Boston Marathon

See How Watertown Runners Fared in the 2017 Boston Marathon

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Watertown had 33 runners take on and complete the 121st Boston Marathon, and three finished in under three hours. The top runner was 28-year-old Eric Wyler, who finished 364th overall and was the 336th male finisher. Watertown’s best female runner was Deborah Downs, who was the 281st fastest woman in the race. Jason Dunklee finished 177th in the men’s 40-44 age group. Here are the results for all the finishers from Watertown.

Around Town

2017 Boston Marathon: Road Closures, MBTA Impact and Prohibited Items

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People planning to go out to watch the Boston Marathon should be aware of certain restrictions this year, as well as road closures and impacts on users of the MBTA. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced that spectators along the course may have to go through security checkpoints and released a list of restricted items, including backpacks, suitcases or rolling bags. Spectators can have clear plastic bags containing personal items.

Part of the 2017 Boston Marathon Spectator Guidelines announcement said:

Spectators along the course are discouraged from possessing any of the items listed below. Possession of any of these items may result in delays when passing through security checkpoints and enhanced screening. Weapons or items of any kind that may be used as weapons, including firearms, knives, mace, etc.

Around Town

Red Cross Hosting 3 Blood Drives as Boston Marathon Bombing Memorials

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The American Red Cross will join community leaders to host three blood drives on April 15 in honor of the lives changed by the Boston Marathon bombings and to pay tribute to the strength and resilience shown by so many following the attacks. The drives will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 15 at Watertown High School, 50 Columbia St., Watertown; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton St., Boston; and 2-7 p.m. at First Congregational Church of Stoneham, 1 Church St., Stoneham. In April 2013, the Red Cross sent 600 blood products to Boston area hospitals in response to the Boston Marathon bombings. Volunteers are the only source of blood and platelets for hospital patients in need of transfusions. During National Volunteer Month, the Red Cross encourages eligible blood and platelet donors of all types to donate to help ensure blood products are available to hospital patients in need, as they were to many patients in the aftermath of the attacks in Boston.

Charity

Watertown Man, Fiance Running to Help Low-Income People Find Housing

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Watertown-native Steve Farrell will take on the Boston Marathon for the second time, this time with his fiance Todd Robinson, and they will raise money to help connect low income families and individuals with housing that they can afford. Farrell, who is the Director of Communications, Development and Policy for the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP), has been running for a few years, and growing up near the Marathon course he dreamed as a child of running the fabled race. When he was young Farrell would run a race from Waltham City Hall to the then Watertown Police Station in Watertown Square and then would either go home to watch the Marathon called by Chet Curtis and Natalie Jacobson or go with an older sibling to watch the race live. Farrell ran his first marathon in 2012, and this year he will be joined by his fiance, who is newer to the sport. “Our first race together was the Dorchester Firefighter 10k Memorial that fall.

Charity

Watertown Woman Running Marathon to Help Students Graduate High School

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For many years, Cassandra Rice has wanted to run the Boston Marathon, and in 2017 she will run her first one and raise money for a good cause, too. 

The Watertown resident, and 2006 WHS graduate, said she was pushed to run after the Marathon Bombings and the aftermath in her hometown. “I decided that I wanted to run many years ago, and after the events that unfolded in 2013, I was even more convinced,” Rice said. “We were all tremendously affected, and I wanted to be a part of the event that brings everyone in Boston together.” While she is not a novice runner, Rice said she is excited for the race. “This is my first time running a full marathon, although I’ve completed a handful of half marathons in the past,” Rice said.

Sports

See the Times for Watertown Runners in the 2016 Boston Marathon

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Once again Watertown had a large contingent running the Boston Marathon in 2016, with 31 residents finishing the full 26.2 miles. The top finisher from Watertown was Christopher Hine, whose time of 2:51:35 placed him 592nd overall. Jason Dunklee also finished in the top 1,000, at 669th and he also finished 64th in the men’s 40-44 division. The top female runner from town was Laurie Nahigian, who ran the race in 3:17:15. She placed 547th among women in the race, and was 18th in the women’s 45-49 division.

Charity

Watertown Runner Joins Celtics Foundation Marathon Team

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Watertown’s Yasi Abdolmohammadi will be running the 2016 Boston Marathon on behalf of the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, and will raise more than $5,000. 

This is the third year in a row the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation (BCSF) has put together a team to run in the Boston Marathon. Abdolmohammadi, Kim Horton of Stoneham, Alexandra Zedros of Melrose, Caitlin Leary of Tewksbury, and Julie Mauro of Medford, have pledged to raise at least $5,000 each on behalf of the BCSF, which aims to extend the reach of the Celtics championship legacy into the community through programs that directly benefit children in need. As a team, BCSF has raised $126,000 this year to date. For more information on this group of runners or the 2016 BCSF Marathon Team, please visit celtics.com/marathon.

Charity

Watertown Woman Joins Mount Auburn Hospital’s First Ever Marathon Team

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This April, Mount Auburn Hospital’s first-ever Boston Marathon team will be completing the world-famous race in support of the Hoffman Breast Center, including a woman from Watertown, the hospital announced. Thanks to a generous donation of three invitational entries from Chris Connolly, General Manager of Herb Connolly Acura of Framingham, the following Mount Auburn employees have been given the chance to fulfill personal dreams and raise money for the hospital:

Kathleen Forde, Director of Health Information Management who lives in Watertown, will be trading in her long-time spectator status in order to complete her first Boston Marathon. Kathleen will be running to support her coworkers “who live the mission of Mount Auburn.”
Melissa Brangwynne is a nurse at Mount Auburn who made it a personal goal to complete the marathon before her upcoming 30th birthday. In addition to supporting the hospital, Melissa will be running to honor a late friend and soccer teammate who survived the 2013 marathon bombing but unexpectedly passed away earlier this year. Phoebe Matthews is a nurse in Mount Auburn’s operating rooms who, despite the cold, has been training by running to and from work every day.