Alumni & their advice to running the Boston Marathon

Our alumni amaze us each and every day! Today, we want to feature those who have been training rigorously for the Boston Marathon. We gathered alumni who are at different stages—some on their seventh marathon, while others on their first. We asked them about everything from the cause they are supporting to advice for beginners—and their answers were truly magnificent.

James Tiorano (MET’13) has run the Boston Marathon twice. He’s also participated in the Providence Marathon, Hartford Marathon, Bay State Marathon (twice) and the Maine Coast Marathon.

“Anyone can do it if they have four months to spare. Embrace and enjoy the training.”

For this marathon, Tiorano is training by doing six to seven mile runs three to four times a week. He gets his long runs on the weekend through scenic routes in North Andover, MA. James fell in love with running almost twelve years ago and says he couldn’t imagine his life without it.

Shana Krassnoff (CAS’09, Questrom’09) is participating for the second year in a row as a charity runner for the Boston Bruins Foundation. The foundation focuses on academics, athletics, community outreach, and health & wellness programs that enhance the lives of children & families throughout New England. Shana’s friends and family have helped her promote and raise $10,000 to directly benefit the foundation’s impactful work with Dana Farber, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. This Boston Marathon will be her fourth marathon. She ran her very first marathon with best friend and fellow BU’09 alumnae, Dr. Elizabeth (McLaughlin) Cohen at the Rock ‘n’ Roll in San Diego, CA in 2016. She also ran the Chicago Marathon in 2017, raising money to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“Take the steps, trust yourself, and don’t compare your journey to anyone else along the way. Running is hard. Running is fierce. Running is social. Running is solo. Running is everything and anything you need or want the sport to be. I cried during my first road race… and now when I look at how far I’ve run, the people I’ve met, the places we’ve visited, and the fun we’ve shared, I am so glad the running community found me!”

When asked how she got into running, Krassnoff replied jokingly, “isn’t it obvious as a Terrier… for the free t-shirt and beer at the finish!?” But in all seriousness, she thanks the beautiful Charles River, her treadmill routine and her friends for inspiring her to be a runner. Shana trains by following a 20-week intermediate training plan, filled with weekend group runs (with The Heartbreakers) and solo long runs out on the Boston course. She also boxes, attends yoga classes and stretches.

Ashley Papadopoulos (CGS’99, Wheelock’01) is running for the Michael’s Miracle Marathon Team—Michael Lisnow Respite Center. She chose this charity because it had close ties with her husband’s company Dell/EMC. Ashley’s husband and his co-workers always spoke very highly of the Respite Center. When Ashley visited the Center, she quickly learned all that they do for the children and adults with disabilities. She got into running as a way to get back into shape after having kids. Before she knew it, she fell in love with it and began running races. Her first marathon was the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon, which she did with a fellow BU alumnae, Elizabeth Pavlick (CAS ’02).

“Make time. Set the alarm and wake up early to get it done. Marathon running is mainly mental, once you believe you can achieve this goal, you can get to that finish line.”

In preparation for this marathon, which will only be her second marathon, Ashley has focused on cross-training during the week and doing long runs during the weekend.

Sandy Curko (Pardee’92) will be running with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Team for Pediatric Cancer. The money they raise will support cancer research and quality of life programs at Mass General Hospital for Children. Sandy will be running in memory of her family and friends who have lost their battles with cancer, including her paternal grandfather, three aunts, a cousin, a number of friends, and one of her BU roommates. While she has done several races and half-marathons, this will be her first marathon.

“The most important thing is to make the time commitment and show up!  Make it a habit and figure out what time of day will most likely translate into you getting your run in for the day.  Start by running short distances and gradually build distance over time.”

Sandy started running in high school with her cross country and track & field team. Long distance running didn’t come naturally—she’s had to work hard on her pace, fuel and understanding recovery days. Curko has been following a 20-week training plan developed by the Team MGH Coach, Dan Fitzgerald. Her training includes three shorter runs during the week, and a long run every Saturday morning.  In addition to running four days a week, Sandy does strength training twice a week with a trainer.

Eline Vermeulen (Pardee’15, Wheelock’17) is running for Mass. Eye and Ear, a top-ranked hospital that treats people with vision, hearing, voice and balance problems as well as cancers of the head, neck and eye. The hospital is also home to the largest vision and hearing research program. Eline has struggled with her vision from a young age and is delighted to participate with such a meaningful cause. She ran the Newport Half Marathon  last year on April 15, which means that she will be running this full marathon exactly one year later.

“Start small and not focus on the numbers so much. Running with a friend definitely makes the experience a lot more enjoyable.”

Eline got into running after graduation when she started to look for new ways of exercising.  She missed the structure and practices of being on the Women’s Rowing Team at BU and running was much easier to attain than a boat. Vermeulen’s team provided them with the John Furey Boston Marathon Training Program, which included hills training in the Commons on Wednesdays and long runs Saturday mornings. Eline also adds strength training at least twice a week.

Marjan Faraidooni (SAR’99, SPH’01) will be running for to raise awareness for autism, specifically on behalf of Hamza Dahlan, the seven-year-old son of my friends Sarah and Malik Dahlan. Marjan has seen the life-altering impact that a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder has on a family, and the challenges that parents, like Malik and Sarah, face in securing appropriate resources. Marjan has completed six marathons to date. Four of them were the Dubai Marathon, the NYC marathon in 2014 and London in 2015.

“Anyone can run a marathon! I say that because I never thought I would ever complete one let alone 6! It requires a lot of discipline and training so you need to stick to a plan and then you’re all set to go.”

She has been running for many years. It started as a challenge of running a 5km race in 2000. Marjan (and we’re just many others) believes running is a great way to de-stress and learn how to focus. Faraidooni has been following standard marathon training programs, which include a minimum of three short runs a week and one long run. She enjoys her long runs solo every Friday. Leading up to the marathon, she’s in “taper mode,” which means running shorter distances and focusing more on mental preparations for the day.

Are you an alumni who’s also running the Boston Marathon this year? We’d love to hear from you! Post about it on Instagram Stories or Twitter, tag us (@bualumni) and #ProudToBU, and we’ll share it!