Editor’s Note: SOURCE invited runners from Team Framingham and a couple of other Framingham-based charity teams to participate in a series of Q&As about their training for the 2022 Boston marathon to be held in April this year. If you would like to submit a profile contact editor@framinghamsource.com.
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Forrest Harrington
Hometown: Framingham
Marathon Team: Team Framingham
Is this your first marathon? 5th Marathon, 3rd marathon was part of an IronMan Triathlon race
What is your personal best marathon time? 3:42 and hoping to get below 3:30
Is this your first Boston Marathon? Excited to say this is my first Boston!
Why run Boston? I’ve watched many friends run Boston over the years and lived down by the finish line in college. It is an amazing and historic course that is filled with spectators the whole way!
Which charity are you raising money for? Hoops and Homework
Why did you pick that charity? As an engineer I have the opportunity to work with and develop new technologies to improve our world. I am an
advocate for expanding education and exposure to science and technology among all kids and to provide them an opportunity to be successful in life no matter what their background.
Link to your charity fundraising page:
https://www.givengain.com/ap/forrest-harrington-raising-
funds-for-hoops-and-homework/
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How did you first get into running? I did a half marathon with a friend one year and the following year thought it would be cool to run a marathon. I procrastinated until September and on my own found a 16 week, 3 day a week training program (Wasn’t a big fan of running more than that), started training on Labor Day at week 8 (Skipped the first 8 weeks) and found myself running the Cape Cod marathon in late October.
Why do you like to run? I’m from northern New Hampshire and was brought up to enjoy outdoor exercise and plenty of it. I hike, bike, ski, swim, run etc… Running doesn’t require a gym membership, expensive gear, daylight or any of that stuff, just shoes, time and a little motivation.
Tell SOURCE something about your training for the marathon:
What is your favorite cross-training activity? Riding my bike on a trainer in the basement.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why? Both, Training with a group is great on the long runs. It makes the time go by faster and feels
more like a social event than a workout. On the routine weekday runs and when I am trying to get faster, running is more mentally challenging and it often helps that I am alone. It keeps me focused on what I’m doing, how I feel doing it and forces me to build my own individual motivation to improve.
Are you an early morning runner or evening runner? Evening runner! My 15-month-old son goes to bed at 7:30 and I can often be seen running through Saxonville after 8 p.m.!
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How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run? It isn’t about motivation. I just need to stop thinking. The more I think about not wanting to run
the more likely it is to become a reality. I often stop thinking and go into autopilot. I put my running gear on, walk out the door and start moving. The hardest
part is getting beyond the doorstep.
Music or no music when running? If music, favorite song? No music.
What is your favorite pre-running meal? I tend not to eat much before my runs, even the long ones. On race day it is rice with butter.
What is your favorite post-run snack? Pickle juice, cheese and crackers. Maybe a few chocolate chips.
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Tell SOURCE readers something about you that has nothing to do with running: I’ve jumped in Lake Cocituate in almost every month of the year! A few times I had to cut a hole in the ice first.
What shoes will you wear on Marathon day? Hoka Rincon’s. They fit my foot well and don’t cause problems on or after race day.
What is your goal for the 2023 Boston Marathon? I’m looking to set a sub 3Hr 30Min PR and knock over 12 min of my best marathon time.
Will you wear anything personal or symbolic the day of the 2023 Boston Marathon? Why? If I was allowed to I’d be shirtless! Since, that
is frowned upon and probably not allowed, I will probably have a Team Framingham shirt and something
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