This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Northeastern chapter.
Name: Lauren Benoit
Year: Sophomore
Major: I am a BSBA Major with a Concentration in Accounting
Hometown: Boston, MA
What motivated you to run the Boston Marathon?
I have been wanting to run the BM for a while now. I have been a runner for about 6 years now, and I grew up coming into Boston watching the Marathon. It is such an awesome day, and I wanted to be a part of it even more.
What charity did you raise money for?
I ran the BM through The Children’s Room.
How did it feel to cross the finish line?
After I crossed the finish line I cried, (laughs) it might sound a little ridiculous, but I did cry. I have been wanting to do this for such a long time and I was so happy to have finally accomplished it. Running the BM is so much more than running a marathon for me. It brought me closer to the city of Boston, my hometown, and it made me a part of the history of the BM. Boston is the most prestigious and longest running marathon. Elite runners around the world dream to one day run Boston, and I am so happy to have run it as my first marathon, and to have grown up with such a close connection to it.
Do you think you will run again next year?
I really want to run it again. It was such a challenging course and it definitely pushed me closer to my limits. There were times when the weather was not in my favor, and the hills were not being forgiving, but that is exactly the spirit of what the BM is. You can’t stop in the middle of the race. Training for a marathon requires a great deal of physical conditioning, but it also calls for a strong sense of mental conditioning. It was so awesome, and I really hope I get to run Boston again.