The Franklin Park Mile, Presented by the Forest Hills Runners

From the Forest Hills Runners Website:

The goal of the Franklin Park Mile is bigger than you can imagine.  The aim is to transform the world, changing the essence of how people experience their lives.  The world today is a global one; it is a multiracial, multiethnic, multilinguistic, multigender mosaic with more connectivity than anyone ever imagined possible.  And though community is sometimes forgotten with the possibility of faraway connections, it is essential for everyone.  A strong community can produce wellness in a way that almost nothing else can and yet many people are becoming less and less connected to those around them.  Community running supports the natural development of communities that revolve around common activities, which creates a population that is both empowered and capable of empowering those they interact with.

Though Boston has many diverse communities within its boundaries, Boston is a unique community in and of itself – one that is exceptionally diverse and yet segregated and separated, not able to take advantage of all it has to offer.  To truly empower Boston and bring out its strengths, the Boston community must find common ground – something simple and unifying.  The Boston Marathon bombing brought Bostonians together in a way few have experienced, but that unification was short-lived because it occurred due to a single event people hope will never again occur.  The Franklin Park Mile, on the other hand, will bring people together from both the running community and from the diverse neighborhoods surrounding Franklin Park.  By bringing people together though an activity that is positive and that supports the development of free community running groups, the Franklin Park Mile will ideally help to spark the further development of Boston community and unification just as FHR believes Community Running for All will be able to do nationwide.

To register for this great community run, please visit: https://www.racemenu.com/events/33391-The-Franklin-Park-Mile

FPC Boston Marathon runner Craig Kiest part of west coast Remembrance Run

2013 Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Runner Craig Kiest was was part of Remembrance Run in his native Portland, OR last week. After an overwhelming greeting by family and friends when he stepped off the plane, he gathered with over 1000 local runners to pay tribute to last Monday's tragic events.

Craig Kiest said he remembers fellow runners who dropped everything to pray.“You definitely think you missed a bullet,” he said. “I’m not going to let it stop me.” Kiest is considering rejoining the team for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

To view the article and watch the news footage, please visit: /www.kgw.com/news/local/Thousands-cross-Willamette-for-Boston-Remembrance-Run-203630051.html

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

This week’s long run was supposed to be a custom designed ramble by Owen through the Emerald Necklace for the Franklin Park Coalition Team. Even though we had about four feet of snow on the ground last winter at this time, we panicked about the 5” expected and called off the group run. Luckily, we found some great ways to enjoy the snow—or in Kristen’s case—get the miles in on Friday and avoid the slippery roads all together!

Jason G. described the snow running best when he said that he did fifteen miles through snowy streets with the “consistency of mashed potatoes.” Laura did her Brookline-Newton route with the Dreamfar team and ran into some urban turkeys on her jaunt home—always a shocking sight to see turkeys wandering around the city—and even more shocking when they are hopping around in the snow!

Carleen took advantage of a run to her son’s basketball game—which she had missed out on the past couple of weeks while doing long runs and got the other 10 in on Sunday through Dedham, Hyde Park, and Milton. Paula and Julie stayed north, making snow angels along the way. The streets were a mess on Saturday and some time in Lynn Woods, on snowshoes, was the perfect solution. It was no Franklin Park—but what is?

Finally, Nichole took a field trip to New Hampshire for the annual Derry Boston Prep. It’s notorious for sixteen miles of hills, hills, when you think you are done, more hills.

So, while it wasn’t all “gravy” out there training this week, it certainly was fun!

Laura's Beacon Street running buddy.

Julie taking a rest during a Lynn Woods Reservation snowshoe hike.

Paula taking a rest on the streets of the North Shore...exact location unknown.

National Recognition for the Efforts of the Franklin Park Coalition Boston Marathon Charity Team

In the most recent edition of Field Notes, the newsletter of the National Association of Olmsted Parks, the Franklin Park Coalition's Boston Marathon Charity team was a featured article. The NAOP is a nationwide association of Olmsted related parks and organizations from around the United States consisting of professionals ranging from landscape architects to scholars to rangers to students. It is a true honor to be included in this publication that reaches out to thousands across the country.

"For more than 30 years, NAOP has raised awareness of the importance of the Olmsted legacy among public officials, community leaders, landscape design professionals and academics. NAOP encourages scholarship, publishes key reference materials, supports local park restoration, and provides technical assistance to preservation efforts." Here in the Boston area, organizations like the Franklin Park Coalition, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, and the National Park Service help to extend a similar mission and vision for Olmsted designed parks.

To check out the November Field Notes or to learn more about the phenomenal work of the NAOP, please visit http://www.olmsted.org/naop-field-notes-november-2011.