When a Jesuit priest from BC High completed the BAA Boston Marathon on Monday, it was his first race -ever. “I did not even do a 5K,” said the sixty-year-old Fr. John Predmore, who only began training for the road race in January, and pledged his run to benefit Boston Healthcare for the Homeless.
On Monday, he completed the race in just over six hours, and at last count his online supporters had contributed more than $31,000 for the charity.
“I finished the race about 6:15 p.m.,” he said in a Facebook post Monday night. “It was an awesome experience, like being on a 26.2-mile block party with so many supporters. I had a great time interacting with the people every step of the way.
“I figured I was not going to win, so I might as well enjoy the people. I kept a steady pace and I kept moving forward. Everyone kept yelling ‘Fr. Jack,’ so it felt quite personal.
“I was not winded at all, I could have run more than I walked, but I wanted to pace myself. Toward the end, I could feel this creeping feeling in my legs and I wanted to be careful of that, but it left after mile 22.
“At the end of the race, two toes are a little bruised and my calves and hamstrings are sore, but overall, I feel great. The crowd support is indescribable….
“I can now say that I ran the Boston Marathon. How many other people can say that?”
