Marathoner Runs in Memory of Her Brother

According to the official Boston Marathon website, 22 people from Westborough have registered to run in the 2011 Boston Marathon. For the days leading up to the marathon, we will feature our Westborough marathoners and encourage you to cheer each of them to the finish line!

Name: Susan Horrigan

Age: 42

Marathon experience: This year’s Boston Marathon will be Susan’s second marathon. She ran the New York City Marathon in 2007 with her best friend, Kathy Cody. She and Kathy have trained for and plan to run Boston together on April 18. A graduate of Boston College, Susan “can’t wait” to run by her alma mater on the course.

Reason for running:  Susan is this year’s charity runner for the Special Education Advisory Council of Hopkinton (SPEAC), a volunteer organization that works to ensure effective education for special needs children in the town. Susan is running in memory of her brother Tim, who passed away at age 17 from physical complications due to Down’s syndrome. “My parents were very involved in Tim’s education,” she said. “Even though at that time, services were in their infancy, the were fabulous for him. I want other special needs kids like Tim to have the best educational experience they can.”

Training tip: A single mom of two teenage daughters Ciara and Brigid, Susan credits her marathon success to perseverance. “I’m the perfect example of ‘anyone can run a marathon,’” she said.  “It’s about perseverance, getting out there and doing it. Especially with the snow this winter. Even though some of the long training runs weren’t pretty, we did them. And it paid off.”