An Extra Mile in Memory of Adrian Martinez

The thing about sad stories is you can’t spoil the ending -- they’ll tug at those heartstrings no matter how many times you hear them. But sometimes the sad parts move to the middle, allowing the tale to end on a positive note.

Consider the story of Adrian Martinez:

A champion miler and team leader when he ran track at Concord-Carlisle High School, Martinez continued to run and complete at Williams College. Tragedy struck not long after graduation. The summer after he finished school, Martinez died after suffering a heart attack while playing soccer with friends. He was 22.

Adrian Martinez died in 2006. The fifth annual Adrian Martinez Classic will be held next weekend.

Part competition, part fundraiser and part memorial, the Adrian Martinez Classic features series of mile races for runners of all ages and abilities and serves as a fundraiser for the Adrian Martinez Scholarship at Concord-Carlisle and the Friends of CCHS Track and Field.

“The Concord community really grieved the loss of Adrian, and wanted an event that represented the fun spirit that Adrian had,” said Jessica Minty, a friend of Adrian’s who ran with him in high school and against him in college. “It’s kind of a fundraiser, a memorial to remember Adrian and an all-around great event.”

The Adrian Martinez Classic begins at 4 p.m. next Saturday, July 6, at Emerson Field. Youth races begin at 4:15 p.m., followed by scholastic races at 4:40 p.m., first-timer’s mile and Masters and Seniors races at 5:10 p.m., the family 4-x-400 relay at 5:35 p.m., open miles at 4:45 p.m. and the “Andro Miles” for elite runners at 6:05 p.m.

In addition to the races, there will be food and entertainment for non-runners as well.

Event organizers are encouraging participants to register online at signmeup.com/martinezclassic. But they’ll also accept day-of entries who arrive at least an hour before the race, according to Minty.

It’s not exactly walking a mile in his shoes, but the event is a way to honor Martinez’s memory by doing what he loved.

“Adrian was a very talented runner and he loved to run and compete,” said Minty. “This would have been the kind of event that Adrian would have wanted to take part in. He was also a very laid back and fun-loving person, so an event that combined both community and sport, a social event combined with a sporting event was right up Adrian’s alley.”

For more on the Adrian Martinez Classic, visit the event’s website.