2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi will run with Team MR8 next month

2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi greeted members of the Richard family at the finish line in 2014. Photo courtesy TeamMR8

Meb Keflezighi, who won the 2014 Boston Marathon, will be among the 115 participants who will run in this year’s race as members of Team MR8— named for eight-year-old Martin Richard of Dorchester, the youngest victim of the 2013 bombings near the marathon finish line.

The team hopes to raise $800,000 this year for the Martin Richard Foundation, which provides opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and lead through volunteerism and community engagement.

The team includes many familiar names from Dorchester, including Cailin Pagel, Derek Mourad, Dianne Lescinskas, Eric Gagnon, Grace Choi, Mike McCarthy, Pat Brohpy, Pat Doherty, Pat Ryan, Patricia Millerick, Stephen Wilkins, Talia Siravo, and Tricia Dillon.

The Eritrean-born Keflezighi, who is now retired from long-distance running, will be participating on a non-competitive basis.

“We couldn’t be more honored to have Meb and all of our runners lace up their sneakers to take on this historic course for the mission of our Foundation,” said Denise and Bill Richard. “Our family has a love of running and the accomplishments of all of our runners is inspiring.”

Keflezighi leads and inspires the Meb Foundation, which advocates for the importance of “Maintaining Excellent Balance” in life.

“We admire Meb and are humbled that he is joining Team MR8 this year,” Denise Richard said. “It is a privilege for our Foundation to work alongside the Meb Foundation and share the mission of empowering young people by encouraging sportsmanship and positive life skills.”

This year’s team includes 14 runners under the age of 25 and 35 runners under the age of 30 taking on the 26.2-mile challenge.

“I ran for Team MR8 in the past three Boston marathons and it has been the best experience of my life,” said Maggie Crowley, 23, a BC student. “I have learned about my love for running but more importantly, I have learned about the importance and impact that kindness can have on a single person or an entire community. In the past three years, I have seen all the good that the Martin Richard Foundation has done to better the world. I am honored, enthusiastic, and excited to be accepted again to run and to help support all the wonderful things this organization does,”

Funds raised by Team MR8 will support all of the Martin Richard Foundation programs and their partners. For more information on all of the team members— and to support the runners in their fundraising— visit MartinRichardFoundation.org.

As part of its work, the Foundation mobilizes schools and community organizations to carry out their own service projects through their Bridge Builder Campaign, a grant program that funds projects that advance the mission of kindness, justice and peace; supports inclusive athletics through the Challenger Sports Program; challenges their robust volunteer network to do more by hosting several days of service and volunteer opportunities throughout their community and across the state; and has invested in a state of the art inclusive park, Martin’s Park, now under construction on Boston’s waterfront.


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