Team Kickoff Party Rescheduled

The Team Kickoff Party originally scheduled for January 23 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 13...same bat time, same bat channel.

If you have already purchased tickets to this event and can make it on March 13, there is no need to do a thing! If you cannot make it and would like to dedicate your donation to a specific runner, please contact Team Leader Julie Arrison at julie@franklinparkcoalition.org with the name of the runner the donation should go to. If there are any other issues with your donation, please contact our Team Leader as well.

We'll look forward to seeing you in March as our runners race to the finish of their Boston Marathon training! Tickets are only $15.00/each or $40.00/family and include raffles, pizza, and a night of good cheer!

To learn more, please visit: http://www.razoo.com/story/2013teamkickoffparty

2012 Deferred FPC Runners Ready to Take on 2013!

The 2012 Boston Marathon was one of the hotter Bostons on record. With day-of race temperatures pushing 90 degrees, the Boston Athletic Association offered the option of deferrment for any runners that were registered. While this was a contraversial decision to some, for others this provided an outlet to help them begin the healing process of some serious training injuries.

2012 team member Elizabeth Belcher is back for a "take two" and is looking forward to completing her original goal of running 26.2 miles instead of watching from the sidelines. Though deferment was not an easy option, it was the perfect option for her in 2012.  After six months of physical therapy combined with a torturous zero-running stint, Elizabeth is eager to jump back into training and complete two milestones this spring: graduating from Wheelock College and running the Boston Marathon for FPC. Both feats took her more time than she anticipated; nevertheless, Elizabeth conjured the motivation to keep persisting despite various setbacks.

Our other deferred teammate to return is Owen Kendall. Simply put, he loves running. He thinks it’s the best metaphor he’s ever found for life - or life for it: if you work at it a little bit every day, you improve, but even while you’re improving, you’ll have some rough patches here and there. Owen is one of the cofounders of Forest Hills Runners, a free community running group that runs through Franklin Park every week. He’s therefore running for the Franklin Park Coalition (FPC) because he thinks Franklin Park an awesome place and, as a third year medical student at Boston University interested in preventative medicine, he hugely admires what the FPC does. Obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure (all linked) are the leading causes of illness not only in this country, but worldwide, even though they can be controlled through consistent exercise. One major reason these things are so common today is that young people and adults alike frequently don’t have safe places to run around and be active. Owen loves what the FPC is doing to consistently improve the park for all Bostonians, while also introducing Franklin Park and all it has to offer to a more diverse population. He couldn’t be happier running the 2013 Boston Marathon for the FPC to raise awareness for the wonderful work they do.

It's Not Too Late...

to fulfill that New Year's resolution or to check that item from your bucket list! Join our team today...just a few spots remain!

http://fpcmarathoncharityteam.blogspot.com/p/team-application.html

Team Kickoff Run!

Want to stay up-to-date with our training? Visit our "On the Run" page each week with stories, photos, and more that highlight the good, bad, and ugly of marathon training.

http://fpcmarathoncharityteam.blogspot.com/p/on-run-with-fpc-marathon-charity-team.html

Join us for an all-you-can-handle pizza party at Bella Luna Restaurant in Jamaica Plain to kickoff the Boston Marathon Season for our team!

All proceeds from the event will support the fundraising efforts of the 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team. Your ticket includes a night of all-you-can-eat gourmet pizza, five raffle tickets for some great, local prizes, and a cash bar.

Tickets are $15.00 for individuals and $40.00 for families. Advance tickets must be purchased by January 22, 2013 at midnight. Day of tickets are $20.00 for individuals and $50.00 for families. Advance tickets are available at: http://www.razoo.com/story/2013teamkickoffparty

This special event takes places at Bella Luna (http://www.milkywayjp.com/) restaurant, located at 284 Amory Street in Jamaica Plain from 6:30-9:00 p.m.

Questions? Contact Julie Arrison, Marathon Charity Team Leader at julie@franklinparkcoalition.org.

The 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Team is Ready to Rock!

Current members of the 2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Team had the opportunity to meet on Sunday, January 6 at the Franklin Park Coalition office in Roxbury. Members of the team, both returning and brand, spanking new, were welcomed by the staff with bagels and coffee and fruit and covered the essential topics from a lesson on the Franklin Park Coalition to what exactly is a tempo run.

So far this year's team is made up of all sorts--we have a marathoner looking to complete 50 marathons in 50 states and another who will use the Boston Marathon as her first ever road race. We have accomplished fundraisers and those new to the life of development. We have folks with kids, folks with grandkids, and folks with dogs. There are Olmsted geeks, those who work with youth, and those who just love urban parks and want to see them get even better.

If you'd like to join our team, we still have space available and it's not too late to catch up and join the fun! Please visit our "Application" page for full details and contact Marathon Charity Team Leader, Julie Arrison, with any questions.

See you on the run!

Welcome to the Team, fellow Olmsted Fan!

On December 5, 2008 Craig Kiest at the age of 53 ran his first mile since PE class in high school. As of December 28, 2012, Craig has run 44 marathons in 34 states and 6 continents.

As a native Oregonian with three grown children and a 30 year career as a landscape architect, running has become a rewarding avocation. With interests in gardens and architecture, running a marathon gives a unique opportunity to see the world without traffic - from Big Sur to the bridges of New York City.

Between running marathons there is time for family, hiking, biking, snowboarding and a glass of wine.

Editorial Note: We think The Screaming Pumpkin Marathon. is one of the coolest marathons Craig has completed so far!