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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Rebecca Craig
Hometown: Framingham, since 2018
Marathon Team: Team Framingham
Is this your first marathon? This will be my second marathon and first Boston Marathon.
What is your personal best marathon time? 4:30
Is this your first Boston Marathon? Yes, it will be!
Why run Boston? I feel that it’s necessary to run the only marathon that runs through my hometown which by chance happens to be the world’s oldest annual marathon and one of the six World Marathon Majors.
Which charity are you raising money for? Hoops & Homework
Why did you pick that charity? I picked Hoops & Homework because of the amazing work that the charity does after school to help two of the most underserved neighborhoods in Framingham (Pusan Rd and Interfaith Terrace). The Hoops & Homework is based within the two neighborhoods and offers a safe place for the kids to get after school help with homework and enjoy playing sports and participate in other enrichment service.
I also have a personal connection to the charity as one of my sons (Jacob) has a close friend from their school (The Learning Center for the Deaf) that lives in the Pusan Rd neighborhood and has played there with his friend.
Link to your charity fundraising page:
https://www.givengain.com/ap/rebecca-craig-raising-funds-for-hoops-and-homework/#timeline
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How did you first get into running? I first started running in 2007 while in graduate school at the University of South Florida simply to try to lose weight and get back into shape. I ran several 5Ks and 10Ks in the Tampa Bay area with a best 5K pace of a sub 7:30 minute/mile.
Why do you like to run? Since starting running in 2007, I always loved how running cleared my mind of any worries and allowed me to dream of the future. I have devised lots of travel plans and vacations during my runs over the years.
Tell SOURCE something about your training for the marathon:
What is your favorite cross-training activity? Orange Theory Fitness (OTF). I started doing OTF (Danvers, MA studio) in 2017 to cross-train to improve my running. My VO2 max has improved over the years large due to the heart rate training that OTF offers. I’m not quite running as fast as I was when I was 23 yrs old, but I’m overall stronger and have a different level of fitness compared to before I started cross- training. I currently train at the OTF studio in Natick.
Do you prefer to train alone or with others? Why? Both! Running by myself allows me to dream, but running with others makes me run much faster and I enjoy the conversations.
Are you an early morning runner or evening runner? Evening running has always been my preference, but I have to do what fits into my daily schedule.
How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
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Music or no music when running? If music, favorite song? No music. It’s my chance to enjoy hearing nature around me.
What is your favorite pre-running meal? PBJ toast, almond milk.
What is your favorite post-run snack? ‘No Cow’ protein bars
Tell SOURCE readers something about you that has nothing to do with running: My husband and I moved to Massachusetts from Tampa Bay, FL in 2009 when I was 7-8 months pregnant with my oldest son. My husband is active duty US Coast Guard which is what brought us to Massachusetts. For about ten
years, he was stationed on three different cutters (USCGC Seneca, USCGC Bernard Webber, and the USCGC Campbell), so we only saw him in 2-3 month intervals since he was underway at sea for months at a time on the 270ft cutters. Did I mention that we have seven boys? Before we got married, we knew we wanted to have a big family. It was challenging for those 10+ years with constant deployments, but we’ve had great supporters along the way who became like family (shout outs to friends in Beverly, MA & Everett, MA!). It’s a busy life, but full of love and joy.
I also work full-time as an RN at MGH in the Infection Control Unit. We’ve been fortunate to have my mom as our #1 supporter since March 2020 especially with
the complexity that came with my job since the onset of the pandemic. I’ve been 100% plant-based since 2018.
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What shoes will you wear on Marathon day? I’m part of the Mizuno cult.
What is your goal for the 2023 Boston Marathon? In my first (and only) marathon in 2019, I had IT band issues with my right knee, so I finished much slower than I had planned. If I can keep my knee in good shape, I hope to run the Boston marathon in less than 4 hours and 15 minutes
Will you wear anything personal or symbolic the day of the 2023 Boston Marathon? Why? I will run with the names of up to 26 people (symbolic of each of the 26 miles) on the back of my bib who donate $100 or more to my charity. Also, two of my friends who ran the Boston Marathon in 2013 who didn’t get the chance to cross the finish line on Boylston Street will be written on the back of my bib. It’s my little way of carrying them across the finish line.
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