Cristina Andrews to Line Up for Suffolk Marathon

Cristina Andrews will extend her love of running when she lines up September 13 for the inaugural Suffolk County Marathon and Half Marathon to Support Our Veterans.

“I am running my first marathon so that I can show my kids that hard work pays off, that desire can overcome lack of talent, and if you have something on your bucket list, to cross it off,” the mother of two said. “One of my favorite high school memories is sprinting around the track with a friend. I still remember that as the moment I realized there’s no greater feeling than to feel your feet fly as you leave everything else aside, besides the feeling of being so alive.”

She previously ran on and off through high school and college, and did her first 5k in Miller Place She and her friends formed a club in 2014 and started to encourage each other to run races. Last year, she competed in her second ever 5k at the Oakdale Firecracker 5k, then continued on to the Fit and Healthy Mama’s 5k in Massepequa, and the Roosevelt island 10k in NYC. She was one of the lucky ones who won the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon lottery, which she is running in again on March 15.

The races will raise funds to expand and enhance veterans’ services in Suffolk County. It also is a last-chance qualifier for the Boston marathon.

“The Suffolk County marathon is a mechanism to highlight the incredible communities, natural resources and businesses we have here in Suffolk County,” said County Executive Steve Bellone, who is also running the marathon. “Suffolk County is a world renowned destination. From the Hamptons to our wine country to our amazing downtowns and world class beaches, we are a destination for tourism, businesses, recreation, and living. Our marathon will give us an opportunity to showcase all of that.”

The marathon has a distinctly planned route that was designed to showcase and drive tourism toward downtowns along the Great South Bay. The race, which is a Boston Marathon qualifier, will begin and end at Heckscher State Park in East Islip with a Taste of Long Island wine and food festival to end race festivities. Suffolk County has partnered with New York State to host this inaugural event.

For some race participants, the Suffolk marathon is their first full marathon, while other registrants have been competing in marathons, tough mudder races and triathlons for years.