2016 Team Framingham Boston Marathon Applications Now Available

Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Mike Bower announced the process for allocating the invitational entries which the Boston Athletic Association is expected to provide to Framingham for the April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon will remain the same as was utilized for the 2015 marathon.

“The Team Framingham Boston Marathon program has been extraordinarily successful these past two years. Our Team Framingham runners have raised more than $113,000 for local charities. 46 of our 47 Team Framingham runners have successfully completed the grueling 26.2 mile Boston Marathon course. We expect a high level of interest in the community and among town employees for a coveted invitational entry for the 2016 Boston Marathon” said Bower.

Applications for runners interested in participating in the random selection for these invitational entries are available on the Town of Framingham web-site for downloading or at the Board of Selectmen Office in the Memorial Building. The application deadline is Monday Nov. 30 at 4 p.m.

http://www.framinghamma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1073

The application period is now open and runs from through Monday Nov. 30.

The random selection will take place on Monday Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Ablondi Room at the Framingham Town Hall. It will be open to the public.

Submissions of completed applications can be made via email to MarathonBibs@framinghamma.gov or by drop off or US mail to the Board of Selectmen, Marathon Bibs, 150 Concord St., Memorial Building, Framingham MA, 01702.

The “guiding principles” for the allocation of the invitational entries are as follows:

• The Town will utilize a random selection process to allocate what we anticipate will be a minimum of 22 invitational entries for the 2016 Boston Marathon. (An official commitment of these invitational entries is expected in early November from the Boston Athletic Association).

• Framingham residents or employees of the Town of Framingham and Framingham Public Schools, Keefe Technical School and the McAuliffe Charter School will be eligible to enter the random selection provided they commit to a fund raising effort to support one of several charities, non-profits, or programs to be designated.

• There will be a finite number of charities, non-profits, and programs selected by the members of the Board of Selectmen and the Chief of Police. Runners selected by the random selection will be required to choose one of the designated charity, non-profit or programs to conduct fund raising for.

• The selection of the list of six eligible charities, non-profits and programs will continue the process utilized in 2014 and 2015 and may possibly be refined in future years.

• Runners selected by random selection will commit to a minimum fundraising requirement of $1,500 in support of one of the designated charities, non-profits or programs but with an expectation that they attempt to reach a target of $2,500. The minimum fundraising requirement and target may be increased from year to year as the Team Framingham program evolves.

• We will not require credit card numbers but if a runner selected for a number fails to reach the minimum fundraising requirement they will not be eligible to participate in the random selection in subsequent years. The matter of requiring credit card numbers will be reviewed each year and may change depending upon whether there are runners who do not achieve the minimum fundraising requirement.

• The partnership with the Greater Framingham Running Club will be continued in support of the runners and their training.

• We will continue to promote a ‘Team Framingham’ brand and will encourage runners selected to run to do two things: first, get connected to a marathon training mentor; and second, participate in a Town sponsored fundraising seminar.

The guidelines and procedures for the random selection are spelled out on documentation accompanying the application. Prospective applicants should take note of these guidelines. The guidelines are as follows:

• Random selection applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 pm on Monday November 30.
• Submission can be made via email to “MarathonBibs@framinghamma.gov” or via drop off or US mail to the Board of Selectmen, Marathon Bibs, Memorial Building, 150 Concord St. Framingham MA 01702.
• Random selection will be held on Monday December 7 in the evening and will be open to the public.
• Random selection applications must be completed in full to be included.
• The applicant must be the person who will be running the Boston Marathon.
• The applicant/runner must meet one or both of the following criteria:
Resident of the Town of Framingham. Framingham State University students residing in on or off campus housing are not considered residents of Framingham for the purpose of determining residency unless their permanent residence is Framingham. Residency verification criteria can be found below.
Year-round or school year employee of the Town of Framingham or the Framingham Public Schools, Keefe Technical School, or the Christa McAuliffe Charter School. Employment verification criteria can be found below.
Residency and/or employment status will be verified before the random selection is held. Applicants not meeting the residency or employment criteria will not be included in the random selection. You will be informed if there is an issue with your application during the verification process.
• “Team Framingham” will be announced at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Tuesday December 8.
• The runner must be 18 years or older on April 18, 2016. This is a BAA requirement.
• The runner is responsible for the “invitational fee” paid to the BAA as part of the application process. This is a BAA requirement. The BAA application fee for the 2015 Boston Marathon was $325.
• The runner must sign the waiver/disclaimer releasing the Town of Framingham from any liability prior to the BAA application being distributed.
• The runner is responsible for the minimum fundraising obligation of $1,500 for a designated organization. Runners who do not attain this minimum by May 31, 2016 will not be eligible for future random selections. The list of charitable organizations for which fundraising will be done for will be announced during the application period.
• Random selection participants are encouraged to begin a running program prior to the actual selection of the team so that they will have a good “base” for the rigorous training necessary to be fully prepared for the April 18, 2016 Boston Marathon.
• Training for and running in a marathon is a physically challenging and demanding undertaking. It is strongly recommended that applicants meet with their primary care physician before engaging in this program, particularly those individuals who have not run before or those who have not engaged in long distance running previously.

Residency Verification: Residency will be verified by the Town Clerk utilizing multiple sources (i.e. voter registrations, census information, etc.). In the event that residency cannot be confirmed in this manner, applicants will be required to obtain a Proof of Residency letter from the Town Clerk. This may require that documents confirming residency be submitted and verified by the Town Clerk. The deadline to obtain this letter and submit it to the Town Manager’s Office will be 3 p.m. on Friday Dec. 4, 2015. There is a small fee associated with obtaining a Proof of Residency Letter from the Town Clerk.

Employment Verification: The Human Resources Departments of the Town of Framingham, the Framingham Public Schools, Keefe Technical School or the Christa McAuliffe Charter School will be asked to verify year round or school year employment. You must be employed by one of these four entities on Oct. 1, 2015 to be considered an “employee” for verification purposes.

Inquiries or questions can be sent to MarathonBibs@framinghamma.gov.