Personal inspiration brings Scituate runners back to the Boston Marathon

Running the Boston Marathon is no easy feat, but for two Scituate men the challenge is well worth the effort as their run will raise awareness and funds for organizations close to their hearts.

Jonathan Roche will be running his 26th straight Boston Marathon, and more importantly, he said, his 25th straight Boston Marathon for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Team.

Mike Kendall is running for One Mission, a pediatric cancer charity, and Camp Casco, a nonprofit organization offering community-building programs for kids with cancer in New England.

In memory of mom

Roche, who is running in memory of his mother, feels being healthy enough to train for and run the marathon is a true gift.

When he was a kid, his mother was treated at the Dana-Farber, something he will never forget.

“She was only 47 when she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and she was only given six months to live,” he said.  “She fought hard and Dana-Farber did everything they could to support her.”

She died at age 49.

“Although my mom was not able to meet any of her eventual 11 grandchildren, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is helping many others beat the disease and meet and enjoy their grandkids,” Roche said.  “My goal is to run 50 straight Boston Marathons for Dana-Farber in memory of my mom and in support of so many other cancer warriors who have fought and are fighting this horrible disease.”

Dana-Farber does much more than help patients fight cancer, Roche added. 

“They also restore hope for patients and for their family and friends in the midst of the most challenging times of the patient’s lives.”

Inspired by a daughter

When Kendall’s daughter, Maeve, was 9 years old, she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  She was treated at the Jimmy Fund Clinic at Dana-Farber and is now 16 years old and doing very well.

When Maeve was in the hospital receiving treatment, she told her father she wished she could play and run again, Kendall said.

“I'll never forget that because I thought to myself - what a crime, a kid that can't run and be free.”

In 2017, Maeve was matched up with a runner partner for the Boston Marathon as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. 

“We went to the race that year and watched her partner run the race,” Kendall said.  “That was my first ever Boston Marathon experience.”

He knew that day that he wanted to run the Boston Marathon the next year, which he did.

This year he’s running to support One Mission, which he calls “an amazing organization that focuses on children with cancer and their families.”

“They do this in a variety of ways - it's a fantastic organization.”

One Mission hosts special events throughout the year, including annual week-long summer camps.

Camp Casco is proof that there is good in the world, Kendall said.

“Maeve has been attending Camp Casco sleep away camp and various events since 2016.  They also do camps and special events for siblings of kids with cancer.  I'm amazed at the care, love and compassion put into what they do for kids with cancer.  They make everyone of the campers feel special, acknowledged and maybe most importantly - a part of something.”

Preparing for an October marathon

The key for Roche, having run over 25 Boston Marathons, is to never drop his running base in the off season, he said. 

“I run six miles each Saturday and never go lower than that each year in the off season.  That way, when I hit about 15 weeks out from the Boston Marathon I can gradually increase my weekend long run and I only have to go from six miles up to 20 versus zero up to 20.”

The differences in running the marathon in October will be benefits, Roche said.  

“I think the crowds will be huge because there hasn't been a Boston Marathon on the course in 18 months, plus the amount of runners is down by about 10,000 participants.  So it will be more inspiring than usual with the big crowds and it will be easier to navigate the course with so many less runners.”

Kendall, who ran the Boston Marathon in 2018, acknowledges it takes a lot of training to get prepared for the marathon.

“This year, I trained 14 weeks for the race.  I love running - it's incredible therapy.  Sometimes it feels great and other times, not so much, but it's all cumulative and really rewarding to get conditioned.”

A very important ingredient, he added is “an extremely patient wife, which I am blessed with.”

The end result

Roche looks forward to knowing he and his marathon team will have made a significant impact on the fight against cancer through our efforts, he said.

“I also look forward to giving high fives to the young Dana-Farber cancer patients who are always at mile 25 cheering us on.  They are in the same spot every year and I try to make eye contact and give a high five to each of these warriors.”

Kendall, who feels pediatric cancer research is woefully underfunded, wants to raise as much money as he can for an incredible cause.

“Also, I hope the kids that go to Camp Casco and the kids that benefit from One Mission know that someone is thinking of them and is inspired by them,” he said. “They are heroes. I run for all the kids that can't run.”

Source: Scituate Mariner