Going the Distance
by Laura Ferguson
Talk about a tough race.
The legendary Boston Marathon put even the most seasoned runners
to the test this year as near record-high temperatures soared
into the upper 80s. It was an extraordinary test of physical
ability as runners took on 26.2 sweaty miles.
But for one highly motivated group, there was something extra
pulling them to the finish line. The Tufts team, running in
the Second Annual President’s Marathon Challenge, was
bound and determined to make it—and there were plenty
of Tufts supporters to cheer them on.
“The heat was intense, the emotions raw, and the camaraderie
extraordinary,” said Miriam Nelson, N85, N87, team co-leader
and director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity
and Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science
and Policy. “Maybe it’s because we became so close
during those long runs together through the fall, winter,
and spring. When you strive to accomplish something together,
you’re quite likely to succeed.”
President Lawrence S. Bacow, who had been sidelined for several
weeks from running the race by an inflammation that settled
in the lining around his heart, shared his admiration for
the Tufts team.
“It took incredible courage and determination to get
through an absolutely brutal day. I have often said that completing
the marathon is as much an exercise in mental discipline as
it is in physical conditioning. This year proved that true.”
“While it was hard not to be running,” he added,
“I felt as if I was running vicariously through the
team as a whole. No one ever runs an easy Boston. When I finished
last year, I thought it was the greatest experience of my
life. I still do.”
About 170 Tufts Marathon Team members competed in the 26.2-mile
run from Hopkinton to Boston, supported by some 200 Tufts
volunteers, with the president and Adele Fleet Bacow waiting
at the finish line. Exper-ienced marathoner Jason Burke, E99,
was the first Jumbo to cross the finish line, with an impressive
3:05:29 run.
In general, the Tufts race was more about teamwork than time.
Members of the Tufts team—students, faculty, staff,
alumni, parents, and friends of all levels—could train
by themselves using the fitness program developed by a team
of experts. Many also gathered each morning at daybreak at
Bacow’s front door. Their training provided a great
way to build a deeper connection to the race and to the Tufts
community.
“The marathon was the icing on the cake,” said
Sarah Ryan, a post-professional student at the Boston School
of Occupational Therapy. “Prob-ably the hardest decision
for me to come from England was leaving my family behind,
but I have felt part of a bigger family being here at Tufts.”
Erika Wool, A06, who was running her first marathon, was sustained
by the collective Tufts spirit and by her running mate, her
best friend. “My favorite sign was one Adidas had put
up in Kenmore Square. It said, ‘Running Is a Community.’
It summed up my experience,” she said. “It was
something that I always thought was impossible. Never, ever
did I think I could or would want to run a marathon, so completing
was definitely empowering. It has become symbolic of anything
I ever thought I couldn’t do and really taught me the
power of discipline and hard work.”
Then there were those runners like Brad Callow, A04, running
his fifth marathon, who didn’t get to train as much
as he would have liked because of a demanding extracurricular
life. Still, “the race was absolutely incredible,”
he said. “The amount of energy that the Boston fans
bring surpasses anything I’ve ever seen. The heat definitely
thwarted everyone’s time and even prevented some from
finishing. I ended up running 4:17, which was pretty acceptable
given how hot it was!”
Nelson, the driving force behind the best-selling “Strong
Women” book series, also had to adjust her expectations.
She was doing fine up until the half marathon mark “when
I decided to slow down and start walking more at each of the
water stops,” she said. “At mile 17 I ran into
a Tufts colleague who was having some difficulties as well
and we ended up finishing the race together. I walked at least
half of the time during the second half of the race. I still
finished in 4:26, which was way off my target time, but it
was what I had predicted due to the weather.”
In the end, solid training, common sense under pressure, and
the enthusiasm of volunteers came together. The Tufts team
raised more than $350,000 to benefit university programs.
Yet for Bacow, who with Adele Fleet Bacow cheered on each
Tufts victor as they crossed the finish line, the experience
can’t be measured in dollars alone.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the marathon challenge
for me personally was to see how it has become an important
community-building event for Tufts,” he said. “We
need more such events, especially around healthy activities
that engage students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni.”
Nelson thanked everyone who joined the team from all corners
of the world. “And I want to thank them for their enormous
efforts to raise money for such a good cause—nutrition,
physical activity research, and outreach programs. I remember
after the race I felt exhausted, and I wondered—was
it worth it? You bet. Will I do it again? I am sure. But only
with this great team.”—Laura Ferguson
Tufts is already preparing for next year. If you are interested
in joining us for the 109th running of the Boston Marathon
on April 18, 2005, email marathonchallenge@tufts.edu.
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