Four Lexington Residents Running Boston Marathon with Team in Training

On Monday, April 16th Lexington residents Fulvio Abela, Ines Fusco, Cathy Gill and Christine Mitchell will run the 116th Boston Marathon with Team in Training (TNT).

As members of one of the B.A.A.’s 31 official charities, each runner committed to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thus far, the four have raised more than $30,000 toward TNT’s $1 million goal for the 2012 Boston Marathon.

When they cross the finish line in Boston, the four will have completed a total of 15 Boston Marathons with TNT and raised more than $145,000 to make a difference for cancer patients and their families. To donate or learn more, visit teamintraining.org.

Here are their stories:

Name:  Cathy Woodward Gill     
Age:  48 
Hometown: Lexington  
Occupation: Attorney (Director of Litigation - law firm management) 
Family: Husband, John (also grew up in Lexington).  4 Children:  Courtney (19), Danny (17), Matt (14), Sarah (13) 
Reason for Running (with TNT): Originally, I got involved with TNT because a close friend was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2007 and I felt helpless, so I decided to raise money for cancer research and treatment. This year I'm running in honor of all my amazing women friends who have battled cancer (there are too many to mention).
How Can People Help You Out:  Support the cause (donate to TNT, or to other cancer research and treatment organizations - I also raise money for the Pan Mass Challenge). 
Training Tip You Can Share:  Buy Hal Higdon's book Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide  and follow the novice training program. I'm a seven-time qualifier for the Boston Marathon and this will be my 18th marathon. This book is my "bible" and tells you all you need to know.
Bib Number: 19208
Best Marathon Memory:  My best Boston marathon memory was crossing the finish line in 2008 and seeing Lynn Jackson and her family in the stands (I was running in honor of Lynn that year and raised over $23,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). 
First Thing You'll Do After Crossing the Finish Line:  I'll wait to cheer in my friends who are also running the Boston Marathon and head to a celebratory dinner (my family's tradition is Lucia's in the North End, because they have a great Bolognese sauce and valet parking - who wants to walk after running 26.2 miles?).   

Name: Fulvio Abela
Age: 53 on paper, 35 in heart and spirit
Hometown:  Siracusa , Italy
Occupation: VP of Marketing at STMicroelectronics
Family: Wife Rita, sons Marco,24, and Daniele, 21 both graduated at Lexington High
Reason for Running (with TNT):  Give back to the society, running in memory of people close to my heart
How Can People Help You Out: Cheer me on between Cleveland Circle and the Citgo sign, my nemesis. If they want to help other people, please make a donation to TNT; every dollar counts!
Training Tip You Can Share: Run with friends; every Saturday morning I’m looking forward to get up at 6:45 a.m. to meet my TNT friends and run with them!
Bib Number: 9518, but I’ll be running so fast that you won’t be able to track me!
Best Marathon Memory: Qualifying for Boston at the Boston Marathon in 2010, after five attempts! I was the happiest man on earth!
First Thing You'll Do After Crossing the Finish Line: Thank all the volunteers, and congratulate the other runners who arrived just before and after me.

Name: Christine Mitchell
Age: 47
Hometown: Lexington (and a native of Manlius NY, a suburb of Syracuse)
Occupation: Marketing Freelancer
Family: Husband Tom and 3 Kids; Kate (16), Jen (14) and Jack (celebrating his 12th birthday on Marathon Monday)
Reason for Running (with TNT): Two years ago, Cathy Gill and Ines Fusco invited me to a Team in Training (TNT) long run. Before then, I'd never run farther than a 10K. That day I ran 12 miles with the team. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive. This is my third consecutive year running Boston with TNT. I run to raise money for cancer and for those who can't, especially my mother Ann and best friend and 9/11 widow Nancy. Both lost valiant battles with breast cancer.
How Can People Help You Out: Donate at teamintraining.org or cheer along the course on April 16
Training Tip You Can Share: Find running partners for long runs. They'll motivate you to start your run, especially when the weather is bad, and make the time pass quickly.
Bib Number: 22499
Best Marathon Memory: Seeing my family along the course, especially when I turned onto Hereford Street in 2010. They were so excited.
First Thing You'll Do After Crossing the Finish Line: Collect my finisher’s medal and find friends who also completed the course

Name: Ines Fusco 
Age: 50
Hometown: Lexington (born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
Occupation: Marketing Communications Project Manager at Fresenius Medical Care
Family: husband Peter, children - Emilia (15) and Nicolas (13)
Reason for Running (with TNT): Because I have been blessed with the gift of life and I want to give back for all of my blessing. Three years ago, after having walked two Marine Corps Marathons to help maintain my personal health, Cathy Gill convinced me that I could do Boston as well. I was very unsure, but when my father-in-law and a friend were diagnosed with blood cancers, I just new I had to do it. That first year, I also celebrated my 5-year milestone as a breast cancer survivor when I crossed the finish line. This will be my third consecutive Boston Marathon with TNT. This year I am running in memory of my father in law who died from cancer in October.
How Can People Help You Out: By making a donation at teamintraining.org and cheering for all those that help to raise funds for cancer research. 
Training Tip You Can Share: Because of a knee injury and arthritis in my knees, I am primarily an indoor trainer. I train on an Octane Elliptical machine at Boston Sports Club in Lexington and on my own NordicTrack treadmill at home.  I spend more hours on a machine indoors than I do outdoors because it is easier on my knees, but I was able to improve my pace last year and I am seeing results and feeling good about finishing this year. If you want to run Boston as a charity runner, you can!
Bib Number: 22457
Best Marathon Memory: I have two. Boston 2010: crossing the finish, celebrating five years cancer-free, support of family and friends - priceless! And Boston 2011: setting a goal to finish under 6 hours so I could make it on the record books - coming into the home stretch and seeing my TNT coach Kelly jumping for joy at the sight of me as I was coming up Hereford ... Seeing Jillian from TNT as I turned the corner, and my kids crossing the finish line with me in 5:50:05 ... Unbelievable!
First Thing You'll Do After Crossing the Finish Line: Hug my husband and kids, say a little prayer of thanks for all of my blessings, then go to Lucia's for a celebratory dinner with family and friends.