Sports
Hamilton's Perry Running to Help Dana-Farber
Katie Perry is running to raise money for cancer research in the 2011 Boston Marathon, getting huge support from family and friends.
Hamilton’s Katie Perry was excited and nervous as the date of the 2011 Boston Marathon got closer and closer.
Perry is a member of the Dana-Farber 2011 Boston Marathon Team.
“It’s my first marathon, and it’s tough to train sometimes with work commitments,” Perry said. “Sometimes when I’m on the road, at a hotel, I have to head to the fitness room and get on the elliptical machine.”
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Her husband Zach, her sons Bo and Max, and her daughter Kat have supported Perry, since she began training for Boston last October.
Eight-year-old Max even heads down to the family room to join his mom while she does sit-ups as part of her training regimen.
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“I had a family member affected by cancer and I thought I could do some good by running Boston,” Perry said. “I felt helpless at the time, but committing to run for Dana-Farber, it showed me how much larger than problem is, and how many families are affected by cancer.”
“It’s been a great experience, I’m going to keep running after Boston, I hope to break five hours, and I’ll be thrilled if I can come in at around 4:30 or so.”
Perry said the best part of her training is running around the streets near her home in Hamilton, and taking scenic runs up to Crane’s Beach and back.
One hundred percent of the monies Perry and the other members of the Dana-Farber team raise will go to the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research, which was started in 1987 to raise research funds.
Zach, Bo, Max and Kat plan to set up camp on Heartbreak Hill to cheer for mom when she runs by. Katie’s youngest brother Carter will be jumping on the course to run alongside his sister at Heartbreak Hill to shout encouragement in her ear and push her to the finish line.
“I come from a very athletic family, but not a running family,” Perry said. “So this has been a big challenge, but I’ve enjoyed pushing myself tremendously.”
Perry’s four brothers were lacrosse All-Americans in college, and her three sisters are athletic too.
“Running has a been a great outlet for me,” Perry said. “I plan on running for other charities, but this one (Boston) will probably be my only 26 mile race.”
If you would like to help support Katie and find out more about cancer research at Dana-Farber, log onto www.runDFMC.org.
