Winchester Teacher Trains to Run Her First Boston Marathon

WINCHESTER, Mass. | In 2014, a Winchester High School special education teacher Kara Napolitano, 31, stood on the sidelines watching her sister run the Boston Marathon. This year, she is the one who will be lacing up her sneakers to run as part of the YMCA of Greater Boston team. Napolitano decided last year to set the goal that she would run her first marathon in April 2018, crossing the finish line to support a cause that she is passionate about. Now, she is doing just that.

“The YMCA’s mission is very much aligned with what I do for a living. As a high school special education teacher and a coach, I work with a variety of different students,” says Napolitano of Waltham. “Similar to what the Y does for their youth, I support them academically, emotionally, athletically, and socially, and ultimately help prepare them for their post-secondary goals. It was a natural fit to raise money for the YMCA’s mission.”

All funds raised by Y Marathon team members will support the YMCA of Greater Boston’s teen programs. This past summer the YMCA of Greater Boston gave out 15,000 free three-month memberships to teens at the Y’s 13 branches with unlimited access and held more than 900 community events. Programs like Safe Dating, Cyber Bulling, Job Readiness, Volunteerism, Leadership, SAT prep and mentoring programs empower and engage youth in productive ways.

“The funds raised through the Y’s Boston Marathon Team are crucial in helping to meet the growing demands of our teen population,” Says James O’S. Morton, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. “This past summer was our busiest to date with each of our branches creating programming to fit the needs of the youth in their neighborhoods. YMCA of Greater Boston’s teen programming is an invaluable resource in providing safe spaces, structured activities and caring adults who inspire and mentor our teens.”

The YMCA of Greater Boston is pleased to be a beneficiary of the John Hancock Non-Profit Marathon Program. John Hancock donates hundreds of guaranteed entries into the Boston Marathon each year to select non-profit organizations through their Marathon Non-Profit Program. Organizations use these entries to recruit individual runners who pledge to raise money for their cause.
For Napolitano, sports has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. In high school, she was a three-sport athlete and played Division 1 field hockey at the University of New Hampshire. Out of all the sports she has played, running is unique. A self-described competitive person, running has taught her that her biggest competitor is herself.

“With running you learn to push yourself beyond what you think your limit is. After enduring the challenges that come with each run, you get a sense of accomplishment that you can’t help but get addicted to,” said Napolitano. “I am honored to fulfill my lifelong dream of running the Boston Marathon, and getting to do it with a YMCA bib is a bonus.”

Runners who have qualified to receive a Boston Marathon bib and would like to experience the camaraderie of running with a team while supporting charity are welcome to join the YMCA of Greater Boston’s Marathon team by raising a minimum of $1,500. For more information about YMCA’s marathon runners or to donate to Kara Napolitano, visit http://ymcaboston.org/Marathon.