Martin Richard Foundation seeks runners for NYC marathon

Team MR8 — the Martin W. Richard Charitable Foundation— is recruiting charity runners for the New York City Marathon this fall. It will be the second major race effort for the organization, named for the Dorchester 8 year-old who was killed in the April 2013 terror attack on the Boston Marathon.

Individuals who wish to “Run for Martin” can apply online by visiting www.TeamMR8.org and clicking the “Run New York” icon.

“We are excited to participate in the TCS New York City Marathon, the largest in the world, and are grateful to the New York Road Runners for supporting us in our first year,” said Bill Richard, Martin’s father, who co-founded the charity with his wife Denise, both of whom were injured in the bombing. “There was such a powerful response to Martin’s message of ‘No more hurting people. Peace” during this year’s Boston Marathon, and we are excited to carry that momentum to New York.”

The New York Road Runners (NYRR), which puts on the Marathon each year, has awarded eight charity entries to Team MR8, the Foundation’s race team. In addition to the eight charity entries the foundation will award, any runners who are already registered with NYRR to run are also welcome to apply to the team to run in Martin’s honor.

Applicants chosen to be members of Team MR8 are provided with training and fundraising support as well as uniforms and gear for both training and race day. Team MR8 members who are interested are also provided with opportunities to serve as ambassadors for the foundation with media and at events.

The application, which can be completed and submitted at www.TeamMR8.org, asks charity runners to commit to raising $3,000 for the Foundation. Runners who are already registered, but wish to “Run for Martin” as part of Team MR8, are asked to commit to raising $1,000. The application deadline is July 28, 2014. Team MR8 will announce its roster of runners for the TCS New York City Marathon the first week of August.

“All of the proceeds raised by Team MR8 will be used to make investments in the Foundation’s three areas of focus: education, athletics and community, each of which were very important to our son,” added Richard. “It is important to us, as both a foundation and a family, to make our investments in the communities that support our runners.”

The inaugural Team MR8 that ran in the 2014 BAA Boston Marathon included 102 runners and raised more than $1.25 million for the Foundation. The nickname, MR8, is derived from Martin’s initials, as well as age, which was also the number he preferred to wear in sports.

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