2013 Boston Marathon Profile: Alison Hassinger

Are you running the 2013 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15? Fill out this form to submit your profile to Arlington Patch – make sure to email a photo to john.waller@patch.com too – and we'll print the profiles prior to the race.

Arlington Residents Running the 2013 Boston Marathon

Name: Alison Hassinger

Age: 29

Marathon Experience: Marathon experience? What’s that? I had never run over 2.5 miles before I began my training last year for the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Reason for Running: I was fortunate to get a spot on the Best Buddies Boston Marathon charity team. I am running in memory of my dear friend, Sheila Lynch, who passed away in 2006. Sheila was a proud and active member of Best Buddies in college and graduate school. Sheila was an inspiration; she led by example and always provided support, friendship, and love to people with disabilities. Sheila’s friendship continues to be one of the most significant and influential parts of my life. I am so honored and humbled to run the Boston marathon in her memory and to support a mission that positively impacts people with special needs. Here is a link to my fundraising page: http://www.teambestbuddiesboston.org/AlisonHassinger.

Training Tip: Hmmm, tips. There have been a lot of ups and downs in my training (including injuries). I think it is important to listen to your body, and to create a personalized training plan that works for you. Best Buddies is part of the Marathon Coalition (a group of runners from various charities that train together), and we share marathon coaches, Rick Muhr and Greg Guarriello. The advice and feedback from the coach professionals has been absolutely invaluable: from running with a more efficient form, to nutrition before/during/after a run, to equipment to buy for warming up muscles and for recovery, etc. As a brand-spankin’ new runner, I could not have gotten to this point in my training without the advice, encouragement, and confidence of my coaches and my charity team members (despite the doctors who said I could not do it!).