Wayland Woman Runs Marathon to Support the Girl Scouts

This past summer, Fran Kistner’s mom went to Mass. General for what seemingly was a “routine” procedure. That led to “every complication imaginable,” and she was hospitalized for 75 days. Finally, her mom was discharged, and is now healthy and independent.

Fran Kistner is in awe of her strength and perseverance through the ordeal.

It inspired her to run in this year’s Boston Marathon, her first, and joining 16 other runners hailing from Wayland.

“My first and foremost reason is in celebration of life,” said Kistner. “More specifically, in honor of my mom. My mother is a strong and independent woman who has always been a endless supporter of me and every challenge I have tackled. I am in awe of her strength and perseverance to have survived such an ordeal.”

Kirstner is running not only for her mom, but to raise funds to support the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. She is a Girl Scout Volunteer and a Venture Scout Leader in Wayland.

Kistner, graduated from Wayland High in 1986, and grew up in the town. She moved to Florida for 21 years and then returned in 2011 with her husband Ken, and children Kenny, WHS ‘14, and Megan, WHS ‘16.

She ran track at Wayland High School during the era of Alberto Salazar and Joan Benoit. The great Johnny Kelley was a brother to a longtime family friend, so the lure of running “Boston” has long been calling, she said.

But her running sat on the back burner for quite some time after high school. Until she started training for the Marathon this past December, she had only participated in limited events.

Kistner is a physical therapist and also teaches in the DPT program at MCPHS University in Worcester. She is driven, she says, by helping the next generation understand the significance of being healthy.

“As someone who is involved with Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturing, as well as being a physical therapist,” she said on her fundraising page, “I feel it is essential to be a good role model for the health of my children, our youth and our community. With the overall rise in obesity and decline in physical activity in Americans, I want to show that the everyday mom can make a positive change in their life and become stronger, healthier and create a better future for herself. The Girl Scouts Get Moving health initiative fits right in with my motivation to become healthier for me, for my family and my future. I am thrilled to be running on behalf of GSEM.”

Kistner joins 14 other runners to support the Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts. Each is raising $5,000 toward the cause.

• Read: 17 from Wayland Run the Boston Marathon