STERLING — Michelle Harris and Alicia McHugh, both of Sterling, will be running their first Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17.
The two women, who are friends and met as members of the Central Mass. Striders running club, have been training hard for the 127th running of the Patriots Day classic.
They both recently finished the Black Cat 20-mile race in Salem as a final tuneup for Boston.
Harris and McHugh will join 14 other local runners at the starting line in Hopkinton to run the challenging 26.2-mile distance in the iconic race.
Harris and her brother, David Carr, are organizers of the Joseph and Leslie Carr Foundation Shamrock 5K, held each year in Clinton at the Sterling Street Brewery.
The foundation raises funds to help feed hundreds of families through biweekly dinners at the WHEAT community kitchen, holiday food baskets, and supermarket gift-card distributions. It also provides scholarships for local high school students.
Harris, 47, who is in recovery from alcohol dependency, received her marathon number from CMS. She has completed two previous marathons.
“I never really ran or did any sports my whole life,” Harris said. “I got sober four years ago and decided to make a major change in my life to get healthy, and I started running as a means to that.
“I started with the Coach to 5K program,” she said. “After I did a fair amount of 5Ks, I made friends with other runners and they encouraged me to try other distances.
“Through peer pressure, in a good way, I did some half-marathons, and then that led to marathons,” Harris added. “I’ve even done an ultra-marathon.
“As far as I’m concerned, A A (Alcoholics Anonymous) and running saved my life,” she said.
Harris, a previous member of the CMS governing board, volunteered at some Boston Athletic Association events.
“We (CMS) get five bibs that aren’t tied to a charity or a qualifying time because of our volunteering with the BAA,” Harris said. “I’m just so grateful for this experience.”
Harris grew up in Medford, and is looking forward to her first Boston Marathon.
“I grew up close to Boston, and I am just so humbled and over-the-moon excited to be part of such an iconic race,” Harris said.
“I’ve been there to cheer other runners on, and have been a volunteer at the race, but have never run it,” she said. “We used Salem as an opportunity to practice our nutrition, our hydration and the sneakers we are wearing for Boston.
“I am so excited and want to experience the electricity of the crowd, and everything that goes with running the Boston Marathon, and want to soak in every moment,” Harris said. “CMS has done a great job getting us to Hopkinton and taking care of us after the race.
“My husband (Lance Harris) and my kids, and my sister and her kids, and CMS members will all be along the route cheering us on,” she said. “I’m also running it for the Carr Foundation, and in my parents’ memory, and their names are on the back of my shirt.”
McHugh, 56, qualified for Boston after running her first marathon.
“It will be my first Boston, and I qualified for it at the Providence, R.I. marathon,” McHugh said. “I qualified with a 4:04 time, and the qualifying time for Boston (for my age group) was 4:05:00, so I made it by a minute.
“I had been running on my own for about six months, but decided it would be more fun to do it with other people, so I joined CMS,” she said. “I met Michelle (Harris) at one of their races, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
“I’m from a running family, but started running steadily about four years ago,” McHugh said. “My son, Nolan McHugh, was a hurdler on the Wachusett Regional track team, and I went to the meets and found it inspiring.”
McHugh, who grew up in Marlborough, has watched several Boston Marathons over the years.
“My dad was into running, and we went in to see Boston a couple times, and recently to cheer on other friends,” McHugh said. “I never thought I’d be running it, but here I am.”
“My goal is to finish and to enjoy the experience, and to take it all in,” she said.
According to the BAA website, the following local runners, by town, are registered for the Boston Marathon:
Holden: Joseph Alfano, Evan Bradley, Jamie Brenner, Liza Carrigan, Benjamin Coughlin, Paul Downs, William Elliott, Alyssa Freeze, Heather Gladwin, Jim Gorske, Daniel Kenary, Tammy Mcpartlen, Ryan Richer, Iain Ridgway and Lisa Sternstrom.
Paxton: Rachael Farley, Emma Saart and Jing Zhang.
Princeton: Collen Chase. Rutland: Joanne Bedard, Timothy Forrest, Daniel Gracey, Kristina Gracey and Zachary Hasting.
Sterling: Michelle Harris, Jon May, Sean McDonough and Alicia McHugh.
