Sometimes it is hard to imagine teachers outside of their classrooms, and even harder to picture what they do during vacations. Yet, while some were on trips, or cruises, or just relaxing, Walpole High teachers Ms. Krystal Skwar, Conor Cashman, and Richard Sturges were running the 115th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 18th.
The Boston Marathon consists of 26 miles and has three main waves of runners. As the world’s oldest marathon, it is always on Patriots Day, which creates even greater feelings of American pride and enhances the competition.
Ms. Skwar, English teacher, not only represented Walpole High, but the female population as well: she was part of the 43 per cent of female runners. Women were not officially allowed to enter the marathon until 1972, but now there are almost as many female runners as there are male.
A marathon is not something one can do unprepared, and the Boston Marathon is no exception: it is known as being one of the toughest courses in the country. The course has many land obstacles to encounter, like “Heartbreak Hill,” the hill between mile 20 and 21, where runners usually lose energy. Knowing this, the Walpole High teachers spent a lot of time preparing for this task. Mr. Cashman, an avid runner and track coach, got ready for the marathon by running and walking over the course of several months. Ms. Skwar trained through vigorous practice, which included doing weekly long runs. Even Mr. Sturges prepared, and for a whopping 20 weeks, running 30-45 miles each.
Mr. Cashman finished with a time of 3:23:32, a mere 3 minutes away from his goal time of 3:20 or better. Ms. Skwar, while running the same race, had a different goal than Mr. Cashman’s: “I just want to finish it,” she said, And with a time of 4:17:01, it was a success. Not to be underestimated with this being his first marathon, Mr. Sturges’ hard work and preparation landed him at a final time of 3:36:55, fitting inside his goal of finishing between 3:30 and 3:45.
A marathon might look fun to those watching, but to those who run it, it is a seriously challenging and competitive event. Maybe that is why so many people can’t help but ask, why run a marathon? All three of the teachers ran not only for personal satisfaction but for charities of their choice: Mass General Hospital Center for Pediatric Oncology for Ms. Skwar, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for Mr. Cashman, and American Liver Foundation for Mr. Sturges. Motivation was a significant factor for Mr. Cashman, who has been running for a friend, Eileen Heneberry, who has lived with cystic fibrosis for her entire life. “Her resiliency is an inspiration to me, and that’s why I run,” said Cashman. Likewise, Mr. Sturges was dedicated to his charity, raising $4500 for the cause by himself, and helping his team raise $1.4 million.
The staff of Walpole High has proven to be talented at more than just teaching, and Mr. Sturges, Mr. Cashman, and Ms. Skwar are no exception. On Monday, April 18th, they were 3 runners out of the 26,800 who ran the Boston Marathon. But, to them, this was more than just a marathon-running for themselves, for those who could not run, and for charities, these teachers reached goals and made a difference. “I enjoyed the experience a lot,” said Mr. Sturges. “It was a tough winter to train, but crossing the finish line made it all worthwhile!”
