sales@HopkintonIndependent.com EDITORIAL COMMENTS AND INQUIRIES, including Letters to the Editor should be emailed to Editor@HopkintonIndependent.com
Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s name, address and contact information for verification. Letters should be no more than 400 words, and the Hopkinton Independent offers no guarantee that all letters will be printed. Letters should be relevant and not primarily for the purpose of promoting an organization or event or thanking volunteers and sponsors.
The Hopkinton Marathon Committee’s famous sign is installed at the Town Common every year to greet Boston Marathon participants and spectators.
“I
t all starts here.” For the 97th year. participants will return to Hopkinton after many months waiting for the opportunity to line up at the start line for their long 26.2-mile journey into Boston to the finish line. On behalf of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee, we are excited to extend a warm welcome to the 20,000 participants, hundreds of vol-
unteers, and spectators for the historic 125th running of the Boston Marathon. We hope you enjoy your stay and experience the genuine hospitality of our residents, businesses and town officials while visiting our beautiful community. For the past 42 years, the Hopkinton Marathon Committee (HMC) known as HMC | 4
Good luck runners! Stop by our Hopkinton branch at 87 West Main Street or call 508.435.0005 to see what over 150 years of banking experience can do for you!
Cristina Morrissiey
VP, Area Relationship Branch Manager, NMLS #583181
Connecting all offices: 800.578.4270 • www.unibank.com Member FDIC/Member DIF • NMLS #583135
HopkintonIndependent.com
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 3
Select Board proud of Hopkinton’s ties to BAA, Boston Marathon By Irfan Nasrullah Select Board chair
The Hopkinton Select Board, made up of (from left) Muriel Kramer, Amy Ritterbusch, Irfan Nasrullah, Brendan Tedstone and Mary Jo LaFreniere, recently celebrated the town’s ties to the race at an event Sept. 23.
W
hen I meet new people and they ask where I live, I say Hopkinton, Massachusetts. “Where is that?’ they say. Well, exactly 26.2 miles from Boston. If they hadn’t guessed by now … every year, tens of thousands of people flock to Hopkinton … then they all run away. Well, if a little nudging doesn’t get them to understand, then I tell them it’s where the Boston Marathon starts. The marathon is part of our identity, and our values. We wouldn’t have our “identity” without the Boston Athletic Association and the marathon. On April 19, 1897, 10 years after the establishment of the BAA, the association held a 24.5-mile marathon to conclude its athletic competition, the BAA Games. The inaugural winner was John J. “JJ” McDermott, who ran the course in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds, leading a field of 15. The event was scheduled for the recently established holiday of Patriots’ Day, with the race linking the Athenian and American struggles for liberty. The race, which became known as the Boston Marathon, has been held every year since then, even during the World War years and the Great Depression, making it the world’s oldest annual marathon. In 1924, the starting line was moved from Metcalf’s Mill in Ashland to Hopkinton Common as the course was lengthened to 26 miles, 385 yards to conform to the standard set by the 1908 Summer Olympics and codified in 1921. Hopkinton residents have played
PHOTO/TOWN OF HOPKINTON
a role in the Boston Marathon. George V. Brown and Walter Brown provided strong leadership in ensuring the longevity of the Boston Marathon. Over the years Hopkinton residents have been contributors on the BAA Board of Governors. In addition to George and Walter Brown, Paul Phipps, Tony Sicuso, Harold Rathburn and Tim Kilduff have served as governors, and Tom Brown, Walter’s brother, served as BAA president. (The local Post Office is dedicated in his name.) Hopkinton created the Hopkinton Marathon Committee in 1979. It is the only city or town through which the
marathon runs that has such a committee. The Hopkinton Marathon Committee is still functioning and supports the community’s efforts in hosting the start of this historic running competition. The Boston Marathon is part of our identity. This identity shows up throughout town, demonstrating Hopkinton’s respect and admiration of the BAA and its Boston Marathon. They include: — The Spirit of the Marathon sculpture located at Mile 1, honoring 1946 champion Stylianos Kyriakides (commissioned by New Balance); — The Team Hoyt sculpture (commissioned by John Hancock),
— The Starter sculpture, which recognizes George V. Brown (commissioned by the 26.2 Foundation); — The soon-to-be unveiled The Girl Who Ran sculpture recognizing Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (commissioned by the 26.2 Foundation). But it’s not just statues, Our newest school bears the name Marathon School. The street separating the Town Common from Main Street is Marathon Way, and our newest, and likely first, brewery is named Start Line. And let us not forget what I consider to be the crowning Select Board | 4
The Boston Athletic Association, organizer of the Boston Marathon®, thanks residents of the Town of Hopkinton for their patience and cooperation as we have worked with many partners to plan a a safe and successful 125th Boston Marathon. This year’s historic race will be the first fall Boston Marathon in history, and we look forward to welcoming many runners back to Hopkinton. For more race day information, please visit www.baa.org. 125TH BOSTON MARATHON® | OCTOBER 11, 2021 Nearly 20,000 entrants will participate in the 125th Boston Marathon, starting their 26.2-mile run on Main Street in Hopkinton and finishing on Boylston Street in Copley Square. Start Times 8:02 a.m.
Men’s Wheelchair Division
8:05 a.m.
Women’s Wheelchair Division
8:30 a.m.
Handcycles & Duo Participants
8:37 a.m.
Professional Men
8:45 a.m.
Professional Women
8:50 a.m.
Para Athletics Division
9:00 a.m.
Rolling Start Begins for All Participants
RACE DAY ROAD CLOSURES To ensure a safe and enjoyable race experience for all participants, race day road closures will be in effect on Monday, October 11. . Roads
within the Town of Hopkinton will close at 6:30 a.m. on-street parking will be allowed in Hopkinton. . Roads will re-open at 1:30 p.m. . No
Only official B.A.A. buses, official vehicles, and public safety vehicles will be permitted on roads in Hopkinton during that time.
To enhance social distancing and minimize participant wait time in Hopkinton, this year’s Boston Marathon will feature a rolling start for all participants. Entrants will be assigned a bus loading window that corresponds to their seeding and bib number. All bib numbers will be color-coded according to bus loading times, which corresponds to start windows in Hopkinton. There will not be an Athletes’ Village in Hopkinton this year.
PARTICIPANT SHUTTLE IN HOPKINTON Very limited parking is available for participants at the 52 South Street lot in Hopkinton. Participant shuttle buses will run throughout race morning. Please visit www.baa.org for a list of prohibited items that are not allowed near the start or on Hopkinton shuttle buses. Masks must be worn on all B.A.A. race transportation. SPECTATORS IN HOPKINTON Several viewing areas in Hopkinton will have heightened security rules. Spectators entering these areas will be required to pass through security checkpoints and all bags and items being carried will be subject to screening. Spectators are strongly encouraged to carry personal items in clear plastic bags. Unattended items may cause delays. For more information on spectator policies, please visit www.baa.org.
HopkintonIndependent.com Hopkinton_Independent.indd 2
9/16/21 11:00 AM
4 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Marathon Committee welcomes runners to Hopkinton HMC | from page 2
“stewards of the start” have worked in collaboration with the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) assisting with race logistics and planning to ensure the start of the Boston Marathon is a safe and successful event for all involved. As we prepare to host runners of the world, I’d like to thank my colleagues who have dedicated so much of their time in the past year: Police Chief Joe Bennett, Jean Cann, Alex Danahy, Jane Goodman, Craig Gormley, Liisa Jackson, Tab Kadlik, Jack Leduc, Bob Levenson, Highway Manager Mike Mansir, Bob McGuire, Fire Chief Bill Miller, Adam Munroe, Director of Buildings and Grounds Tim Persson, Judy Pitasi, Police Lt. Jay Porter, Chuck Wallace and recently retired Fire Chief Steve Slaman. This year we welcome the first inperson Boston Marathon while implementing COVID-19 protocols for the safety of athletes, staff, volunteers and
spectators alike. It comes after careful and strategic planning by the Medical and Event Operations Advisory Group, BAA Director of Operations Lauren Proshan, Race Director Dave McGillivray and Medical Coordinator Chris Troyanos, who all consulted with state and local officials and countless medical experts and BAA staff to make the race a reality. This year’s preparations have been extraordinary, and we commend and thank the BAA for its commitment to excellence in addressing all the unforeseen changes needed in light of the pandemic under the direction of President/CEO Tom Grilk and COO Jack Fleming and staff. We especially note all the diligent work of all the BAA Start Team members. We also congratulate the BAA on the 125th Boston Marathon and celebrate this prestigious milestone event. We recognize all essential workers and first responders in our community
and those who for the past 22 months have been protecting the citizens of Hopkinton while simultaneously planning for the marathon. Many of these courageous individuals from various departments —Fire, Police, DPW, Board of Health and health care workers, and Schools Building and Grounds — serve as active members on the Hopkinton Marathon Committee. Fire Chief Bill Miller will do us the honor of being the official starter for the first rolling start of the Boston Marathon at 9 a.m. We are truly appreciative of all the cooperation we receive from our town departments, partners, businesses and residents, Select Board (HMC liaison Mary Jo LaFreniere,) Town Manager’s Office, Police Department, Fire Department, DPW, Parks & Recreation Commission, School Department, Board of Health, CVS, Dell, Korean Presbyterian Church, E.L. Harvey, Hopkinton Post Office, Hopkinton Shell, Hopkinton
Happy Holidays Good Luck from Runners!
LET US clean out YOUR JUNK! From a whole house to a one item pick up.
$25 off
a full truck or a 15-yard dumpster
Mention Hopkinton Independent. Not to be combined with other offers.
We Beat ALL Competitor Pricing
774-287-1133
’
Cleaners
1 – 2021
200
The one and only True Dry Cleaner in Hopkinton
• Dry Cleaning • Shirt Laundry ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING • Wet Cleaning • Over 30 years experience
• Tailoring & Alterations •non-toxic, All work done on premises An odorless, • Eco-Friendly Cleaning biodegradable process Quality & Service Always Come First
#1 care Dry Cleaner Readers Choice Awards – 2001 to 2018 If you about–your clothes and the environment come to Hiller's – a true dry cleaners. 63 Main Street, Hopkinton
508.435.3880 • Next to CVS • Dry Cleaning • Shirt Laundry 2nd location: 3 Main St., Southborough AffordableJunkRemoval.com • Wet Cleaning • Over 30 years experience www.HillersCleaners.com • Tailoring & Alterations • All work done on premises
Quality & Service Always Come First
NEVER GIVE UP!
63 Main Street, Hopkinton 508.435.3880 ~ Next to Colella’s Market
Mon-Fri: 7am – 7pm Sat: 7am - 5pm LET’S FINISH YOUR HOME www.HillersCleaners.com SEARCH TOGETHER
JENNIFER FRENCH 617-997-2207
jenniferfrench.re@gmail.com | www.jenniferfrench.com HopkintonIndependent.com
Cultural Arts and Big Brother Big Sister Organization. Your continued support is vital as we strive to shine the best light on Hopkinton on race day! We remember two marathon icons. One is Dick Hoyt, a beloved adopted son of Hopkinton who passed away in March. He was an icon who for years ran the Boston Marathon while pushing his son Rick, and the father-son team participated in many Ironman Triathlons as well. Team Hoyt inspired so many over the years promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in sporting events. The Hoyt statue at Center School will always be a tribute to Team Hoyt. Gloria Ratti, BAA vice president, historian and secretary of the BAA Board of Governors, passed away in July. She will be in the hearts and thoughts of many of us on race day. She was one of a kind who had a brilliant mind, quick wit and kind heart. She will always be remembered. Hopkinton is grateful and honored to host the 125th Boston Marathon in a few days. We hope everyone visiting Hopkinton enjoys the beauty and hospitality that our community warmly extends to you. To all those participating, may you experience and remember all the rich traditions of the historic Boston Marathon. Best of luck to all! Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace Chair, Hopkinton Marathon Committee BAA liaison and Organizing Committee member
Select Board proud of Hopkinton’s ties to BAA, Boston Marathon Select Board | from page 3
jewel once completed, the International Marathon Center. It is safe to say that the stature of the Boston Marathon and its ties to Hopkinton was, in part, inspiration for the creation of the vision for the International Marathon Center. The BAA has been a contributor to a number of projects, including substantial contributions to the restoration of our Town Common gazebo and the installation and upgrade of bleachers at the high school football field, to name a few. Recently the strength of the connection between Hopkinton, the BAA and the 26.2 Foundation has resulted in a number of meaningful communitybased programs, including the Hopkinton Middle School’s Desire to Inspire program and the Hopkinton Library’s Reading Marathon. It’s just another example of our shared values, inclusion, education and diversity. But the most obvious example of those values is the international field of runners, where we welcome all races. On marathon day, a global village is welcomed and embraced, here in Hopkinton … before they all run away. But it offers the most apt definition of diversity, of which Hopkinton is proud to be a welcoming host. But we here in Hopkinton are also part of that welcomed diversity from the BAA. We thank the BAA for the awarding of invitational entries to the town as well as the 26.2 Foundation. As I said, the marathon and the BAA are part of our identity, and we look forward to another 125 years in partnership with the BAA. Just remember … it all starts here.
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 5
Marathon Countdown Quiz
1920
By Jerry Spar Managing Editor
100th
nners Good Luck Ru
T
he Hopkinton Independent is running a Marathon Countdown Quiz every weekday at HopkintonIndependent.com, sponsored by Pan Thai restaurant. Here are the quizzes that have already appeared, along with the answers below. Check the website for the remaining questions, and enter to win prizes.
2021 $10 OFF
SEPTIC TANK CLEANING with same day payment.
INSTALLED CLEANED REPAIRED
24 Hr Emergency Support • 508.435.3381 • Hopkinton • JCParmenterSeptic.com
QUESTIONS
PHOTO/JERRY SPAR
1. The Boston Marathon start line moved from Ashland to Hopkinton in 1924 and currently is located on East Main Street. From 1965 to 1985, on which road in town did the The Starter statue — doing its part to promote COVID-19 race start? safety early in the pandemic — was installed at the Town
Run like a bunny... Best of luck to all Boston marathon runners!
Common in 2008.
2. Hopkinton has three statues honoring Boston Marathon legends (with a fourth on the way). The Starter statue, erected at the Town Common in 2008, recognizes which longtime race starter? 3. Two Native American men have won the Boston Marathon, which this year is being held on Indigenous Peoples Day. Thomas Longboat won in 1907. Who is the other, a native New Englander who won the race twice?
800-649-5949 www.medwayoilpropane.com
4. What is the name of the small triangular section of land directly next to the Boston Marathon start line, on which the World War I Doughboy statue stands? 5. The marathon was created for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, inspiring Boston to start its own race a year later. Which country — home to an ancient town called Marathon — hosted those Olympics? 6. The first Boston Marathon that started in Hopkinton occurred in 1924. Which individual won that race, one of his record-setting seven victories?
MY top priority
7. A statue depicting which two Boston Marathon legends stands in front of Center School?
is YOUR success...
8. Rounded off to the nearest whole number, how many miles of the race are run in Hopkinton? 9. The Boston Marathon switched to a series of morning starts in 2007. Before that, what was the traditional start time for the event? 10. The Boston Marathon starts off with a steep decline down East Main Street and features a series of hills, the most famous being Heartbreak Hill in Newton. True or false: The start line is the highest point on the entire course. 11. Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run Boston, when she jumped into the race in 1966 and ran it unofficially. Who was the first female to run with an official number?
Selling your home should feel like a walk in the park, not a marathon...
12. Which longtime Boston Marathon organizer returns to Hopkinton the evening of the race every year to run the course himself? 13. What mythical creature serves as the logo for the Boston Athletic Association, visible in front the organization’s office at 1 Ash Street, right next to the start line? 14. This year is the exception, but the Boston Marathon traditionally is held on which Massachusetts holiday, which occurs on the third Monday in April?
I will carry your sale from the start line all the way to the finish line.
15. The Spirit of the Marathon statue, located at Weston Nurseries at the 1-mile mark of the race, features Stylianos Kyriakides, who won the 50th Boston Marathon in 1946 in an inspirational effort. Kyriakides was invited to run the race by which Boston Marathon legend, who himself is immortalized with a statue in Newton?
Call Trina if you want to feel like you came in first!
16. Twelve of the last 20 women’s winners and 21 of the last 29 men’s winners have represented which African nation? 17. Prior to last year, the only time the Boston Marathon did not have an open field of runners since its inception was during World War I, when a military relay race was held instead. Coincidentally, there was a pandemic at that time as well. What year was that? Answers are located on page 6
HopkintonIndependent.com
508.435.8000 HopkintonMoves.com | Trina@TrinaMacchi.com 11 GROVE STREET | HOPKINTON | MA 01748
6 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 COMMEMORATIVE
Good Luck Runners!
DECK WASHING
STARTERS
2021 ISSUE
GUTTER CLEANING
Fire Chief Miller tabbed as race starter New Hopkinton Fire Chief Bill Miller was selected to serve as race starter for the rolling start beginning at 9 a.m. Monday.
HOUSE WASHING
The Smart Call for Heating & Cooling
By Jean Cann Contributing Writer
A Great Rebates & Financing* Call today and beat the rush!
888-818-2028
Gas, Oil and AC Equipment Sales & Service *Rebates and financing provided by and subject to Mass Save restrictions and limitations
Chinese Restaurant & Lounge
2021 YEAR OF THE OX
! s r e n o h t a r a M Welcome
OPEN LUNCH & DINNER
DINE-IN • BAR • TAKEOUT • DELIVERY 508-435-8088 DynastyChineseMA.com 77 West Main Street, Hopkinton
s the Boston Marathon returns to Hopkinton on Oct. 11, after a pandemic-related cancellation last year and delay this year, many aspects of the race will change, but some hallmarks of the historic race remain. Since the advent of the wave start in 2006, the Boston Athletic Association has allowed the Hopkinton Marathon Committee to select local people who have made contributions to the community and to the Boston Marathon as starters for the later waves of the race. With a rolling start this year, that role falls to one person: new Fire Chief Bill Miller “We wanted to honor a first responder who unselfishly for the past 22 months worked on the front lines leading his department with retired Chief Steve Slaman, ensuring the public safety of our residents amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Dorothy Ferriter-Wallace, chair of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee. “Fire Chief Bill Miller, a respected and proven leader, continued to champion his team through all the unknown and devastating challenges this deadly coronavirus inflicted on our community. The fire chief also serves as the emergency management director, who has had a daunting task in the middle of the pandemic. Bill represents Hopkinton’s first responders, who continue to courageously fight this pandemic with such strength and resilience and have saved lives and showed heartfelt compassion along the way. He will represent all essential workers and first responders in our town who are the heroes that left their families to help others in time of need.” Miller, an Oxford native, has worked for the Hopkinton Fire Department since 2000 and has been involved with the Boston Marathon since he started. “My initial roles were as a shift officer working different locations such as the start line and runners village,” he said. “When I was promoted to deputy chief in 2016, I began developing the Incident Action Plan for the Fire Department. This plan includes marathon and non-marathon responses and all resources needed for this spectacular event.” Added Miller: “Being asked to start the race is truly an honor and something I am very proud to do, and what makes it even more of an honor is that it is the 125th running.
HopkintonIndependent.com
Ferriter-Wallace hopes that the Marathon Committee will be able to return to honoring veterans at the Boston Marathon start and to coordinating the seating at the triangle near the doughboy statue known as Cookie’s Corner on Patriots’ Day in April 2022. For now, she said, “We have all been through so much over the past 22 months, and we are fortunate to have an in-person race come October 11th. My hope is that people understand and be patient with the changes this year as we welcome runners of the world to Hopkinton.” The full start schedule for Monday is: Military march, 6 a.m. Men’s wheelchair, 8:02 a.m. Women’s wheelchair, 8:05 a.m. Handcycle/duo participants, 8:30 a.m. Professional men, 8:37 a.m. Professional women, 8:45 a.m. Para athletics divisions, 8:50 a.m. Rolling start begins, 9 a.m. Rolling start ends, 11:30 a.m.
MARATHON COUNTDOWN QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Hayden Rowe Street 2. George V. Brown 3. Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, a Narragansett Indian from Rhode Island 4. Cookie’s Corner, named for the late Richard “Cookie” Kumlin, a longtime Hopkinton Highway Department employee to tended to the area 5. Greece 6. Clarence DeMar 7. Rick and Dick Hoyt 8. Two 9. Noon 10. True, at 463 feet above sea level, the start line is the highest point on the course (the peak of Heartbreak Hill is 263 feet above sea level) 11. Kathrine Switzer, who received a number in 1967 when she entered without revealing her gender; she finished despite an official unsuccessfully trying to rip the bib off her during the race 12. Dave McGillivray 13. A unicorn 14. Patriots’ Day 15. Johnny Kelley 16. Kenya 17. 1918
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 7
‘Love Letter’ film shares town’s support for marathoners I
n anticipation of Boston Marathon participants’ return to Hopkinton for the first time since April 2019, local filmmakers have produced a short film welcoming them back and sending a positive message to those connected with the event, running and beyond. HCAM-TV, the Hopkinton Freedom Team, MARATHON local filmmakers, the 26.2 NOTEBOOK Foundation and residents and friends of Hopkinton have come together to send a message of love and support to the marathoners and their supporters around the world. “The diversity and growth in Hopkinton has been tremendous, and my hope as it continues is that we as a community can envelop the spirit of the marathon all year long and expand the connectedness we have with the runners by spreading messages of love and light through positive intentions,” said Lynn Canty, narrator of the short film and member of the Hopkinton Freedom Team. “I hope the Marathon Love Letter conveys exactly that!” “Dear Runners: A Marathon Love Letter From Hopkinton, Massachusetts” can be viewed at hcam.tv/marathonloveletter. The film is airing on HCAMTV, Hopkinton’s community access station, being shared via social media, and being shown at local community and marathon-related events.
COVID restrictions in place for race The Boston Athletic Association announced early last month that entrants in the 125th Boston Marathon will need to provide proof of vaccination or produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to participate in the Oct. 11 race. When individuals go to pick up their bib this weekend at a facility next to the Boston Marathon Expo, they will be required to show proof of a complete series of a World Health Organizationcertified vaccine, or they must produce a negative COVID-19 test, which will be administered on site. Those who are vaccinated or test negative will receive a bracelet that they must wear at all times in order to obtain their bib, access race transportation and receive their finisher’s medal after the race. The BAA, which “strongly recommended” that all entrants as well as staff and volunteers get vaccinated, will not require masks during the race but will mandate them on participant transportation and “in other areas in accordance with local guidelines.” “The BAA is committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of participants, volunteers, and the public,” BAA president and CEO Tom Grilk said earlier this year. “We will continue to follow the science and adapt the event plan to reflect guidance from our local, city, and state partners.” The BAA announced in the spring that the field would be limited to 20,000, and that it would eliminate the staging area (Athletes Village) behind Hopkinton High School. Instead, there will be a rolling start, where participants are assigned specific start times and are transported to Hopkinton to align with the designated time. International participants who were prevented from traveling to Hopkinton were given the option of joining this year’s virtual race. The virtual event, being held Oct. 8-10, was available to
who was joined by state Rep. Carolyn Dykema. Spilka (who is from Ashland) and Dykema (Holliston) both represent Hopkinton. The proclamation notes the race’s connection to Hopkinton and Ashland (home to the original start line), and it congratulates the BAA on the 125th anniversary of the event. The Hopkinton Marathon Committee and the John Warren Masonic Lodge presented gifts to the BAA.
Town receives charity numbers
The Hopkinton Marathon Committee presented the Boston Athletic Association with this photo collage during the Hopkinton Salutes the BAA event at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts on Sept. 23.
the first 70,000 entrants 18 and older. Participants must complete the marathon distance of 26.2 miles in one continuous attempt, although they will not be limited to any time restrictions.
BAA to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day The BAA issued a statement in August apologizing “to Indigenous people who have felt unheard or feared the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day would be erased” due to the Boston Marathon being held on the holiday this fall. After meeting with representatives from local and national tribes, the BAA announced a number of initiatives for this year and in the future. Prior to the start of this year’s race, “a land acknowledgement will take place to recognize that the race travels through Indigenous homelands,” the BAA announced. “The BAA is better understanding the trauma experienced over centuries by the Indigenous People who lived on these lands, and we will work
with the Federal and State Recognized Tribes on this land acknowledgment.” The organization will recognize Indigenous athletes participating in this year’s event and salute past competitors, including two-time winner Ellison Brown (Narragansett), three-time runner-up Patti Catalano Dillon (Mi’kmaq) and 1907 champion Tom Longboat (Onondaga). “In planning for Boston Marathon weekend and race day, the BAA will continue to work with Indigenous runners and organizations who seek to strengthen Native youth and families through running,” the organization stated.
Town hosts salute to BAA The 26.2 Foundation and the Hopkinton Chamber of Commerce hosted an event called Hopkinton Salutes the Boston Athletic Association and the 125th Boston Marathon on Sept. 23 at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. Among the presentations was a joint proclamation read by Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka,
Hopkinton received 50 Boston Marathon numbers from the BAA to distribute to local groups for fundraising. After some discussion at its May 18 meeting, the Select Board determined that one bib each would go to the following 30 organizations: Baypath Humane Society, eHop, The Michael Lisnow Respite Center, Project Just Because, National Brain Tumor Society, Hopkinton Garden Club, Hopkinton Women’s Club, Hopkinton Lions Club, Demons Youth Hockey Association, Mental Health Collaborative, Hopkinton High School Class of 2023, Friends of Hopkinton SEPAC, Hopkinton Education Foundation, Hopkinton PTO, Hopkinton High School Business Professionals of America/Robotics, Dignity Matters, Hopkinton Girls Youth Lacrosse, Hopkinton Boys Youth Lacrosse, Canty’s Underdog Scholarship Fund, Hopkinton Middle School, Hopkinton Emergency Fund, Hopkinton Little League, Friends of the Hopkinton Senior Center, Friends of Hopkinton, Hopkinton Public Library/Friends, Hopkinton Public Library Foundation, Live4Evan, Sharon Timlin Memorial 5K, KeepSmilin4Abbie Foundation, and Hopkinton Historical Society. The remainder of Hopkinton’s allotment was targeted for the Hopkinton Police Department (10 numbers), Hopkinton Fire Department (1), Hopkinton Senior Center (1), Hopkinton Marathon Committee (5), Veterans Celebration Committee (1), Veterans Graves Officer (1) and Tax Relief Committee (1).
START TO FINISH … Selling homes from Hopkinton to Boston Natick Ashland
Brookline Newton
BOSTON FRAMINGHAM
Hopkinton
HOPKINTON
Boston
Wellesley
Framingham
START
FINISH
I can get you where you want to be. Call Me! SANDY LUCCHESI
Hopkinton Realtor since 2004
508-380-4405
@SandyLHomes | SandyLHomes.com | SandyL@remaxexec.com
HopkintonIndependent.com
8 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Dick Hoyt’s legacy lives on in Hopkinton Keeping your eyes happy & healthy!
Welcoming New Patients
Dr. Perryman Leah
Brittany
PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO
Marilee
Sarah
Flowers sit on the Team Hoyt statue in front of Center School following Dick Hoyt’s death in March.
Dr. Steven Perryman and the office team Serving Hopkinton Since 1999
• Quality/Detailed Eye Exams
• LASIK Consultations
• Contact Lens Fitting
• Emergency Eye Care
• Optical Shop and Lab
• Accepts AllWays™ Insurance
By Jerry Spar Managing Editor
D
ick Hoyt voiced optimism prior to the last Boston Marathon in 2019 that he might return to pushing his • Dry Eye Specialist quadriplegic son, Rick, in the race that helped build the legacy of Team Hoyt. Tragically, Dick Hoyt did not live to see another Boston. The 80-year-old passed away in March of this year at his home in the 10 Cedar Street, Hopkinton (across from Post Office) Western Massachusetts town of Holland HopkintonVision.com | 508.435.4711 after experiencing some health issues. “I want to start up again, I am feeling better now, starting to run, I would like to be ready to start running marathons again,” Hoyt told the Independent in 2019. “The goal is to be out there next year.” The duo last competed in Boston in Health & Safety Matters 2014, struggling to finish in 7 1/2 hours. That was a far cry from Team Hoyt’s Most To Us best-ever Boston Marathon finish of 2:48:51, set in 1986 when Dick was 45. They finished an even faster marathon in 1992, running the Marine Corps Marathon in 2:40:47. Health & Safety Matters Most To Us Rick had continued to participate in the marathon after Dick’s retirement, being pushed by Team Hoyt supporter Brian Lyons since 2015 (Rick had to skip the 2019 race because he was sick). However, in another tragedy for Team Hoyt, Lyons died last year at the age of 50. Dick Hoyt pushed his son through 32 Boston Marathons, as well as numerous other endurance events, including triathlons and a cross-country bicycle ride/run. He also took Rick crosscountry skiing and mountain climbing. It all started in 1972, when Rick, a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, had been outfitted with a computer that allowed him to type out words by touching a switch with his head. Rick asked his father to push him in a local 5-mile road race that was organized to help a high school classmate who had been paralyzed. Dick, a military man who was not a runner, agreed. After the race, Rick wrote, “Dad, when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore.” That was all the inspiration Dick Hoyt needed. A few years later, Dick had gotten amily Family Owned Family Owned &Owned Operated & Operated &Operated Operated Serving Serving MetroWest Serving MetroWest MetroWest Boston Boston Since Boston Since 1968 Since 19681968 Family Owned & Serving MetroWest Boston Since 1968 into good enough shape to push Rick in the Boston Marathon — unofficially. A few years after that they earned a
Schedule an appointment today!
Because Because Because Your Your Your Family's Family's Family's
Health Health Health & Safety &Because Safety & Safety Matters Matters Matters Most Most Most To Us To To UsUs Your Family’s
Because Your Family's
SCOTT SCOTT SCOTT SEPTIC SEPTIC SEPTIC SCOTT SEPTIC www.scottseptic.com www.scottseptic.com www.scottseptic.com | 508.435.4168 | 508.435.4168 | 508.435.4168 www.scottseptic.com | 508.435.4168
2021
MetroWest 69
HopkintonIndependent.com
It was hard not to be inspired by the love he had for his son, his total dedication, and his strength. A local legend if there ever was one. — Sen. Karen Spilka number by running a qualifying time in another race. Soon they took on a new challenge: triathlons. Dick, who had never learned how to swim as a youngster, trained to do it while pulling a dinghy that held Rick. Having not ridden a bicycle since he was a kid, Dick trained to do it with his 110-pound son in tow. They ended up participating in well over 200 triathlons — including the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii four times — and earning a spot in the Ironman and USA Triathlon halls of fame. In 1989, the Hoyt Foundation was founded to help youngsters with disabilities better participate in sports and life in general. Dick traveled around the world giving inspirational speeches and drumming up support for the cause. Dick and Rick also were regular visitors to Hopkinton. They once hosted their road race — the Team Hoyt 5K — in town, they made appearances in the schools to speak to students, and in 2013 they became permanent “residents” when a statue of them was unveiled in front of Center School. “There is no doubt about it, Hopkinton has adopted Team Hoyt,” Dick Hoyt said in 2019. “The people of Hopkinton have been unbelievable to us. It’s just been awesome.” In April, it was announced that a new road being constructed off Main Street for a residential development called Hopkinton Village Center would be named Hoyt Way. Even after his passing, Dick Hoyt will continue to inspire future generations of runners and Hopkintonians. “It was hard not to be inspired by the love he had for his son, his total dedication, and his strength,” state Sen. Karen Spilka tweeted in March. “A local legend if there ever was one.”
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 9
Women’s marathon pioneer Gibb unveils self-portrait sculpture Bobbi Gibb’s motto is “Capture the human spirit in bronze,” and she attempted to do that with her self-portrait.
Gibb | from page 1
Gibb finished the life-sized artwork more than two years ago, but the pandemic delayed it being cast in bronze after she had molded it out of clay. She had initially thought the sculpture should be of a generic woman, but said the 26.2 Foundation pressed her to make it a sculpture of herself. Gibb joked that it’s the first time she’s had a living model for one of her artworks. “Unless the sculpture is alive, it’s not done yet,” she said. “I want my sculptures to be alive from the inside out and catch different aspects of a person’s character, whether it’s sad or thoughtful, and it’s the same with athletes. When I am working on an athlete, I feel it from the inside out. The sculpture has to have motion and have a spirit.” Her motto is: “Capture the human spirit in bronze.” Gibb brings an intricate knowledge of the anatomy to her art, having studied as a pre-med student. In those days, being accepted into medical school as a woman was as much of an uphill climb as being allowed to compete in a marathon, she said, so she eventually went to law school and still practices law today. “I grew up in the 1950s and into the early ’60s and I could see, even when I was an adolescent, what was up ahead of me, and I didn’t like it,” she said. “Women were subjugated. Women professionals were looked at as weirdos. The gender differences and the roles were very defined, and people thought women weren’t as capable.” The culture she grew up in left her
fuming, and Gibb found her peace in running. “I loved to run, I felt alive and free,” she said. “Everyone thought I was nuts, but I saw the marathon in ’64 and I fell in love with it, and something told me I wanted to be a part of it. These people
were my tribe.” Gibb trained by herself for two years, eventually running up to 40 miles per day. But she still received a rejection letter just weeks before the 1966 Boston Marathon telling her that the risks were too great to allow a woman
We’ll help get you to the finish line Reach your financial goals when you bank with Central One. • Free checking accounts • Same loan rates for new, used and refinanced vehicles • Low rate credit cards with cash back* and no annual fee • Fixed & adjustable rate mortgages • Home equity loans • Business checking, savings and commercial loans • And more!
Serving all of Worcester County, as well as parts of Middlesex and Norfolk counties.
centralfcu.com | (800) 527-1017 Insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender. *Terms and conditions apply. Visit website for details.
HopkintonIndependent.com
to try to tackle 26.2 miles. Gibb said she crumpled up the letter and went for a run. She also saw an opportunity. “I realized if I could run 26 miles and run it well, it would throw into question all of the other misconceptions about women,” she said. “So I thought, ‘I have to run it.’ That’s where I was, at this juncture of loving to run and then hoping I could break through the prejudices and false beliefs.” That year, Gibb showed up in Hopkinton in her brother’s Bermuda shorts and a bathing suit covered by a sweatshirt. She jumped in and ran the entire course, finishing ahead of hundreds of male competitors. She said she was encouraged by how friendly the men were, and six years later the women’s division of the race was officially sanctioned. Gibb still runs. Although she says she runs shorter distances and a bit more slowly than she used to, she completed 10 miles during one recent workout. She also is hoping to have the opportunity to do more life-sized sculptures, and said Hopkinton would have first dibs since the town has treated her so well over the years. “This sculpture was a lot of fun and there were so many of the nicest people involved with it,” Gibb said. “The people of Hopkinton, the 26.2 Foundation, everyone who worked on this was just wonderful. It was really a community project and it was a great experience.” Even though she sculpted the clay, Gibb said she had not seen the finished product in bronze due to the pandemic. “I just hope they got the head on straight,” she said with a laugh.
10 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Marathon volunteers excited for race’s return By Chris Villani Contributing Writer
T
he return of the Boston Marathon this October means the return of volunteers who have helped staff the annual event. After missing the past two spring events, they are eager to get back to work. “It’s awesome, it’s something I look forward to every year,” said Craig Gormley, the vice chair of the Hopkinton Marathon Committee and the captain of the Boston Athletic Association Start Team. Gormley has been on the Marathon Committee for 15 years and organizes a team of volunteers who staff the information booths at the start line. Over the years, he has helped tens of thousands of runners with any and every question one might imagine, from where to get safety pins for their bibs, to how to find
the medical tent, to which direction is Boston. “There is so much excitement when you’re at the Athletes Village and you have this influx of 30,000 people,” Gormley said. “There is a lot of nervous energy, and we are there to help those runners get to the start line.” The job has evolved over the years. It wasn’t long ago that Gormley and his volunteers would have to try to find someone to interpret questions from runners who came to Hopkinton from other countries. Now all they need is a cell phone and Google translate. Sometimes a bandit runner, someone without an official number, will ask where they should hang out until they can start making their way down the course. “It’s always something new every year,” Gormley said. This year he will have fewer volunteers at the start line information
booths than in the past, a product of the race’s smaller footprint amid the ongoing pandemic. “I think the energy will still be high,” Gormley said. “Even though it’s a smaller crowd, there will be lots and lots of energy and people amped up and getting ready to get running again. People are happy and ecstatic to get going.” Paul Fitzgerald and Tab Kadlik both work for Dell EMC and have been involved in coordinating parking and transportation logistics on South Street, about a mile from the start line. Back when Fitzgerald started with the company in 1992, EMC did not have the day as an employee holiday and, with people already scheduled to be in the building, would coordinate with its security and operations teams to help out the town. But even after most employees
LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES MULCH
LOAM
STONE
began taking the day off and many began to run in the race annually, the coordination with the town continued. “It’s the right thing to do, and we are happy to do it,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a great day in Hopkinton, and it’s become like an annual event for us.” The work has changed a bit over the years, especially after 2013 when state and federal law enforcement became more involved in the planning process. The company has at least a dozen volunteers and sometimes more than two dozen organizing pickups and drop-offs of runners, as well as parking for the tens of thousands who arrive in town on race day. Kadlik manages the teams that handle the parking lots, including runner drop-off, spectator drop-off, and bus staffing. “It’s been great working with the Hopkinton Marathon Committee,” he said. “They really take it to heart and they really enjoy their work.” Both men said it felt strange to go through the past two Patriots’ Days without a marathon. “It was like a missing piece of the calendar,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s nice to see it coming back, though. It’s been going on for more than 100 years, hopefully next year it will be back to a spring event.” Added Kadlik: “It’ll have a different look, I’m sure. But I’m glad it’s back. I think everyone’s glad it’s back.”
HOPKINTON RUNNERS There are 32 Hopkinton residents registered to run the in-person version of this year’s Boston Marathon:
le du e h Sc now ’s it ore te! f e a b ol to
508 366 3700 – 217 Turnpike Rd, Westboro HopkintonIndependent.com
Susan Barrett Finnegan Natalie Bezdaris Michelle Burtchell Ilana Casady Mia Coutinho Katelyn Cox Jaimee Demone Kelly Depaolo Joy Donohue Ann-Michele Dragsbaek Peter Frasca Isabelle Giordano Carly Grant Masilo Grant Nila Gray Brian Harrahy Jeremy Hartman Michael Hovagimian Will Huebner Scott Lennox Ted McNulty Marla Oram Rebecca Paquette David Pete Lauren Philbrook Mitch Riesenberger Gail Ryan Alex Scott Marjory Selig Gerardo Toledo Jamie Weeden Morgan Woodman
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 11
HMS principal runs to support school’s Desire to Inspire program Keller | from page 1
his family, both in Newton and once at the finish line. “I enjoyed that experience a lot,” said the Holliston resident, noting that he likes to run but does not do so competitively. “However, once I finished it, I said, ‘I am glad it’s complete and I will never do so again.’ ” His perspective changed as he became more involved in the Hopkinton community and knew several teachers who had ties to the race. “After the bombing [at the finish line in 2013], we wanted to do something that would pull the marathon back into a positive light,” Keller explained. “We need to honor that and remember what happened on that day, but we wanted to reestablish that positive connection to the marathon that we, being in Hopkinton, have been able to enjoy.” He and a team of teachers worked on a curriculum that became the foundation for the Desire to Inspire program. Lessons in social studies and English focused on the spirit of the event as well as themes such as endurance, leadership and tenacity. Several guest speakers engaged students, including John Young, a marathoner with dwarfism. “He’s come a few times to speak about what the marathon meant to him and his experiences growing up,” Keller said. “It was a message about persistence but also about differences. Many of our students had never spoken to someone like John.” Other guests have included former congressman Joe Kennedy III, father and son team Dick and Rick Hoyt, and “Wicked” author Gregory Maguire. “We intentionally don’t just have athletes,” Keller explained. “We wanted to draw inspiration from a number of different experiences.” For a couple of years, the program also included a school-wide 5K race in which students could participate as runners, walkers or supporters cheering for their classmates. “It was a really powerful moment for our school community,” Keller said, “both to see kids crossing the finish line doing something that they had never done before as well as those cheering others on.” Desire to Inspire also has a connection with the Alpha Omega Council. Students participate in an essay contest where they reflect on the traditions of ancient Greece and how the lessons of the marathon connected to their lives. Winners are invited to the Statehouse, where the honors chorus sings at an evening event. COVID-19 temporarily halted the initiative. Through Keller’s fundraising by running in the marathon he hopes he can help it return, and there are plans to bring it back next year. “We definitely felt like we needed to bring some inspiration and some fun back to school life, especially after last year,” he said. “It was hard for the middle school students because they had to sit in the same classroom because of the COVID restrictions.” The money raised will be used to pay guest speakers as well as to contribute to programming. In the school’s previous 5K events, funds were used to purchase bibs and T-shirts for par-
We definitely felt like we needed to bring some inspiration and some fun back to school life, especially after last year.
LIVE WHERE IT ALL STARTS HOPKINTON! Let John help you find your new home in HOPKINTON. Experienced. Trustworthy. Professional.
John Szolomayer (508) 259-4788
— Alan Keller ticipants. This is not the only race in which Keller has participated for charity. “My friend had a heart transplant back in 2000,” he said. “The transplant organization was doing a 5K in Philadelphia, which is where he got the transplant. My wife and I wanted to do whatever we could to help.” Since then, he had run other races but became really motivated when he moved to the area. “I had never ventured beyond running three or four miles,” he said. “But once I came here, I was inspired. I connected with the Hopkinton Running Club and began training for that first marathon. I was able to finish it, and I received a lot of help and support along the way.” Recalling the grueling nature of the race, Keller remembered the temperatures being in the 80s, as well as the feeling of triumph as crowds cheered when he crossed the line and all along the route. He has been training for this year’s contest by running through Hopkinton and Sherborn, adding an additional mile to the routine each Saturday. In addition to Keller’s fundraising (givebutter.com/qIpzFO/alankeller), a seventh-grade student named Dee Halliday designed and created a T-shirt, which can be purchased for $25 to support Desire to Inspire at facebook. com/deestees2016. Keller noted he always has had a passion for teaching, but his personal journey led him along a longer course. A guidance counselor steered him away from education, encouraging him to pursue a degree in journalism from West Virginia University, while he was working as a radio station DJ. After employment in journalism and sales, the western Pennsylvania native decided to pursue his true passion, earning a master’s degree in education from the University of Pittsburgh. “I originally wanted to be a high school teacher,” Keller said. “But while I was at Pitt, they required us to observe a middle school and a high school. I wound up observing a brilliant, gifted middle school teacher and just liked being in the classroom and all of the energy the middle school kids have — as long as it is channeled appropriately.” Keller said he appreciates the support he has received in Hopkinton and relishes his position, even after the difficulties the pandemic presented. “It’s always challenging,” he said. “Every year you have the opportunity to get a little bit better and work with the community. You start each year with a clean slate.”
JohnSzolomayer@gmail.com | www.JohnSzolomayer.com
We welcome the 125th running of the BAA Boston Marathon and the opportunity it provides Hopkinton to demonstrate our hospitality to the world. GOOD LUCK!! To All Who Participate Personal Service & Community f o n Sup itio por rad T t A
80 Main Street - Hopkinton MA 01748
508-435-6388
HOME • CONDO • RENTER • AUTO • BUSINESS
Registry & Notary Service Open M-F 8:30 – 5
www.phippsinsurance.com We are your reliable insurance neighbor!
HopkintonIndependent.com
12 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 COMMEMORATIVE
Best of Luck to our Hopkinton Runners
LOCAL RUNNERS
Impellizeri runs so Garden Club can blossom ISSUE
Plumbing • Heating • Air Conditioning Residential and Commercial
FREE Estimates Licensed & Insured
508-497-6344
John Joyce, Master Lic. #11688 joyceplumbingandheating.com
! e r e h S T R A ll st
It a
125th Boston Marathon
Thank You HCA Runners! Joy Donohue, Team Captain Chelly Beck Austin Burke Luis Carlos Kathy Gent
Ricky Howells Linda Jarvis Dan O’Neil Rick Sullivan
“To the ones who still believe in dreams… chase them. Chase them until you are out of breath, then keep running.” 98 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton www.HopArtsCenter.org
By John Buday Contributing Writer
B
efore Johanna Impellizeri runs the Boston Marathon, she will continue to run a $5,000 fundraiser for the Hopkinton Garden Club, a group whose work will not be as visible during this year’s race. The area around the Boston Marathon starting line is part of the Main Street Corridor Project, an endeavor meant to improve public safety along Route 135. But this also dismantled three of the Hopkinton Garden Club’s gardens in the area. Replacing those gardens with new ones will require funds once the multiyear construction project has concluded. The nonprofit also plans to host more horticulture-themed events and provide more scholarships for Former Assumption University basketball player Johanna Impellizeri will run the Boston Marathon to benefit the horticulture students. Hopkinton Garden Club. HGC has yet to coordinate an official meeting basketball. She attended the race a few on the topic of restortimes before graduating, describing it as ing its downtown gardens. an electric environment. “They had mentioned early on that A native of Seaford, New York, they were working on a big construction Impellizeri originally intended to pareffort in the middle of town,” Impellizeri ticipate in a half-marathon this year said “Then they were going to work with in preparation for next year’s Boston the community to revamp it and upgrade Marathon. Hearing about the Garden it, make it look beautiful again. … I’m Club’s yearly bid for a runner changed sure whatever they put together is going her mind. to be amazing.” Impellizeri trained for and ran a HGC receives a Boston Marathon 10K (6.2-mile) race in 2018. This and bib each year to use as a fundraiser. an extensive background in sports have Impellizeri received the bib this year helped her prepare for the big race. to run the 125th Boston Marathon and She has been sticking to a tough help the HGC raise funds for its work. training regimen in preparation for Oct. HGC commits to “beautifying” 11. This has included joining a group the town by installing and maintaining of friends a few times a week for runs. plantings, working with organizations Having running partners has helped hold like the Hopkinton Senior Center and Impellizeri accountable to a strict but Hopkinton Center for the Arts, and hostoverall rewarding schedule. ing educational speaking presentations. “I was never a long-distance runner, “They do a great job in Hopkinton,” and I’m still not,” Impellizeri said. “I’m Impellizeri said. “That kind of hit me working on it. But the basketball part of and made me feel like I was actually my athletic career kind of helped me get helping a good group. Now, I’m trying a little boost because I was already used my best to get them [to their goal].” to doing some running.” Regarding the race, Impellizeri The Boston Marathon ranks as the said toward the end of summer that she oldest active marathon in the world felt in good shape, though she has been and one of the most popular. Millions struggling to overcome a lingering back of people each year watch the race live injury. or on TV, and thousands journey to “That is something that I’ve kind of Hopkinton to watch the runners take off. dealt with my whole life,” the 26-yearImpellizeri said she will not considold Impellizeri said. “It’s not necessarer herself a runner until after completing ily because of the running or anything, the marathon. She sees the race as an so I’m just working on some [physical incredibly hard but exciting challenge therapy in late August], and then I’m for the human body. really going to get back into it. But so “One of the things I had to learn far, I’m feeling good about it.” after college was how to get back into The buzz surrounding the Boston fitness and working out, and it’s in a Marathon caught Impellizeri’s attention different capacity than college sports,” during her time at Assumption UniverImpellizeri | 13 sity in Worcester, where she played
HopkintonIndependent.com
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 13
Woodman overcomes health challenges to run Boston Hopkinton’s Morgan Woodman has found that exercise — including marathon training — has helped her deal with health issues.
By Chris Villani Contributing Writer
M
organ Woodman has had to endure more challenges than the typical avid athlete. She has struggled with stomach issues since she was a sixthgrader in Hopkinton, and over the years has endured severe bloating, vomiting, bleeding, pain and a substantially compromised immune system. But Woodman, 24, has not been one to let her health slow her down, and she’s taking that same spirit into running her first Boston Marathon this year. “Exercise has always been a big factor in helping me feel so much better,” Woodman said. “It’s a challenge, but this training has done so much for me and improved my health so much. It makes me a better runner because I push myself and I don’t want to let anything stop me.” During her training, some days have been harder than others. Woodman has dealt with soreness and joint pain and is more prone to arthritis than the average runner. “I put in a lot more time stretching and icing and doing what I need to do, but some days I still wake up and my run is really slow,” she said. “I think it’s a mental battle, which running a marathon is in general.” Health is a big part of Woodman’s life. She writes a blog with healthy recipes and lifestyle tips and works as a cancer researcher at Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital in Providence. Running Boston is something she has always wanted to do. Her father, James, has been a longtime volunteer at the start line in Hopkinton and she said she’s loved seeing her hometown double in size every Patriots’ Day when the tens
of thousands of runners, volunteers and spectators make their way in. “This is like a dream come true,” Woodman said. “I have never really been a long distance runner so this is new to me, but I’m really excited.” Woodman ran track at Hopkinton High School but focused mostly on hurdles and sprinting. She ran her first marathon last year, the Newport Marathon, which ended up taking place in a virtual format due to the pandemic. So Woodman considers this her first “real” marathon. She is running for the Friends of Hopkinton, supporting their efforts to provide community activities to foster town spirit and pride. It’s a cause near and dear to her. “Family is really important to me, I grew up with a big family, and one thing everyone in Hopkinton has in common is living in this community, I think it’s really important,” Woodman said. “It’s good to be able to go to an event and have a good time with other people who are part of our town.” Woodman said she was approached by a friend whose parents are involved with Friends of Hopkinton. “She reached out because she knows how much I have always wanted to run Boston,” Woodman said. “The more she told me about this group, the more excited I was to run for them. I like their mission and what they stand for.” Although Woodman is looking forward to crossing the finish line in Boston, the start in her hometown may end up being the highlight. “I think that’s going to be the most exciting part for me,” she said. “My dad and the rest of my family are going to be there, sending me off. I think that’s going to be a great moment.”
Head to the Start Line! Don’t let an injury stop you from running
Our team is ready to help with your aches and pains before and after the event. We offer manual therapies, exercise prescription and modalities. Call today to schedule an appointment
508-881-6750
1 Lumber Street, Suite 201, Hopkinton 196 E. Main Street (in Gold’s Gym), Milford 15 West Union Street, Ashland
www.platinumptma.com
Enjoy a winetasting and support rhino conservation at the same time! Join us for Winos for Rhinos on Friday, October 15th in the Daniels Room at Galliford’s Restaurant & Tavern. Ticket sales will be donated to Project Rhino.
Impellizeri runs so Garden Club can blossom Impellizeri | from page 12
she said. “I found that just going for a run as slow as I wanted, stopping if I wanted to, was really relaxing. Not many people use relaxing as a word to describe running. But for me, it was definitely a good outlet.” Impellizeri said she remains open to participating in more fundraisers like this one for the 90-year-old Hopkinton Garden Club, which reached its largest size ever during the pandemic. “I think now is the right time because everything that’s gone on in the
past year or so with the pandemic has been really hard for a lot of people,” Impellizeri said. “It’s been really hard on me, and I think just giving myself something new to focus on — a new goal, a new schedule — has been very helpful to get me out of the house and into the outside world where it’s a little bit safer. “I think it’s going to be a really exciting day to get the community back out there in a safer environment,” she added. “Hopefully we’re making strides towards the pandemic being gone and finished.”
HopkintonIndependent.com
Learn more & purchase tickets
WWW.EARTHLTD.ORG
14 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
THE NEW GENERATION OF HOME SERVICE REPAIRS
Handyman Services
Upalekar grateful for new passion of running, raises funds for native India
ENJOY PEACE OF MIND WITH FIX IT!
Ruta Upalekar will participate in the virtual version of the Boston Marathon and raise money for causes in India.
5-YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL REPAIRS
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist
Office: 508-305-2055 www .FIXIT-ASAP.com
Insured coverage up to $1 Million. Licensed - MA-CSL #104953 / MA-HIC #169636
Gardener Plus Your old fashioned perennial gardener
SPRING & FALL CLEAN-UPS Planting Pruning Weeding Mulching ~ Call for our full list of services ~
Was hi ngto n Barb alho
5 0 8. 881. 22 64
By Mary Ellen Gambon Contributing Writer
R
Conveniently located off Rte. 495 (exit 54A). Turn right after Starbucks onto Lumber Street.
uta Upalekar has a drive for helping others, both at home and abroad. Her volunteer work with two India-based charities spurred her desire to begin running in 2015, an activity she uses as a vehicle for fundraising. The Hopkinton resident will interlace her twin passions when she runs the Boston Marathon virtually in October to raise funds for her homeland of India as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m not a born runner,” said Upalekar, president of the South Asian Circle of Hopkinton (SACH). “And I was never a runner in my early years. But my leap to running started with a couch to 5K, and then I took it all the way to a 26.2-mile race in 2015.” She first became intrigued about the sport because of a beginner runner’s training offered by Asha Community Health and Development Society, which is based in New Delhi. The word “asha” means hope in Hindi. The group works toward the empowerment of women and the promotion of educational opportunities. “As I started training, I began learning about this organization as well as AID, the Association for India’s Development,” Upalekar continued. “Then I started training on the Minuteman Trail in Somerville with elite runner Jonathan Weiner.” She learned how to choose terrains, increase her endurance and listen to her body, picking up internal cues on when to rest and when to ramp up her performance. She gradually increased from 5K runs to 10K runs up to marathon-length sessions over
You can trust us to keep you safe and informed because we care.
Join our ! f am i l y
Still Locally Owned & Serving Your Neighbors for Over 60 Years! We accept most major credit cards
LOWEST PRICES • FULL-SERVICE • 24-HR EXPERT BURNER SERVICE
508-753-7221 • ALSOILSERVICE.com HopkintonIndependent.com
the course of a year. “I feel remiss that I didn’t do it before,” Upalekar said of running. “But I am very grateful that I’ve discovered this passion of mine. It’s become a part of my life.” Running has become integral to Upalekar as both a means of staying healthy and as a way to connect with others in the community. She was the inspiration behind the SACH’s Step it Up for Hopkinton 5K, which was run virtually from Sept. 18-26, with the proceeds benefiting the Hopkinton Emergency Fund. “Hopkinton is considered well-todo demographically,” she explained. “But there are fellow community members who really need help during this difficult time. And you’re keeping healthy at the same time that you raise money, so it’s a win-win.” Upalekar also created a SACH Sunday morning running and walking group to engage members in conversation and exercise. Members join in pre-run stretches as well as post-run yoga sessions. “I love having people get interested in learning about ways to stay fit and to prevent injuries,” she said. “And there’s also the social aspect of it. It feels great.” She has participated in a major marathon every year since adopting the sport, preferring to participate in fall marathons to allow for training in the spring and summer. Her first marathon was the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington in 2015. She also ran the Chicago Marathon to support the American Liver Foundation after her uncle died of liver disease. Last year, Upalekar ran the New York City Marathon virtually in Boston, and she previously participated in the Baystate Marathon in Lowell. “A couple of my friends who share my passion and I saw that the Boston Marathon decided to go virtual,” she explained. “I thought this would be a great way to run something so elite, and I get to do it here.” The rescheduling of the race from April to October due to the pandemic worked perfectly into her training schedule. She will use the money she raises (secure.teamaidasha.org/donate/#/runner/445) to help India as part of Team AID Asha. “India is going through a really hard time,” she said, citing the shortage of vaccines and areas of poverty. “I want to use whatever money I raise to give back to India.” She moved from India to Milford in 2002 and settled in Hopkinton in 2016. For the past 15 years, she has worked at Dell EMC on South Street, where her husband also is employed. There are several places locally where Upalekar enjoys running. Her favorite is Minuteman Park in Concord, because the trail has historical markers citing American Revolution history with panoramic vistas. In town, she runs on the Center Trail. She advised prospective runners to make sure they are well hydrated and eat a proper diet. Also, don’t be afraid to take the first step, she urged. “If I can do it, anyone can do it,” she said. “I want to use everything I have learned over the past years to educate others. For people who have doubts, it’s all about perspective.”
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 15
Resilience key to success of CrossFit marathoners By Chris Villani Contributing Writer
C
rossFit is a workout regime best known for its ultrahigh intensity and relatively short duration. But a quintet of athletes from Hopkinton’s Resilience Fitness will take on a much longer fitness endeavor when they run the Boston Marathon this October. The group includes Rebecca Paquette, Jamie Weeden, Start life’s biggest purchase off on the right foot! Katie Cox, Jaclyn Chirco and Jim DunContact Bryan to learn more. lap. They are looking to raise upward of $25,000 to benefit various local charities. “When you’re r u n n i n g a l l t h e s e Jamie Weeden, Katie Cox and Rebecca Paquette, shown Bryan BrownBryan Brown miles, it’s good to have with The Starter statue at the Town Common, are among the Resilience Fitness members running this year’s Boston Branch ManagerBranch Manager something that is close Marathon. to the heart,” said PaC: (978) 870-7138 C: (978) 870-7138 there cheering,” Weeden said. “You quette, a first-time marathoner who will Bryan.Brown@rate.com compare that to Boston where there is be running for the Hopkinton EducaBryan.Brown@rate.com ve me call and take advantage ofwithout lowsomeone rates.cheering Rate.com/BryanBrown not a stretch tionalaFoundation (gofundme.com/f/ Rate.com/BryanBrown you on. That makes mile 16, 17, 18, 26 rebeccas-262-for-hopkinton-educationApplicant subject to credit and underwriting approval. Not all applicants will be approved for financing. Receipt of application does not represent an approval cants will be approved for financing. Receipt of application does not represent an approval for financing or interest rate guarantee. Restrictions may apply, contact Guaranteed Rate for current rates and for more information. so much more exciting.” Equal Housing for financing or interest rate guarantee. Restrictions may apply, contact Guaranteed Rate for current rates and for more information. foundation), which provides grants to - MLO89425 - MC2611, NH - NH89425 - 13931-MB, RI - Licensed | Office: (617) 286-8904 | 22 South St., Suite 201, Hopkinton, MA 01748 | NMLS ID 2611 (National Mortgage Licensing System, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) • MA -Brown Guaranteed Rate, - Mortgage & Mortgage BrokerNH License MC 2611• Lenderrates Bryan NMLS IDInc. #89425; MA -Lender MLO89425 - MC2611, - NH89425 - 13931-MB, RI - Licensed | GR NMLS ID 2611 (National Mortgage Licensing plicants approved for financing. Receipt application not represent forRate financing or interest guarantee. Restrictions apply, -contact Guaranteed Rate Island for current andLicfor# more information. sed by thewill Newbe Hampshire Banking Department - Lic # of 13931-MB • NH -does Guaranteed Rate, Inc.an dbaapproval Guaranteed of Delaware, licensedrate by the Newand Hampshire Banking may Department Lic # 13931-MB • RI - Rhode Licensed Lender 20102682LL, RI - Rhode Island Licensed Loan Broker Lic # 20102681LB Paquette Cox said they are teachers to assist with innovative ways System, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) • MA - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License MC 2611• NH - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. dba Guaranteed Rate of Delaware, licensed• by New Hampshire Banking Department # 13931-MB • NHLicense - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. dba Guaranteed Rate A - MLO89425 - NH89425 - 13931-MB, RI - Licensed | Office: (617) 286-8904 | 22 South St., Suite 201, Hopkinton, MA 01748 | NMLS 2611 (National Mortgage Licensing System, www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) MAthe - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. - Mortgage Lender- Lic & Mortgage Broker MC 2611• both looking forward to IDexperiencing to- MC2611, helpNHchildren learn. of Delaware, licensed by theIsland NewLicensed Hampshire Banking - Lic 13931-MB - RhodeLoan Island Licensed Lender Lic # 20102682LL, RI - Rhode Island nsed by the New Hampshire Banking Department - Lic # 13931-MB • NH - Guaranteed Rate, Inc. dba Guaranteed Rate of Delaware, licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department - Lic # 13931-MB • RI - Rhode Lender Lic #Department 20102682LL, RI -#Rhode Island• RI Licensed Broker Lic # 20102681LB Licensed Loan Broker Lic # 20102681LB the crowds. “For me, it’s really meaningful to “The feeling of being a part of run for that,” Paquette said. “I have two something as massive as the Boston girls in the school system, my husband Marathon, which is recognized on a is a teacher in the system, and it’s been global scale, it’s just awesome,” Pagreat to see how teachers are constantly quette said. thinking outside the box.” “The training runs are getting lonCox, another first-timer, is a teacher ger, and sometimes it’s like, ‘Why am I and will be raising money for the doing this?’ ” Cox added. “But I think Friends of the Hopkinton Public Library those crowds are going to be so amazing (gofundme.com/f/katelyns-bostonand it’s all going to be worth it in that marathon-fundraiser). moment.” “Everything I do revolves around Marathons take multiple hours, teaching young kids, so I jumped at the even for the world’s best runners, opportunity to run for the library,” she whereas CrossFit workouts often are said. “I love how they fundraise for the over in a matter of minutes. But the materials for all the fun extra learning women said their training at the gym is activities that the library puts on and the applicable to running 26.2 miles. free museum passes.” “It’s the mental toughness,” PaWeeden is a veteran marathoner, quette said. “It’s having the perspective with nearly a dozen races under her of something being seemingly imposbelt. This will be her third time runsible, whether it’s a 10-minute workout ning Boston. She will be lacing up her or a 26-mile run. It’s being able to put sneakers for the Hopkinton Women’s yourself in the mindset of finishing and Club (gofundme.com/f/jamies-bostongetting through each moment.” marathon-run-for-the-womens-club), “Running is the same all the time, which has a mission to improve the so taking care of yourself is really imcommunity through volunteer and other portant,” Cox noted. “We need to be philanthropic work. on top of our stretching and recovery “They are an organization that does every day.” a lot for Hopkinton,” said Weeden, who Weeden compared the marathon trainis a co-owner of Resilience Fitness. ing to high-volume CrossFit workouts “Some of their members are members known as “chippers,” where the objective at the gym. I like being able to give is to “chip away” at the various exercises. back to members as well as give back “When I am out on the marathon to the community. They are under the route, that’s how I see my roads, I chip radar, but they do amazing work, and away,” she said. that speaks a lot to me.” Weeden ran Boston in 2013 and was As the most experienced marathonunable to finish due to the bombings er in the group, Weeden said the thrill of that year. She said crossing the finish running Boston as a Hopkinton resident line the following year was emotional, is “more than you can even imagine.” but being a resident in the town where She and her fellow gym members took the race begins adds an extra element part in a Yeti endurance event, a roundof excitement. the-clock race, in April. Running the “Being Hopkinton residents, it all world’s most famous marathon is a starts here,” she said. “I always try to much different experience, she said. pass by the start line on my training runs, “When we did the Yeti, we ran in who else gets to do that?” the middle of the night, no one was out
Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
urhome, home, ur your rate? yourmortgage mortgage rate?
ve me a call and take advantage of low rates.
HopkintonIndependent.com
16 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Huebner hits road in support of Mental Health Collaborative Will Huebner (left, after finishing the Boston Marathon course in April) is running for the Hopkinton-based Mental Health Collaborative, an organization that has special significance for him.
By Will Kraus Contributing Writer
O
n Oct. 11, college sophomore Will Huebner will lace up his sneakers on Main Street to run the Boston Marathon for a crucial cause: mental health. Huebner is running to raise money for the Mental Health Collaborative, an organization founded in July 2019 by local therapist Abbie Rosenberg. It’s a cause that hits close to home for Huebner in more ways than one. “My mom is a therapist so I’ve always been around mental health and always learned about it and the importance of it and I’ve had family members and friends who have had their own struggles with mental health,” Huebner said. “I’ve had my own struggles as well.” Raising money for an organization such as the Mental Health Collabora-
— Will Huebner
Join us Marathon Weekend! 42 Main Street Hopkinton 508.625.2570
Since I was really young I’ve always wanted to run a marathon.
EVENT SPECIALS
Friday, October 8 - Sunday, October 10
centralpublichouse.com
Open 4pm to 9pm
family-friendly family-friendly
SAVE BIG
flooring SALE flooring SALE o r you r
BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS*
AND GET
t a re G Indoors
yfour r o f
ZERO INTEREST IF PAID IN FULL WITHIN 18 MONTHS**
t a re G Indoors
*/**See store for details.
The holidays are swiftly approaching. Soon your house will be overrun with leftovers, decorations, Thecheer. holidays are swiftly approaching. and But before you pick up that cider or eggnog, shophouse the Family-Friendly Flooring Sale Soon your will be overrun with going on now at Flooring America and save on leftovers, decorations, and cheer. But the perfect floors, just in time for the holidays.
before you pick up that cider or eggnog,
Celebrating 50 Years of Service shop the Family-Friendly Flooring Sale and/or Installation
going on now at Flooring America and Carpet/Hardwood/Luxury save Vinyl/Area on the perfect floors, just time for Rugs/Ceramic & in Stone the holidays. Outfit your Great Indoors with any style of luxury vinyl, hardwood, carpet, or tile designed to stand up to all
Spruce up your nest in time for winter
Spruce up your nest in time for winter.
your family festivities. When itfloors comes to your resource for beautiful flooring, trust the place508-655-1393 where friends 508-520-2658 950 Chestnut 1276 Worcester Street send friends.Street Franklin (Rte. 9) Natick 24 hr Service 800-356-6777
FlooringAmerica1.com
HopkintonIndependent.com
tive (his donation page can be found at givengain.com/activist/408823/projects/40040/) is important because of social stigmas regarding mental health care, and Huebner’s experiences highlight this. “Whenever I’ve had any sort of issues with mental health my mom has always been there for me, but she’s also recommended getting my own therapist,” he said. “At first, I was skeptical about it because there’s always this stigma around it, but over time I came to learn that it’s OK to ask for help and that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.” Huebner, who ran cross country and track at Hopkinton High School, was the one who got the ball rolling by reaching out to Rosenberg, a family friend. “Since I was really young I’ve always wanted to run a marathon,” he said. “So I looked into training methods for the marathon and how I could get a number. I knew that Abbie Rosenberg and my mom started this nonprofit, and I asked if they could apply for a [charity] bib number. Luckily we got one.” Of course, receiving the number was just the start of the rigorous process it takes to prepare for the 26.2-mile run. He originally was going to run last year, but circumstances — in the form of COVID-19 — changed everyone’s plans. “I use a method called the Hanson marathon method and with that program I’m running six days a week which is a combination of long runs, speed workouts, tempo workouts, strength workouts, and easy runs in between the tougher workouts to build up mileage,” Huebner explained. Rosenberg welcomed Huebner’s enthusiasm for her organization. “I’ve known him since he was probably in kindergarten, and he’s been very committed to this and very dedicated, which is so impressive for a college student with all the training,” she said. “He’s just extremely committed to hearing about the organization’s mission and raising money to help spread our mission. “I’m just very proud of Will for what he’s committed to doing and I’m very grateful to the town of Hopkinton for the opportunity to have a marathon number. I’m excited to bring our programming into Hopkinton and beyond.” With donations as well as awareness, Rosenberg hopes MHC (mentalhealthcollaborative.org ) will be able to make a difference in more people’s lives. The program already was accepted to be implemented into the curriculum at Hopkinton Middle School this year. “It’s just so much pressure on parents and children and everyone in the workforce, there’s just so much pressure around all of us,” she said. “I’m just hoping with education and support we can make an impact on people’s level of stress and their mental health.”
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 17
Oram ‘full STEAM ahead’ for first marathon By Jane Bigda Contributing Writer
M
arla Oram is paying it forward by running the 125th Boston Marathon on behalf of the the Hopkinton High School Business Professionals of America Club and the district’s robotics team. “I am thrilled to be running my first full marathon and also support the talented students of Hopkinton,” Oram stated. She is running in anticipation that her children, 8-year-old Nolan and 5-year-old Cecily, soon will benefit from the programs. She also has an “extra special place in my heart for technology, especially when it comes to how we can empower our next generation through learning,” as an employee of Dell Technologies. Oram took up running as a hobby when living in her native Nova Scotia. “While I was commuting to work, I saw the town’s running club on the streets and thought it would be something I’d like to do,” she said, noting although she had not run before, she has always been active. Joining the club, Oram began by running 5K and 10K races. When the couple moved to Massachusetts 11 years ago for her husband’s job with EMC — now Dell Technologies — she extended her runs to half-marathons, completing four in the last several years. Her husband, Nate, who has Type 1 diabetes, ran in the 2019 Boston Marathon as part of the Joslin Diabetes Center team. With their runs bookending the pandemic, Oram said, “It is fun to be running marathons back to back. Now each one of our kids will have a marathon medal.” Her husband’s charity run inspired her to follow a similar route this year. Oram put the word out, and Doug Scott, advisor for the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Club and robotics team, open to middle and high school students, contacted her about running. Scott had applied for and received one of the charity runner bids provided to Hopkinton by the Boston Athletic Association, in consultation with the town’s Select Board. Oram is excited to run for the technology program. “My kids live in town and will benefit from participating in the BPA and the robotics team,” she said. “I want give back to the town for the opportunities that they will have.” As a charity runner, Oram hopes to raise $5,000 through donations from the community. According to Scott, all the funds Oram raises will be given to the club and team to use “for materials, registration fees and potentially travel expenses to attend national competitions.” Oram began training June 1 for the Oct. 11 event following a strict schedule of shorter runs during the week and gradually longer runs on weekends. This past summer she trained in Nova Scotia, where the family spends five to six weeks each year. “We are Canadian citizens, so we are allowed back in our country, “ she said. “Much of my summer training was running on roads along the Atlantic Ocean. It does not get much better than that.” At home in Hopkinton, she tries to run in the mornings before she goes to work in human resources at Dell.
Marla Oram poses with her children, Nolan and Cecily, following an 18-mile training run in early September.
My kids live in town and will benefit from participating in the BPA and the robotics team. I want give back to the town for the opportunities that they will have. — Marla Oram Her runs typically take place in the center of town around the schools and the marathon start line, since the family lives in that location. Her longer weekend training peaked in September with an 18-mile run from Framingham to Boston early in the month and 20 miles two weeks later. Thrilled to be running Oct. 11, Oram writes on her GoFundMe page that she is “full STEAM ahead” — referencing the acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts and math — for the 2021 Boston Marathon and in her support of Hopkinton’s BPA club and robotics team. Oram is accepting donations online at GoFund. me/f99c7939. The page provides a link for Dell employees, since the firm matches each employee donation dollar for dollar. Donations are open until Nov. 1.
Meet our Financial Advisors AREA OF FOCUS • Women’s Financial Strategies • Wealth Preservation Strategies • Retirement Planning Strategies
• Discipline and good habits are generally more impactful for most people VOLUNTEER PASSIONS • Raising money through road races to help raise awareness for cancer and addiction PATH TOWARD INVESTMENT SUCCESS
Dawn E. Smith
APMA ®, CFP ®, CDFA ®, CLTC ® , CRPC ® Private Wealth Advisor & Chief Executive Officer
Oasis Financial Services AAmeriprise private wealth advisory practice Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC
ners! od Luck Run
Go
dawn.e.smith@ampf.com
508.281.6000
63 South St. Hopkinton
www.OasisFinancialPlanning.com
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP® certification mark (with plaque design) logo in the U.S. Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.
with Hopkinton Parks & Recreation
New classes added regularly !
Archery • Art • Babysitting/CPR Circuit Makers • Cross Country Ski • Golf Etiquette Classes • eSports • Fishing • Public Speaking STEM & Basketball • Yoga • Youth Ski HOPKINTONREC.ORG HopkintonIndependent.com
508-497-9750
18 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Dragsbaek set for 15th Boston, supporting Project Just Because By Christie Vogt Contributing Writer
I felt like I was setting such a good example for my children. They were all young at the time, and it was my way to have alone time, where I could go out for two hours and just be by myself and work through everything.
A
nn-Michele Dragsbaek didn’t play a single sport in high school. A mother of four, she first started running after having kids. Now, on Oct. 11, she’s set to run her 15th Boston Marathon. “I had just had my fourth baby,” Dragsbaek says, thinking back to her first marathon. “I was always running for exercise, and people would always say, ‘Why don’t you run the marathon? You grew up in Hopkinton,’ ” she recalls. “I just thought, ‘Oh, I could never do that; it seems so hard.’ ” Friends and family continued to encourage her, and eventually Dragsbaek gave in. “All right, I guess I’ll try it,” she conceded. “And it just became my thing after that.” “I felt like I was setting such a good example for my children,” she reflects. “They were all young at the time, and it was my way to have alone time, where I could go out for two hours and just be by myself and work through everything.” Now, training has become “a lifestyle” for Dragsbaek: “I can’t imagine not waking up every day and going for a run.” The rescheduling of the marathon from April to October has been a challenge for Dragsbaek’s training regimen, which usually takes place over the winter. “This summer, training has been so hard for me … the heat has taken everything out
HEAR the Music! FOR THE RUNNER IN ALL OF US … WE OFFER CUSTOM EARPLUGS FOR YOUR EARBUDS We also offer: Hearing Evaluations Hearing Aid Repairs Custom Earplugs Hearing Aid Recommendations
ck G o o d Lu ! r Ru n n e s
— Ann-Michele Dragsbaek Ann-Michele Dragsbaek will head to the starting line in her hometown to run her 15th Boston Marathon on Oct. 11.
of me,” she says. “I would 10 times rather run in 10 below than in 90-degree weather.” Dragsbaek is running to raise money for Project Just Because (PJB), a Hopkinton nonprofit that provides food, clothing, household goods and other items to people in need. Over the past 15 years, Dragsbaek has run for several charities, but PJB has been her most frequent charity of choice. “They do so much to give back to the town,” she says. “Especially now, there are so many people in need.” Every year, if and when PJB receives a charity runner number, Dragsbaek is always the first person they call. “I’m really grateful that they’ve given me this opportunity year after year to run for them,” she says. Dragsbaek notes that she sees many community mem-
Good Luck to the Boston Marathon Runners!
1 Lumber Street, Hopkinton
We’re cheering you along, while doing what we’ve been training hard for, on the couch, with our needles, hooks and yarn.
www.baystateaudiology.com
243 WEST MAIN ST., NORTHBOROUGH (508) 393-9435 • CRAFTWORKSCOOP.COM
Darcy Repucci, MS, CCC-A Licensed Audiologist
508.936.3277
���������������������–�������������������������������
���������������������–�������������������������������
Design, Hardscapes, Landscapes, Construction and Maintenance Phone/Fax 508-435-3911 office@scottslandscaping.org
Design, Hardscapes, Landscapes, Construction and Maintenance Phone/Fax 508-435-3911 office@scottslandscaping.org HopkintonIndependent.com
bers out volunteering with PJB, including her son, who is completing National Honor Society hours at the nonprofit, as well as past clients of the hair salon she ran for 26 years. “I like to give back to the town I grew up in,” she says. “I went to school here. I graduated from Hopkinton High School. I’m a townie.” When Boston Marathon runners accept a charity number, they are required to raise a minimum of $5,000. “I don’t think that people realize that when we do the marathon, the hardest part is the fundraising,” Dragsbaek says. “It’s not even the training.” She generally asks the same people each year to donate, and after 15 rounds of asking, Dragsbaek jokes, they all react like, “Here she goes again!” So, when people do continue donating, “it means a ton,” Dragsbaek says, and she wouldn’t have been able to run this many times without their contributions. This year, extra support is coming from her husband’s company, JVT Advisors in Andover, which has pledged to match Dragsbaek’s donations (her fundraising page is: gofund.me/47c3a7f4). People often ask Dragsbaek how she keeps herself going mid-marathon. “When I’m running, I don’t think of the fact that I’m running,” she explains. “I’m thinking of other things.” Around mile 21 is when it becomes hard, Dragsbaek says; that’s when she starts thinking about the finish line. “The thing that has gotten me through all these years is just the people cheering us on,” she explains. “Boston is incredible. There are so many people from the start to finish.” Dragsbaek notes that the crowd size may be different this year due to the pandemic, but in past races the experience has generated “a rush of adrenaline as you get near the end, because there are so many people, strangers, cheering you on. It’s very motivating.” When Dragsbaek does cross that finish line, it feels “surreal. It’s just amazing,” she says. “It always makes me feel emotional at the end of it, especially since I ran in the year of the bombings.” That moment crosses her mind every time she reaches the finish line now. During the 2013 Boston Marathon, the bombs exploded just as Dragsbaek finished the marathon. Her entire family was there cheering her on, and she couldn’t find them for over an hour. “It was truly the most terrifying experience of my entire life,” she recalls. “But I ran every year since then,” Dragsbaek adds. “I didn’t stop running, so that was one thing they didn’t take away from me from that day.”
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 19
Former Hillers track star Giordano bumps up to marathon After completing her college running career at Dartmouth, Isabelle Giordano returns to her hometown to try the Boston Marathon.
HHS Class of ’23 to benefit from veteran marathoner Longoria By Dhanu Senthilkumaran Contributing Writer
F
or many people, running is either a hobby or a basic form of exercise. But for 62-year-old Andrew Longoria, a 15-year learning specialist at Hopkinton High School, it’s an escape to balance life. On Oct. 11, Longoria will run the Boston Marathon on behalf of the HHS Class of 2023. After receiving a race number from the Boston Athletic Association (via the town’s Select Board), the high school sent out a staff email asking for volunteers to run the marathon. Longoria “pounced at the chance.” “I responded immediately when they put out the email, knowing I would be Andrew Longoria is preparing to run the Boston the most qualified person for Marathon for the ninth time this fall. this race,” he said. Longoria has competed in more than 30 long-distance races and will be competing in his ninth Boston Marathon this fall. While he does not have a time in mind for this race, he has set a goal to raise at least $5,000 for the Class of 2023. With the money, the class will be able to fund events such as prom and senior activities. “I simply love running for the enjoyment of the event — that’s what accepting the bib was all about,” Longoria said. “The Boston Marathon is unlike any other race in the world. You either have to qualify or fundraise in order to compete in this race, and the environment there is simply extraordinary.” Longoria first started running after graduating high school in 1977. Initially it was to help manage his anxiety and block out any external problems in his life. He then continued pursuing the sport at a higher level and has stuck with it ever since. “The older I got, the more I enjoyed the act of running,” he said. Longoria said his initiative has helped influence family members and others close to him. “I have such a great support system around me and I am proud to say that running has been such a positive influence on my family’s life,” he said. That includes his two daughters, both of whom have competed in marathons. For anyone interested in taking up running, Longoria suggests setting attainable goals before aiming for ultimate events like Boston. “Always hit the little goals first and start small,” he said. “That way after some time you can work your way up to compete in those bigger races.”
By Chris Villani Contributing Writer
I
sabelle Giordano is no stranger to running. As a student at Hopkinton High School, she earned all-state recognition in track and field and broke nine school records. She went on to a standout track career at Dartmouth College. But those were much shorter races than the one she plans to tackle this month: the Boston Marathon. “I thought this would be a good way to continue running and a good way to support the town that supported me throughout my youth,” Giordano said. She will be running to raise money for the Hopkinton Emergency Fund, which she said was a good way to give back. “Hopkinton is just such a great community and I just got really lucky that they needed a runner,” Giordano said. “I feel like it’s special to support the town.” Giordano said she is proud to be a part of the town’s strong running community. In addition to rewriting the school record book, the middle distance runner took part in competitions on the national level with some of the HHS relay teams. Running Boston has brought Giordano back to training after the second half of her college career was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. She was able to take part in a home meet during her senior year, this past academic year. She was wearing a mask while running but said it was good to lace up her spikes and put on a Dartmouth uniform one more time. The 2020 season came to an abrupt end after the Ivy League championships that winter, as the onset of the pandemic led the conference to scrap the entire spring slate. “It was really sad, I just felt like I didn’t get to achieve my goals,” Giordano said. “I definitely tried to reframe the experience, though, because the people are what made it special. I don’t look back and say, ‘Oh, I wish I had this time.’ I will say, ‘I had these lovely memories of running with my teammates.’ ” Taking on the challenge of her first marathon has given the competitive athlete another goal to work toward. Training has been challenging, and some nagging injuries have set her back a bit, but Giordano said she is on track to complete her training and be ready to race on Oct. 11. This is her first marathon, but it might not be her last. Giordano said she will take some time after the race to see how her body recovers, but she could see herself wanting to run another 26.2 in the future. She also will be running this fall with some of her school friends, she said, and is looking forward to being on the other side of the world-famous start line after being a spectator all of these years. “Starting in my hometown is going to be such a cool experience, this is something I have watched since I was a little kid,” Giordano said. “It will be surreal to be on the starting line.”
WESTON NURSERIES
happiness (home) + (great landscaping)
93 East Main Street, Hopkinton, MA (508) 435-3414 www.westonnurseries.com
HopkintonIndependent.com
20 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
HOPKINTON HOME IMPROVEMENT
Hopkinton’s Pete ready for 21st straight Boston Just being in and around Hopkinton and seeing people train every season is always inspiring. The camaraderie helps us stay healthy, stay motivated, and have a goal.
GENERAL REPAIRS INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING Winter Services
Snow Plowing & Roof Snow Removal • Gutter Cleaning & Repairs
• Power Washing CARPENTRY • INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTING • Deck Replacement & Repairs • Window & Door Replacement • Wood Flooring Installation • Kitchen & Bathroom
Remodeling • Window & Door Replacement • Wood Flooring • Decks • Siding • Roofs • Masonry • Siding • Roofs • Masonry • Kitchen & Bathroom •Remodeling Power Washing • Basement Finishing • Gutter Repairs & Cleaning
— David Pete
• Basement Finishing Detailed & Detailed &Meticulous Meticulous Reasonable Rates Reasonable Rates
Call Mauricio
508.202.8602 FULLY INSURED
MA HIC.#169427
PLUMBING - HEATING - COOLING Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Be Prepared. Check Your Heating System Now! $100 OFF New Water Heater
$300 OFF New Heating System
Offer valid thru 12/31/21. Not combinable with any other offers.
Offer valid thru 12/31/21. Not combinable with any other offers.
Service Work • Repairs • Boilers Water Heaters • Remodeling • New Construction Air Conditioning • Heat Pumps • Mini-Splits Fully licensed and insured
Contact us today! 508-875-3413 • ShahoodPlumbing.com 35 Main Street-Rear, Hopkinton
David Pete first ran Boston in 2000 to prove to his wife that he could, and he hasn’t stopped since.
By Chris Villani Contributing Writer
W
hat started as a dare more than two decades ago has turned into a passion for David Pete. The Hopkinton resident was at a friend’s house in late 1999 when the idea of running the Boston Marathon was first discussed. “Our wives were there and they kind of chuckled to themselves at the thought and said ‘Oh, sure,’ ” Pete recalled. “It really started as a response to our wives wondering whether we could do it.” Pete and his buddy did run that following year, the 2000 race. Pete kept running, and running, and running, for 20 years in a row. This October will mark the 21st consecutive running of the Boston Marathon with David Pete in the field. “I remember doing some of those initial training runs and getting up to a 10K seemed so daunting,” he said. “I just started building from there and I got hooked on it ever since.” Pete has been an active member of the Hopkinton Running Club since the beginning. “Just being in and around Hopkinton and seeing people
Waste Removal and Recycling
Call us for all your waste removal and recycling needs E.L. Harvey & Sons, Inc 800-321-3002 • www.elharvey.com HopkintonIndependent.com
train every season is always inspiring,” the 56-year-old said. “The camaraderie helps us stay healthy, stay motivated, and have a goal.” Pete has always run for charities. The Hopkinton Running Club gets about five bib numbers per year, and for several years Pete has donned one of those bibs as a charity runner. He has previously run for Live4Evan, the 26.2 Foundation, the Hopkinton Senior Center, the Hopkinton Police Association, the Ashland Police Association, the Semper Fi Fund and the Judge Baker Children’s Fund. In recent years, he has raced for the benefit of the Wonderfund, a private nonprofit that works with children involved with the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. The group offers a wide range of services for foster children and their families. “They provide enrichment, whether it’s sports, music, arts, education, training for if you want to be a lifeguard, all of the enrichment that foster kids need,” Pete said. “Foster parents may not have the funds to do that, and in a lot of cases they don’t because they are raising several foster kids plus their own children.” The Wonderfund helps pay for those activities and camps, as well as trips to museums, games and other events. Pete learned about the organization when his asset management company helped the group’s founder, Saf Caruso, with a holiday gift drive. “The tenants in our building got into it and that’s how I heard about it,” Pete said. “It’s really a great charity.” This is Pete’s third year running for the Wonderfund (gofundme.com/davepetes-boston-marathon-wonderfundfundraiser) and he now serves on the group’s board of directors. He said he’s excited to get back out on the road after missing out the last two years. “I’ve been reflecting on that, it’s almost like after 2014, coming back after 2013 was such a great experience,” he said. “I am hoping for that this year, though part of me feels like next April is the real deal again.” Pete plans to be out there in April for marathon number 22. And through the years, despite some initial skepticism from his wife, Cheryl, Pete has had no bigger fan. “She has been supportive every year and always picks me up at the end of the race,” he said. And, showing the wisdom befitting a man who has been married for 30 years, Pete has a quick answer when asked whether he’s ever been tempted to tell his wife “I told you so” after twoplus decades of marathons and countless miles amassed. “No way,” he said, laughing.
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 21 COMMEMORATIVE
2021 ISSUE
LOCAL RACES
Road races abound in Hopkinton
R
unning a marathon isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, there are plenty of shorter races in Hopkinton if that suits you better. Most are for the benefit of local charities and offer fun activities to keep the entire family entertained after the running (or walking) is finished. The following races are annual events in town. However, some of them took a hiatus during the pandemic while others went virtual. Check the race websites to see if they will back in 2022.
Test your marathon trivia skills for a chance to
! S E Z I R P N I W MARATHON COUNTDOWN QUIZ!
See Me 5K
Early May - Hopkinton State Park advocates.org/events/see-me-5k-runwalk-3 The See Me 5K is organized by Advocates, a Framingham-based organization that works to end the stigma associated with mental health. The race website reads, “Help spread the message that a person experiencing mental health challenges is a person, not a diagnosis. See the person! See the individual! See me!” There’s a fun run for the kids, face painting and more family-oriented activities.
Global 6K for Water
Mid-May - Faith Community Church of Hopkinton 6k.run
Every weekday from September 13 through October 11 (Marathon Day) the question of the day will appear on
hopkintonindependent.com and in our email newsletter,
The Global 6K for Water is a series of races around the world, and the Metrowest representative is held in Hopkinton. Proceeds are used to get clean water to children and communities in need. The race is 6K (3.7 miles) because that’s the average distance a person in the developing world has to walk to find water, according to the humanitarian organization World Vision, which organizes the event.
Marathon Countdown Sponsor
hopkintontoday One winner each day will receive a gift card from Marathon Countdown Sponsor Pan Thai and a Hopkinton Independent “HI” logo T-shirt.
Metrowest K9 5K
Normally mid-June, but held in September this year - Metrowest YMCA metrowestk95k.com The K9 5K brings together runners/walkers and their furry friends for a jaunt through the trails on the YMCA grounds in Hopkinton. It benefits the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association charities. There are vendors from the human and animal fields, doggy demonstrations, music, entertainment and refreshments.
Sharon Timlin 5K
Scan QR code below to sign up for our daily news updates
FINAL DAYS!
Mid-June - Hopkinton High School sharontimlinrace.org The Timlin event, which includes the 5K, a color run, family activities and appearances by former and current Red Sox players (David Ortiz once made an appearance) has been a big hit since its inception. The event has raised more than $2 million to help find a cure for ALS. The 5K is limited to 1,800 participants and has sold out in past years, so don’t hesitate if you want to take part.
Against the Tide
SCAN QR CODE FOR MORE CONTEST INFO
“Westboro’s best for swimming, fitness & group exercise.”
Mid-June - Hopkinton State Park mbcc.org/breast-cancer-prevention/against-the-tide/ This event, hosted by the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, features various events, including standup paddle boarding, swimming and kayaking as well as a 5K and 10K road race/walk. Participants can choose one, two or three events.
SACH 5K
Mid-September - Site TBA A newcomer to the local race scene, the South Asian Circle of Hopkinton debuted its 5K last month as a virtual race. The event raised money for the Hopkinton Emergency Fund.
Michael’s Run
Mid-October - Town Common hopkintonrespite.com/michaels-run This popular 5K is held in memory of Michael Lisnow, for whom the Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center is named. It starts on the Town Common, goes down Ash Street, loops around Blueberry Lane, and comes back up Ash Street (which includes a tough hill). Festivities include live music, pumpkin decoration, face painting, lawn games and more.
Paws & Claws 5K
Sunday, Oct. 17 Hopkinton State Park baypathhumane.org/pawsandclaws5k Baypath Humane Society holds this annual event a short distance from its Hopkinton facility. Runners, walkers and dogs enjoy the scenic course through Hopkinton State Park. It starts and finishes in the parking area just past the boathouse.
Wicked 5K
Sunday, Oct. 31 - Hopkinton Center for the Arts hopartscenter.org/wicked-weekend-oct-30-31 The Enter Stage Left Theater group holds an annual Halloween-themed 5K filled with “spooky goblins, fairy princesses and goofy characters.” If you don’t win an award for finishing in the top three, you still could take home a prize for best costume. All finishers receive a mini-pumpkin. The postrace party includes fun family events and raffles.
Club Features Include: • 11 tennis courts, hard surface & DecoTurf® • Youth & Adult tennis programs, clinics, lessons, leagues & more • Indoor/outdoor 6 lane competition sized pool • Swim lessons, water fitness, swim teams • Advanced youth tennis & swim programs • Fitness center & group exercise classes • Kids camp, tennis camps & children’s programs year round • Kid’s Club - childcare included with any family membership • State of the art air cleaning technology throughout the club
MARATHON SPECIAL 10% OFF any annual membership
Neighbors Helping Neighbors 5K
Mid-November (no race in 2021) - Hopkinton Country Club racewire.com/register.php?id=10197
at Westboro Tennis & Swim Club.
The RE/MAX Executive Charitable Foundation sponsors this race/walk, which starts and finishes right outside the doors of the Hopkinton Country Club. Included in the registration fee is a breakfast and the opportunity to participate in a silent auction. The race will not be held in 2021, and it’s not clear if it will return.
New members only. Mention HIWIN to receive offer. Some restrictions apply. Expires 10/31/21
Local races | 23
HopkintonIndependent.com
(508) 366-1222 thewestboroclub.com
35 Chauncy St. Westboro, MA 01581
22 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
Baypath’s Paws & Claws 5K returns live this fall By Sandy Quadros Bowles Contributing Writer
F
them,” she said. Applications for animals at the shelter continue to be done online as the doors to the shelter remain closed to drop-in visits, although Jefferis said that may change in late summer. Staff has to balance having a lot of people in the shelter at once with ensuring that visitors receive personal attention as they contemplate an adoption. “We want to make sure we’re managing people’s expectations and they’ve gotten a great matchmaking experience” with a potential pet, Jefferis said. The shelter is in the process of final-
izing a lease of town land at 66 Fruit St. for a new facility. Select Board members approved leasing town land in April 2020 but the pandemic has slowed the process of working on specifics of the lease, she said. The new building is set to be nearly four times larger than the current structure at 500 Legacy Farms Road North, Jefferis said. “We hope in the next few months to get the lease wrapped up,’’ she said. Registration for the Paws & Claws 5K is ongoing. For more information, visit baypathhumane.org.
Wicked good time at HCA’s Halloween 5K
PHOTO/DAYLE DOHERTY
or the first time in almost two years, supporters of Baypath Humane Society can gather in person this fall to raise money for the organization. And, fittingly for an animal shelter event, they can bring their four-legged friends along. In fact, participants are encouraged to do just that. The Paws & Claws 5K, a run/walk for dogs and people, will return in person Oct. 17 at Hopkinton State Park. “It’s a great way for animal lovers to get out and get together,” said Elizabeth Jefferis, Baypath’s executive director. In addition to the walk, a vendor village representing community organizations will be on site. This is the first of the society’s three major fundraisers to return in person. The annual golf tournament and the Fur Ball were canceled for 2021. The Fur Ball, the traditional gala that supports the organization, will return live on March 26, 2022. The Paws & Claws 5K was held as a virtual event last fall and raised more than $30,000 for Baypath. The support is vital, Jefferis said, because COVID has not slowed down the organization’s operations. In fact, numbers are on the increase. In Fiscal Year 2020, the society adopted out 824 cats and dogs. That number rose to 888 in FY 2021. The animals reach the society in varied ways, she said. Some are part of law enforcement cases. Others are
picked up from animal control. Many of the animals are recovered locally but some have traveled a lot farther. The shelter took in four dogs seized from the dog meat trade in Korea through the Humane Society of the United States. Kitten season has arrived, and the shelter had about 60 kittens in foster care as of late July. “If people are interested in kittens, people are going to see them become more and more available,” she said. The shelter also took in more dog surrenders last year than is typical. “There’s more than I’ve seen in my 10year career,” she said. Jefferis attributes this to the pandemic, but not directly. Unlike some shelters, which have seen people return so-called “pandemic pups” they took in during the crisis and then found they couldn’t care for, at Baypath most of the cases fall in the “life happens” category, with situations exacerbated by the pandemic, she said. People have faced financial challenges or animal owners have died, she said. “Life has been different” this year, she noted. To help ease the financial burdens on pet owners, the shelter works with Project Just Because (projectjustbecause.org) to ensure a steady supply of pet food and supplies will be available to people who need them. This work reflects the shelter’s goal to “keep the animals in their homes and keep them with the people that love
Runners prepare to hit the road for the 2019 version of the Halloween-themed Wicked 5K road race, hosted by the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.
By Sidhi Dhanda Contributing Writer
T
his year on Halloween morning, a couple hundred people, many in costume, will run a 5K to raise money for the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, as the HCA hosts the fifth annual Wicked Weekend fundraiser. “We were looking for something different and fun for a fundraiser, and we are a theater, so we love costumes and love getting dressed up,” explained Kelly Grill, the executive director of the HCA. Two volunteers, Ilana Casady and Erin LaPrad, had run in 5Ks before and were able to help organize the run. Runners start outside of the HCA, go around Loop Road, then run on Center Trail before they make their way back to the HCA. The event usually attracts a mix of runners — some serious athletes and others who are participating for the memories. There also will be a Wee Wicked Dash (100 meters) for younger runners, which will take place before the 5K on Halloween morning. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes. “Half the fun is how creative people are, and the costumes are amazing,” said Grill. In past years, families have done group costumes. One year a woman ran in a costume that made it look like she was holding her head. When runners come back, the festivities will continue with music, dancing, refreshments and giveaways. This year, runners will be able to support the HCA even more by creating a fundraising page through the HCA
HopkintonIndependent.com
website. Those who raise $300 will have their name put into a raffle for a gaming system. Last year, COVID forced the HCA to change the format of its run. “People really couldn’t be together to run, so they did run virtually,” Grill said. “But we wanted to add something that people could do safely outside, and as a family, so we added a scavenger hunt, just as a fun activity.” The scavenger hunt was a popular event, so this year HCA brought it back and created two versions of it. Both will take place on Saturday, Oct. 30. For the slightly easier version, participants are given a list of Hopkinton businesses where they have to take pictures. In the more difficult version, participants are given clues and figure out which businesses to visit. If participants hit most of the places on the list in either version, their names will be entered into a raffle. The HCA also will host its first Wicked Weekend Halloween Dance. The dance will take place inside the HCA (masks required). There will be a DJ, food, a costume contest and prizes for those over 21. “Adults can get dressed up and go out and have a fun celebration the night before Halloween,” Grill said. The money raised from the Wicked Weekend event will fund scholarships that help students participate in theater, art and music and support free community-wide events. Participants can register for any of the events via the HCA website at hopartscenter.org/wicked-weekendoct-30-31.
The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021 • MARATHON EDITION • 23 COMMEMORATIVE
2021 ISSUE
ELITE RUNNERS
Elite athletes return for 125th Boston
By Jean Cann Contributing Writer
A
ttracting an elite field proved more challenging than usual this fall for major marathons. With spring marathons postponed until the fall, five Abbott World Marathon Majors are taking place within seven weeks, spreading the top talent between them. Boston will have no shortage of elite athletes, with 13 previous Boston Marathon champions, Olympians and Paralympians making up part of the reduced field at Monday’s running of the 125th Boston Marathon. In the women’s footrace, nine women with marathon personal bests faster than 2 hours, 22 minutes will compete, including Ethiopians Yebrgual Melese (2:19:36), Mare Dibaba (2:19:52) and Workenesh Edesa (2:20:24), and 2017 Boston champion and 2019 runner-up Edna Kiplagat of Kenya (2:19:50). Kiplagat leads a group of five women who finished in the top seven at Boston in 2019, including Des Linden, who won Boston in 2018, becoming the first U.S. woman to win the event since 1985. American Jordan Hasay has finished third at Boston twice and holds the second-fastest marathon time ever run by a U.S. woman. The 2015 Boston champ, Caroline Rotich, and Mary Ngugi, both of Kenya, return to Boston. Molly Huddle, a New York native who has trained in Providence since graduating from Notre Dame in 2006, also will race. The two-time Olympian holds the U.S. record for 10 miles and
the course record for the BAA 5K. The men’s race may resemble a dual meet up front, with a trio of Kenyans, Wilson Chebet, Felix Kandie and Paul Lonyangata, vs. three Ethiopians, Lemi Berhanu, Dejene Debela and Asefa Mengstu. The three Kenyans previously finished in the top five at Boston, while Berhanu won in 2015. The other two Ethiopians make their Boston debut but have finished second and third at Chicago. Eight of the top 12 finishers from the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon also will compete in Boston, led by 2021 Olympian Abdi Abdirahman and Scott Fauble, the top American at the 2019 Boston Marathon (seventh overall). Of local note, Wachusett Regional High School and Syracuse University graduate Colin Bennie makes his Boston debut. Bennie ran his first marathon in 2020 at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he finished seventh, and ran 2:09:38 in his second attempt at the distance last December. The women’s wheelchair race likely will turn into a battle between Boston course record-holder Manuela Schär of Switzerland and five-time Boston champion Tatiana McFadden of the United States. They took first and second at the Berlin Marathon on Sept. 26. Also a contender, U.S. Paralympian Susannah Scaroni has competed multiple times at Boston, finishing as runner-up in 2018. Young American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair 2019 Boston Marathon and joins veteran Boston Marathon champions Marcel Hug (Switzer-
land), Ernst van Dyk (South Africa) and Josh Cassidy (Canada) as past champions in this year’s field — van Dyk has won 10 Boston titles. Also running Boston but not contending for the win is Marblehead native Shalane Flanagan. An Olympic medalist, 2:21:14 marathoner and New York City Marathon champion, she has retired from professional running but decided to run the six World Marathon Majors events that were scheduled to take place within seven weeks this fall. She hopes to clock under 3 hours in each. After her decision, the Tokyo Marathon announced its
postponement until the spring, so she will run her own virtual “Tokyo Marathon” at her home in Portland, Oregon, on the originally scheduled date. She completed the first of the six on Sept. 26 at the Berlin Marathon, running 2:38:32. She will run in London and then Chicago before Boston, which may be the most daunting of all since it will take place the day after she races in Chicago. After Boston, she’ll run her virtual Tokyo Marathon before completing the task at the New York City Marathon, where she won in 2017, 40 years after the race had last seen an American woman win.
Road races abound in Hopkinton Local races | from page 21
Hiller Lacrosse Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Day - Hopkins School racewire.com/register.php?id=10058
The town’s youth and high school lacrosse programs joined together to start this 2.5-mile run/walk, held early enough (7:30 a.m.) so that you can still get to the Hopkinton-Ashland Thanksgiving Day football game on time. Participants are encouraged to wear Hopkinton High School colors (green, orange and white).
Hopkin10K
Normally early December, but this year’s event might be moved to spring 2022 Victory Field (off Fruit Street) runhopkinton.org/hopkin10k/ The Hopkinton Running Club started the Hopkin10K to fill the void during the postThanksgiving, pre-holiday season. It’s held in memory of former HRC member Andy Welzel. The course features scenic views of Lake Whitehall, rolling hills and picturesque neighborhoods. It’s been a run of bad luck for organizers recently, as the 2019 event was postponed due to a snowstorm, and a makeup set for the spring of 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic. Organizers are discussing plans to move this year’s race to late March or early April 2022.
Hopkinton is behind you!
Good Luck Runners!
American Climbers wishes all the Boston Marathon Participants success!
– All Phases of Tree Work – 508.497.8628 • www.americanclimbers.com HopkintonIndependent.com
24 • MARATHON EDITION • The Hopkinton Independent • October 6, 2021
After 2020, the road to Boston may seem like a walk in the park.
We skipped a year due to Covid, which seemed like a marathon all its own. But you put in the miles and trained hard through all the uncertainty. Just being here is a win! Run your best and know we are with you in spirit every step of the way.
We’re not just in your neighborhood, we’re your neighbor. HopkintonIndependent.com