Why I'm Running The Boston Marathon: Ellenor Barish

SOMERVILLE, MA — Ellenor Barish is one of 126 runners from Somerville participating in the Boston Marathon.

In October, the marathon was held for the first time since the start of the pandemic. It returns to its traditional Patriots Day date for the first time since 2019.

Barish is running to raise money for the Somerville Homeless Coalition. Read more about her marathon journey in her own words:

"Last fall, I trained pretty hard for some 10-mile races and considered building on that training to run a marathon. I had run 5 marathons when I was in my 20s and had always said I would do it again. When December rolled around, I just didn't feel the motivation to keep running at marathon training level. In January, I committed to running three miles outside every day just to stay active - or so I thought. Then, early in the last week of January, I saw a post on the Somerville Road Runners Facebook page, saying that the Somerville Homeless Coalition had a charity bib for the Boston Marathon and they needed a runner.

My husband and I have been fans of the SHC for years. They quantify the power of donations really nicely on their website: $25.00 provides street homeless clients with food & sanitation supplies; $50.00 feeds a family/individual by providing a bag of groceries; $100.00 keeps guests safe overnight at their Adult Shelter; $500.00 - runs an enrichment program for children at their Family Shelter; $1,000.00 prevents a family/individual from becoming homeless. I know the work they do has a real positive impact on their clients and on the community. Here was an opportunity to support that work at a financial level that wasn't possible for me as an individual. This was the kind of motivation that could get me back on the marathon course!

I considered how many weeks I had to get in marathon shape and to fundraise, talked about it with my family, and reached out to the SHC for more details. I knew it was a stretch to go from 3 miles a day in January to a marathon in April. Raising $10,000 in less than three months wouldn't be easy either! But I felt pretty confident I could do both. And I worried that with such a short timeframe, the SHC might not get a lot of inquiries. I told them I was their runner if they would have me. And they did!

It will be an incredible honor to run the Boston Marathon wearing the Somerville Homeless Coalition's very first charity bib. With about a month to go, I am feeling as motivated as ever to run. The training hasn't been easy and there was a hiccup following a week of skiing, but I have stuck to my schedule and am well on the way to 26.2 miles. Fundraising is going well too, but the need isn't going away, and I know the SHC will put every dollar I can raise to excellent use. I have also heard that the success of my fundraiser may impact the SHC's chances of getting a charity bib next year. So, even as I close in on my $10,000 goal, I am not slowing down. In fact, I am considering a stretch goal."

Click here to donate to Ellenor Barish's fundraising campaign.