For most Boston University seniors, the only finish line they’re concerned with is graduating on time. Few would choose to add training for a marathon and raising thousands of dollars for charity to their plate.
But BU seniors Chloe Trudel, Sean Tomany and Grace Sciacca, took the challenge on headfirst.
On April 20, the three ran in the 130th Boston Marathon to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Joe Andruzzi Foundation and Newton-Wellesley Hospital, respectively.
Trudel watched the Boston Marathon for the first time after transferring to BU two years ago, and wanted to run the race ever since.
“I remember sophomore year watching the Boston Marathon from Kenmore and being like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is something that I need to do,’” Trudel said. “I sort of made a promise to myself: ‘Senior year, I’ll push myself to do this.’”
When her senior year arrived, Trudel applied to run for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a Boston-based cancer care and research institute.
Her interest in the institute came from personal experiences with relatives being diagnosed with cancer and her desire to “run for an organization that meant something to [her] and [her] family,” she said.
Trudel was accepted into the marathon last November, and committed to raising $13,100 for the institute — over $1,000 more than the organization’s required fundraising commitment.
From then on, she received support from Dana-Farber and the organization’s other runners, which she credited with helping her stay motivated while she was training.
“Even on the days where my runs sucked and were brutal, it’s just remembering who you’re running for,” Trudel said. “The ‘why’ behind all the people that are running with you makes it so motivating and special.”
Trudel also received support from her professors and friends at BU, including her roommate, senior Winnie Eber.
“I think it’s pretty cool and powerful, because it’s running for something bigger than yourself,” Eber said of her roommate running the marathon. “And it’s running with the whole team of people who are also [sharing a] common goal of raising money for this one cause.”
But it’s Trudel’s mindset that has been most inspiring, Eber said, because “it’s really easy to complain” about running.
“It’s just about getting to your mindset of ‘I get to run six miles today,’ and how much of a privilege that is, to be able to do that, and to be able to do it for an organization like Dana-Farber,” Trudel said.
But Trudel wasn’t the only Terrier on the course.
Tomany’s interest in running the Boston Marathon started much like Trudel’s — watching his first race as a sophomore.
“I had no idea anything about [the marathon], but I said, ‘That’d be cool to run sometime, especially while I’m here as a student,’” he said.
Tomany has always been willing to try new and challenging things “and not feel nervous about not being good,” said his mother, Jeannette Tomany.
“He’s just like, ‘I’m learning. I’m going to get out there and try it,’” she said. “And I think that’s a great skill to have in life.”
Tomany connected with the Joe Andruzzi Foundation — a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to cancer patients in New England — and set a fundraising goal of $12,500.
“All the money that I’ve raised will help families across New England, so that’s super important, and the charity [itself] has helped support me,” Tomany said. “It’s a team of people, and we all have each other’s backs.”
BU senior and Tomany’s roommate Jonah Rothman helped his friend get in touch with the Joe Andruzzi Foundation. Most of his support, however, has been encouraging Tomany and helping “hype him up” before his runs.
“It’s inspiring seeing someone campaign around a good cause, and … his determination is pretty inspiring too,” Rothman said.
Trudel and Tomany were joined by Sciacca — who raised money for an organization that she couldn’t have run a marathon without.
For Sciacca, the Boston Marathon offered her a chance to fundraise for Newton-Wellesley Hospital, a comprehensive medical center that has been treating her for nearly a year.
Sciacca was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis — a life-threatening autoimmune disease — last summer.
A longtime runner who was already interested in running the marathon, Sciacca saw the race as an opportunity to “give back to a place that gave so much to [her].”
“They’ve continued to take such great care of me, and to be able to give back in any way has just been such a rewarding experience,” Sciacca said. “I’m just really grateful for them.”
With her autoimmune disease and asthma, Sciacca’s training process was challenging, but the support from BU and Newton-Wellesley helped her navigate the “ups and downs” of preparation, she said.
Despite the difficulty, running the marathon was a powerful reminder that anyone can achieve their goals inside and outside of running, Sciacca said.
“If there’s an organization or something you’re very passionate about, there’s nothing stopping you from helping out in any way, whether it be fundraising or volunteering,” Sciacca said. “It’s such a rewarding experience.”
