Weymouth Resident Runs #YStrong As part of the YMCA’s Boston Marathon Team

WEYMOUTH, Mass. | Last April 15, Nicole DeLuca was hoping to spend her birthday enjoying the warm weather on the patio of the Forum Restaurant, watching as the marathon runners whizzed toward the finish line on Boylston Street. As fate would have it, DeLuca, the Clinical Director of South Shore Orthopedics, had to work. 

This year, DeLuca, a 34-year-old Weymouth resident, will be hitting the pavement on April 21 at the 125th Boston Marathon. It’s a dream she has been hoping to achieve since heading to Boylston Street to cheer on the runners while attending Northeastern University, she said. 

DeLuca began running in road races in 2005 after adding running the Boston Marathon to her bucket list. Despite failing to get a number for the 2013 Boston Marathon, she was not discouraged, but instead registered for the Chicago Marathon, which she ran last October. 

“We represented Boston and it was good to be surrounded by such support,” said DeLuca. “The Chicagoans really made us feel welcome.” She traveled with three fellow Bostonians, donning a Boston Strong headband during the race. 

After seeing a post on Facebook about the opportunity to run for the YMCA of Greater Boston and apply for a bib through the organization, thanks to the 2014 John Hancock Marathon Non-Profit Program, she was eager to apply. 

“I think the Y is a good resource for people, young and old, to become a well-rounded person.” Growing up taking swimming lessons at the Somerville YMCA, DeLuca knows firsthand the benefits the organization offers to its members, and is overjoyed to fundraise and help grow the organization’s programs. “Being the kid that grew up in the city and actually went to the Y as a child, it’s nice to give back to my roots and aid a charity that is meaningful to me.” 

DeLuca’s fundraising goal is $7,500. On March 8, from 5 to 9 p.m., she’s hosting a benefit at The Bell in Hand Tavern in Boston. Comedian Brian Glowacki will emcee the night and there will be a musical performance by Hypercane. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit Nicole’s Boston Marathon Benefit on Facebook. 

All funds raised by Y Marathon team members will support YMCA of Greater Boston teen programs. This past summer the YMCA of Greater Boston handed out more than 8,000 free three-month memberships to teens at our 13 branches with unlimited access. Most (almost all) teen programs that the YMCA offers are free and open to the community. Programs like Safe Dating and Cyber Bulling have also become staples at the Y, giving more than 1,000 teens the skills they need to make proper decisions.

“The response I get when people hear that I am running the Boston Marathon is – of course I’ll donate,” says DeLuca. “As the Marathon approaches, I think that even more people will want to get involved and give back.” To support her run, click here. 

“The YMCA of Greater Boston has been a longstanding fixture in the city, just like the Boston Marathon, so we are thrilled to be part of a historically positive day in the city,” says YMCA of Greater Boston CEO and President Kevin Washington. “As one of Boston’s leading social service agencies promoting healthy living and athletic achievement for more than 160 years, we are honored to stand YStrong with our city.” Learn more about the YMCA’s runners by visiting ymcaboston.org/ystrong. 

The YMCA of Greater Boston also has many volunteer opportunities leading up to and on the day of the marathon, including helping at the race day celebration, organizing Y fans out on the course, assisting with race day logistics and much more. For more information on how you can support the Y’s runners through volunteerism, email ymarathonteam@ymcaboston.org.