Boston Children’s Hospital Named Official Pediatric Care Hospital of the Boston Marathon
BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) and Boston Children’s Hospital have announced a new multi-year sponsorship establishing a Community Race Series, bringing the thrill of road racing to a variety of areas in the City of Boston. The new Community Race Series will feature run/walk events for athletes of all ages and abilities at distances from one mile to 5K.
“Boston Children’s Hospital has long been a global leader in pediatric care, putting members of our community’s health first,” said Jack Fleming, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the B.A.A. “We at the B.A.A. are eager to collaborate with Boston Children’s Hospital to increase the accessibility of running events, bringing them to various parts of our city. This new sponsorship will bring two iconic Boston organizations even closer together in an effort to further our shared vision of supporting healthy lifestyles in the Greater Boston Area.”
The B.A.A. will work with Boston Children’s Hospital to host as many as five races per calendar year, with the first Community Race to be held this fall. Each of the races will vary in distance from one mile to 5K, will be free of charge, and will host a maximum of 500 participants of all ages, with a primary focus on Greater Boston youth. Races will be held in a variety of city neighborhoods.
“All of us at Boston Children’s are thrilled to be collaborating with the Boston Athletic Association to bring road races to children and families around the city,” said Dr. Shari Nethersole, Vice President of Community Health and Engagement at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Together, we look forward to making healthy activities accessible and fun for Bostonians of all backgrounds.”
The B.A.A. and Boston Children’s Hospital will also collaborate on creating a training curriculum designed to educate runners and walkers on maintaining healthy and active lifestyles. The training series will align with and compliment the Community Race Series, and will be led by Boston Children’s Hospital specialists and B.A.A. coaches.
In addition to its sponsorship of the Community Race Series, Boston Children’s Hospital has been named the Official Pediatric Care Hospital of the Boston Marathon. Surrounding future Boston Marathons, Boston Children’s Hospital will include a team of athletes who will fundraise to support community initiatives. Boston Children’s Hospital will be part of many Boston Marathon weekend events and activities, including Boston Marathon Fan Fest and the B.A.A. Relay Challenge youth road race.
Boston Children’s Hospital is dedicated to improving and advancing the health and well-being of children around the world through its life-changing work in clinical care, biomedical research, medical education, and community engagement.
More information on the inaugural Community Race Series event will be announced in the near future.
The 127th Boston Marathon will take place on Monday, April 17, 2023, featuring a field size of 30,000 participants. Registration for the 127th Boston Marathon will take place over five days, September 12-16, 2022, within the B.A.A.’s online platform Athletes’ Village.