By Dakota Antelman, Managing Editor
MARLBOROUGH/HUDSON – Marlborough and Hudson will be well represented when the Boston Marathon returns to area roads on Monday, Oct. 11.
In the meantime, runners in both communities are gearing up for the race itself, making their final preparations for an event steeped in tradition yet taking place now for the first time since the spring of 2019.
“I’m very excited,” said Hudson’s Andy Lenox, for whom the Boston Marathon will be his first marathon.
The list of local runners according to the Boston Athletic Association’s register runner database is long.
In Marlborough alone, there are 11 individuals including Gary Catherine, Cristiane Chaves, Jeff Constantine, AJ Darcey, Ashley Holmes, Elsbeth Murata, Beth Murphy, Shane Nassar, Regina Ravesi, Austin Turner, Kimberly Walch.
Their stories are unique as are the charities that many of them run for.
The same is true in Hudson, where 10 individuals are running.
That list includes Donna Boule, Sharon Foster, Byron Gartrell, Bradford Klinedinst, Catherine Macisaac, Steven Menard, Daniel Milton, Kaitlyn O’Grady, William Vital and Lenox.
Milton spoke to the Community Advocate earlier this year and noted that he was excited to run what will be his 25th in-person Boston Marathon.
“For over 20 years, I’ve been talking about doing 25 of these and I’m finally going to do it,” he said at the time. “It’s what has kept me running for over 27 years.”
Lenox, meanwhile, is marking a new chapter in a much younger running story.
He played sports through high school as a member of the Hudson High School varsity golf, basketball and baseball teams prior to his graduation in 2018.
Now at Bentley University studying information systems auditing, Lenox has taken up running and excelled at it.
“It was something that kept me busy since I have more free time in college compared to high school,” he said of his initial interest in starting running.
Lenox is running on behalf of the Herren Project, which seeks to provide “free resources and support for the treatment, recovery and prevention of substance use disorder” according to its website.
He surpassed his fundraising goal over the summer with the help of the community. Indeed, it was a particular fundraising event at the Hudson-Concord Elks Lodge in town that pushed Lenox’s fundraising past his $10,000 goal.
“I realized how supportive people around me are and especially the Hudson community. It was pretty amazing to see how generous people were.”
Lenox anticipates his family members will aim to watch his race from the finish line in downtown Boston. Along the way, he’s hoping to see some classmates from Bentley, which is just a short walk from the marathon route.
Lenox is also hoping that older Hudson friends will be able to make the trip back to town to see him race.
“Even if I see one or two friends along the way, that will be a huge momentum boost,” Lenox said.
Like many area residents and runners in particular, Lenox grew up watching and enjoying the marathon.
Now, he’s excited to run it.
“I’ve always dreamed of crossing the finish line even at some point in my life,” he said. “I didn’t think it would come this quick.”
RELATED CONTENT:
Hudson’s Dan Milton prepares to run his 25th Boston Marathon (communityadvocate.com)
Shrewsbury resident to run Boston Marathon for husband’s ex-wife (communityadvocate.com)
