FPC Boston Marathon Team Member Featured in Sunday's Boston Globe Magazine

Congratulations to FPC Boston Marathon Charity Team Member Carleen Tucker for being featured as "the newbie" in Sunday's Boston Globe Magazine. We have been so proud to have her on our team.

Also featured was Franklin Park Coalition supporter, Michelle Audet. Michelle works for John Hancock and will be completing her fifth Boston Marathon on April 16. She has been a wonderful supporter of the work of our team and we want to wish her the best!

To check out the article, please visit: http://articles.boston.com/2012-03-18/magazine/31199683_1_boston-marathon-first-time-marathoner-heartbreak-hill

Community Running with Team Member Owen Kendall and the Forest Hills Runners

A few months ago, FPC Boston Marathon Team Member Owen Kendall was interviewed about his involvement with the Forest Hills Runners and the importance of community running groups.

The FPC is pleased that the Forest Hills Runners and Owen have been such great promoters of the park and its assests through sport.

To see the video, please check out the FHR website: http://foresthillsrunners.org/

From "On the Run:" Whatever Gets You Through: Pizza, Peanut Butter on Wonder Bread, Cheeseburgers, and Gu

Weekend of March 10: Whatever Gets You Through: Pizza, Peanut Butter on Wonder Bread, Cheeseburgers, and Gu

Elizabeth spent her Saturday at the pool trying out some workouts and kicking butt regardless of a painful knee issue—still not fully diagnosed! Oh, the frustration! Keep the positive flow coming for Elizabeth.

Kristen, Carleen, Jared, Dale, Shari, Jason C., Nichole, and Laura all took on the course for anywhere from 17-21 miles on Saturday. Julie and Nichole’s brother, Greg, played support and Christine from the FPC provided a transport run for the JP crew out to Hopkinton. While the day started cold and windy, the team settled into the course well. Dale was concerned about getting lost, but successfully found her way, while Shari and Laura got to a crossroads and made a panicked phone call…but also found their way!

Nichole, Jared, and Jason C. led the pack and kept great pace the entire time.  For Jason and Nichole, having completed marathons, they took the distance a bit more in stride, but for Jared, this was a huge accomplishment. Jared Egan: “Saturday was crazy for me. I was supposed to do 18-20, but I didn't have it in me to stop at the base of Heartbreak Hill and not do it, so I ended up doing 21 miles. This is the most I've ever ran in one go, by 4 miles. I'm very happy with these results. This was a game changing distance for me. I now know for sure how crazy you all are. I could feel the effect of everything I ate along the way, and for the first time, it felt like a truly absurd distance. For the rest of the day I was sort of in shock at what I had just done, and my mind was pretty well gone.” Welcome to the club, Jared! We’re all so proud!

Carleen had one of those days on the course. She tripped over a branch around mile 9 and hurt her ankle a bit. It slowed her down a bit, but also added to the mental trickiness for the day. Then the Garmin died. Then the iPod died. Then the limping started. Then the effects of a tough strength workout from earlier in the week kicked in. EVERYONE has had one (or more) of those runs and the good news for Carleen is that the breakdown actually is part of the build-up. Not only was the FPC team incredibly supportive, but runners along the course stopped to check on Carleen’s state—which was surely made better with a big glass of wine that night!

The 10:30 pack of Shari, Carleen, and Kristen want to thank Laura for her incredible tour of Natick along the way. Quite the hometown girl, Mrs. Derderian!

Dale, per usual, just ran and ran and ran and ran—and looked strong and fabulous doing it!

Renzi had my long run on Sunday and enjoyed almost perfect weather, sans wind, around Marblehead Neck. The good news is that the wind really tested the mental and physical strength…the bad news is that marathon runners don’t really need extra testing!

Jason G. is getting killed with a work schedule right now, so keep some good vibes flowing his way, too. His training runs are very early in the morning and after 13+ hour days at the law office. There’s only so much solace a run around JP and the Charles can bring, so show some love!

Finally, Julie spent 4 hours in Lynn Woods on Sunday, covering about 17 miles. The cardio was pretty intense from the uphills, the rock climbing, and the rock dodging. Julie had a little fall while heading out to the parking lot to meet a friend, somehow rolling her bad ankle on a rock, and sliding down the last slope of Lynn Woods.  When Julie’s friend showed up to find half of her dirt covered and limping, it was more humorous for both of us and after some stretching and resting, she was ready to go for another two hours. Renzi suggested wrapping Julie in bubble wrap…at all times.

Much discussion revolved around food, as it does for marathoners as they get into the last month of training. The tapeworm just won’t go away. For the on course run, Julie provided only the finest Skippy Peanut Butter and Wonder Bread sandwiches that Dale proclaimed were the best in the world (delirious). Shari and Laura talked about cheeseburgers for 13 miles. Julie’s run ended with a trip to the North Shore Pizza Wars at Swampscott High and she will never disclose the amount of pizza that was consumed...

Sidewalk Driver Plays the Brighton Music Hall

Our very own renaissance man and runner, Jared Egan, will be rocking out with his band, Sidewalk Driver this Friday night at the Brighton Music Hall. The band's set starts at 10:00 sharp.

If you liked Sidewalk Driver at Doyle's fro the Team Kickoff Party, you should come Friday for the real, electric experience. The bill also includes Black Thai, a very heavy metal band; Planetoid, a classic rock inspired 3 piece who dress up as aliens; andWalter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys, who "defy description."

Team Member Highlight: Dale Libkin

We'll be highlighting our team members as they complete their fundraising and training goals over the next month. 

Dale on the far left after killing it at Reggie Lewis

Dale setting a PR at the Hyannis Half Marathon in February

A person's character often shines through their ability to tough something out. When Dale Libkin was making the decision to join the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Charity Team, there were moments of doubt and fear, but in just about a month, this woman, who still considers herself a running newbie, will not only be a marathoner--she'll be a Boston Marathoner.

Running with Dale has been a privilege. She is so determined, focused, and hard-working in all workouts. Whether she's toughing out her "longest run ever" or doing an interval workout on the track at the Reggie Lewis Center, she's just unstoppable--and that's just her character.

Dale is a proud member of the Franklin Park Coalition board and volunteers her time to the because she believes so strongly in the mission. She lives near the park in Jamaica Plain and visits nearly twice daily with her dogs Charlie and Marbles. All three can be seen running around White Stadium most mornings at sunrise.  She considers herself so lucky to be able to enjoy this gem of a park on a daily basis.

Dale will also be hosting a very festive Saint Paddy's Day style Zumba fundraiser this Saturday at the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse. For a $10.00 donation, you'll get a great workout and support a great cause...and take away the guilt of imbibing in a Guiness and some corned beef this weekend.

Event Alert: Saint Paddy's Day Themed Zumba in the Park!

Join Boston Marathon team member Dale Libkin for her Zumba fundraiser in the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse this Saturday at 10:30. While there might not be Whiskey in the Jar and Wild Rovers, there will be an hour of a great workout that will make up for all of that soda bread and corned beef consumption throughout the weekend.

Tickets are only $10.00 and you are sure not to forget this Zumba experience!

(yes, this is Riverdance...but you get the idea!)

Event Alert: Early Saint Patrick's Day Party with Jim Plunkett in Brighton

Join Marathon Charity Team Leader Julie Arrison for her Boston Marathon fundraiser at the Castlebar in Brighton! Tickets are $25.00 at the door and include entertainment with Jim Plunkett and a DJ, a snack bar, and 10 raffle tickets.

Raffle prizes include a weekend in Salem, MA, a gift basket and certificate for a private tour of Ryan and Wood distillery in Gloucester, vintage baseball season tickets, and a gallon of maple syrup from Julie's family's farm.

Jim goes on from 8:00-12:00, but you can arrive at the Castlebar anytime. Let's help Julie fill her pot o' gold and have some fun tonight!

Winter Walk in the Woods

Team up with local experts for an invigorating walk in the Franklin Park Wilderness. Together we'll learn to identify trees using bark and twig characteristics and investigate the urban ecology of the park. Free, but please register in advance: 617-542-7696 or email: mathew@bostonnatural.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  -Meet at Valley Gates Lot, midway along the park road, across from the golf course and adjacent to Pierpont Road, the fork leading to the back of the Zoo.

Thanks to the Boston Area Natural Network for leading this great, educational program.

Paula Radcliffe Runs Franklin Park

Thanks to Boston Marathon Charity Team Member Jason Carraro for this tidbit of both Franklin Park history and running history.

Paula Radcliffe is the current female world record holder in the marathon (26.2 mile) distance with a finishing time of 2:15:25. In 1992, she competed in the Junior World Championships, held in Boston's Franklin Park.

Paula isn't the only dedicated runner who has used Franklin Park. Right now, our team is training hard and fundraising to support youth and athletic programs and facilities in Franklin Park--keeping it a world class place. To learn more or to support the team, visit our team page at http://www.razoo.com/story/Fpcmarathoncharityteam

Team Member Highlight: Kristen Day

Leading up to the Boston Marathon, we'll be spotlighting our team members as they train and raise money for the Franklin Park Coalition.

Kristen Day will be running her first road race on April 16. This is certainly no ordinary road race, as Kristen has chosen to run the Boston Marathon for the Franklin Park Coalition to make her debut. Kristen loves Franklin Park and has fond memories growing up there and hopes to pass along the same nostalgia to her three kids, Josie, Noah, and Violet. "The park has become a very special place for me. I remember it from when I was a small child visiting my grandparents that lived alongside the park. When they got just big enough, we started sledding behind the golf course clubhouse. The first day we did this, my daughter was 6 and my son was 4. We stayed at the hill for 4 ½ hours! The sun was setting and the moon was rising. It was so quiet and beautiful, it felt like the city was a million miles away. The park inspires children’s imagination and offers places for kids to run, climb, sled and pretend. And it does the same for adults."

Kristen lives in Jamaica Plain with her family. Besides enjoying running for the sheer sake of enjoying running, she is an active volunteer in the park and has also just established a Boy Scout Troop. She believes that if her kids are involved now, they'll also recognize the work that goes into preserving such an important place in Boston.
This weekend, Kristen and her husband will be sponsoring a Neighborhood Night at their home on 25 Cromwell Street. The night will feature light hors d'ouvers, cocktails, music by Ulysses, and short talk on the history of Franklin Park by author Julie Arrison. The suggested donation is $1.00/mile, or $26.00 to support not only Kristen's fundraising efforts, but the great work of the Franklin Park Coalition. You can RSVP to kdaymatt@aol.com.

If you can't attend, but wish to support Kristen's fundraising efforts, please visit: http://www.razoo.com/story/Kristen-Day-S-Boston-Marathon-Fund-Raising-For-The-Fpc 

Want to Get Away?

Want to get away? Here's a chance to win a getaway to historic Salem, MA or the fabulous Big Apple. Want to get away from home for a weekend or treat your guests to some great accommodations? We've got a Boston Staycation for that. Love some baseball and history? We've got a prize for that. Want to get pampered a little bit? We even have a prize for that!

For the month of March, the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Charity team will be selling online raffle tickets to benefit not only our team's fundraising goals, but also to benefit youth and athletic programming in Franklin Park.

Visit http://www.razoo.com/story/Boston-Marathon-Charity-Team-Raffle to enter the raffle. Tickets range from $25.00-$50.00. When you bid, choose your experience. If you are buying a raffle ticket to support a particular runners fundraising, be sure to include that information in a comment or email to julie@franklinparkcoalition.org so that we can properly credit our runners.

Our team thanks you for your support!

The details:

Experience #1: Discover Historic Salem:
Explore historic Salem, Mass. including a night at the Morning Glory Bed and Breakfast, 2 passes to Historic New England’s Phillips House, 2 passes for the Salem Trolley, 2 passes for the Peabody Essex Museum($250.00 value)
$25.00 raffle ticket; 25 tickets will be sold.

Experience #2: Boston Staycation
Description: Explore Boston with a 2 night stay at the Bullfinch Hotel and 4 passes to Boston’s Upper Deck Trolley Tours. This also makes a great gift for out-of-town visitors ($550.00 value)
$50.00 raffle ticket; 15 tickets will be sold.

Experience #3: Big Apple Weekend
Description: A weekend stay in New York City at the trendy Gild Hall—A Thompson Hotel—voted one of the 100 best hotels in the world.
($1000.00 value)
$50.00 raffle ticket; 15 tickets will be sold.

Experience #4: In the City Pampering Package
Description: Signature Spa Treatment Package at the Langham Hotel and a Haircut with Adrianna Dent at the Viselli Santoro Salon on Newbury Street.
($200.00 value)
$25.00 raffle ticket; 25 tickets will be sold.

Experience #5: Vintage Baseball Season Ticket Family Pack
Description: Enjoy up to 10 vintage baseball games, craft brews from the
Ipswich Ale Brewery, and the vistas of Historic New England’s Spencer Pierce Little Farm in Newbury, MA for 4 people. This is a great package for families!
($200.00 value)
$25.00 raffle ticket; 25 tickets will be sold.


The fine print: Employees of the Franklin Park Coalition or FPC Boston Marathon Charity Team Runners are not eligible to win these raffle prizes. The drawing for these prizes will be held on April 2. Winners will be notified by email or phone number provided so that the mailing address can be confirmed.