Boston Marathon 2012 at mile 24 with Libby Kulas. (Photo submitted)
SOUTHWICK- Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional High School teacher Kristin Tetreault is motivating people of all fitness levels to hit the treadmills and the streets. On April 21 Tetreault is running in the 118th Boston Marathon along with thousands of other athletes along a course stretching 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston.
After last year’s bombings, Tetreault wanted to advocate a positive outlook on this year’s race.
“I wanted to cue kids into what Boston is,” she said. “I didn’t want a negative light on what Boston is all about.”
Tetreault started a Boston Marathon running challenge. Students and faculty at STGRHS were challenged to start running and logging miles twenty-six days leading up to the race.
“I wanted to get kids out and moving,” she said. “Just even one or two miles a day.”
Students were prompted to go outside and exercise while all sharing a common goal. The challenge spread quickly and some students even brought training logs home for the whole family. Everyone who completes the challenge will get to sign the shoes that Tetreault will be running in on the day of the marathon. “It’s been tremendous,” Tetreault said. “We’re putting a positive spin back on Boston. It’s just been awesome!”
Two weeks after the Boston Marathon, Tetreault will run in the Walter Childs Memorial Race of Champions Marathon in Holyoke, to raise money for cancer. She is running to raise money in honor of a former student of hers, Libby Kulas, who passed away from cancer.
“The Boston Marathon is to see how fast I can go, but for the Holyoke race I want to focus on my fundraising efforts,” she said. “There will be a lot of high-fiving and hugging in the crowd.”
Tetreault is fundraising for the non-profit organization Griffin’s Friends, which raises money and offers support for children with cancer. The money that Tetreault raises in the race will go towards Griffin’s Friends Children’s Cancer Fund at Baystate Health Foundation.
Tetreault’s creative fundraising idea for the Holyoke Marathon involves changing into different costumes each mile of the race.
“Part of it is for what the kids want to see. Like see one of the runners in a superhero costume,” she said. “I was brainstorming with friends and wanted something a little different. A little bit more bang for your buck.”
Donations can be made through Bay State Children’s Hospital in Tetreault’s name or Tetreault can be contacted directly at [email protected]
