We’re very proud of all of this year’s Boston Marathon runners, especially representatives from the legal community who will be running the 26.2-mile course this Monday (find out some of those names here). It is always a memorable, moving event for the city, and even more so in the past couple of years. We want to give as much encouragement possible to our runners in the face of this physical challenge.
With this in mind, BBA Week reached out and asked:
“What words of encouragement would you want to offer to this year’s Marathon runners? What is your mantra when things get tough?”
Julie Heinzelman – Prince Lobel Tye LLP
“The best advice that I can give to this year’s runners is “never give up.” I ran the Boston Marathon in 2011 for Tedy’s Team to raise money for the American Stroke Association in honor of my grandmother. Tedy’s mantra of “never give up” was particularly helpful to me when running Boston because of problems I encountered while training and just the overall difficulty of the course. Even off of the course, his words have always stuck with me. Training through this past winter undoubtedly required a great deal of mental toughness, but it will all be worth it when each runner takes the right on Hereford and left on Boylston. Crossing the finishing line is one of the greatest feelings in the world (even though it took me forever to get there). Never give up!”
Darren Braham – Spartan Race, Inc.
“I love cheering on runners on Marathon Monday. The crowds line most of the route, and I remember how much they helped me get over the finish line ten years ago. My mantra, which, although, I repeated over and over, proved harder to follow in principle was “pain is temporary; suffering is optional”. One other tip: write your name on your shirt so people can call you out by name. Good luck runners!”
Thomas A. Mackie – Mackie Shea, PC
“Start easy, maintain a steady pace, look around, enjoy the experience. When the going gets tough, remember to embrace it – that is what you are there for.”
Rosanna Sattler – Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLP
“Best of luck; but please remember, luck is the residue of design. Your preparation will undoubtedly pay off.”
Vince Pisegna – Krokidas & Bluestein LLP
“In the immortal words of Dottie Hinson (played by Geena Davis) in the movie A League Of Their Own: “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.””
Rachel Munoz – Morgan Brown & Joy
“Do not forget to have fun, celebrate your accomplishment, and take a moment to remember the victims of the Marathon bombing when you cross the finish line. When things get tough, I like to sing the song by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “I Won’t Back Down.” When things get tough for you on the course, remember that you, the victims and their families, and the City of Boston have not and will not let those who wish to create fear and harm keep us from the finish line. Also, remember that the City of Boston is cheering you on! I have run two marathons and learned that when I focused on the experience and appreciated the support from the spectators, rather than the pain of 26.2 miles, I had a much better race. ”
Amy Lipman-White – Law Office of Lipman & White
“We each set our own personal intentions when we decide to embark on something as relentless as running a Marathon. Keep sight of your intention. Bring yourself back to that moment in time which brought you here and it will carry you through the day. Good luck, Marathoners. I have no doubt you can do it.”
Joseph L. Bierwirth – Hemenway & Barnes LLP
“I would just say trust your training, listen to your body, soak it all in, and enjoy the experience! Crank some Springsteen if you’re an earbud type … those two lanes will take you anywhere!”
If you would like to respond to a future Voices of the Bar, make sure you send a headshot, and contact Gabrielle Guarracino at gguarracino@bostonbar.org.