The Boston Marathon is regarded as the most widely viewed sporting event in New England. According to the Boston Athletic 
Association, the marathon hosts around 500,000 spectators throughout its path from Hopkinton, Massachusetts to Boylston Street in downtown Boston. On the surface, the marathon may appear quick and easy with its winding path through the suburbs; however, that’s not necessarily reality because of the hills and famously unpredictable weather patterns of spring in New England. Despite this challenge, the task did not deter our Boston Marathon Charity Team, “Team Speed of Light,” whose members ran the 26.2-mile course with pride.
As Hall of Fame Cornerback Deion Sanders once said, “If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.” Our team looked the part in their branded white and orange Light Foundation jerseys as they conquered the course. Thank you to Singlet Sponsors, FitVine Wine and Keel Vodka, for supporting our runners and making them easy to spot throughout the eight cities and towns along the route.
On the morning of Marathon Monday, the runners took their position on the starting line to take part in the 126th edition of the Boston Marathon. All of their relentless training leading up to the race prepared them for the difficult journey ahead of them. Their enduring commitment also made a massive impact on their community by raising more than $70,000 to provide leadership opportunities for children. We are so proud of every single athlete on Team Speed of Light!
A huge shout-out to our Team Captain, Andrea DeSantis! This girl has a heart of gold and remains very passionate about the Light Foundation’s mission. Last year she crossed the finish line with a qualifying time that would allow her to run as an independent in the Boston Marathon. Never one to take a shortcut, she still chose to raise money for our mission of helping young people develop the skills, values, and mindset they need to create a meaningful and productive future. We’re forever thankful for her big energy and philanthropic mindset.
Without a doubt, the most spirited runner was Antoine “Tweez” Allen! After running two back-to-back LA Marathons, he was no stranger to what it takes to compete in a race like Boston’s at a high speed. He was the fastest marathoner on our team, with a time of 3:40:02.
A veteran of the Boston Marathon, but new to Team Speed of Light, was Scott Lundin! He’s been an athlete for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, but decided this year to support youth leadership! We were excited to welcome Scott onto our team and he did us proud with a time of 3:51:32.
Major props go to Kevin Wu! He finished with a time of 4:25:53 and exceeded his fundraising goal by raising $10,100 as a Light Foundation athlete. Ryan Toriello’s dedication was also rewarded with a finishing with a time of 4:29:16!
Nathan McShinsky crossed the finish line, enjoying every step of his four plus hour journey. Afterwards, he took to social media to describe himself as “speechless” about his experience. He said his “body feels great” and his “heart is so full” and thanked everyone for showing up to support him on the busy streets of Boston – even wearing t-shirts he sold as a fundraiser for the Light Foundation!
