There was no vinyl end line stretched alongside Boylston Road. The one semblance of a crowd was a handful of early-leaving Crimson Sox followers spilling out of Fenway Park.
With nothing however the music by way of his headphones and his intrinsic ideas as gas, Jeffrey Paolino eyed the streets of Boston. He nonetheless had some 30 miles to journey earlier than returning to his Methuen house, the place he would full his 60-mile trek to Boston and again.
Whereas he didn’t constantly run the entire method — stopping at Fenway Park to catch just a few innings of the Crimson Sox sport — Paolino’s jaunt wasn’t something out of the peculiar.
Final summer time, he trudged 50 miles from Methuen to Salisbury and again in at some point. Following his sprint house from Fenway, he upped the ante with a 70-mile mission from Methuen to Rye Seaside in Rye, N.H., a feat he completed in 22 hours.
So when Paolino, 39, embarks to finish two marathons in two days, the mileage will probably be nothing the bold athlete hasn’t seen earlier than. On Sunday, Paolino is about to take flight within the Robust Ruck, a 26.2-mile march by way of the streets of Harmony and Bedford in help of fallen navy and first responders earlier than reporting to Hopkinton on Monday for the 129th Boston Marathon.
Not solely will he log 52.4 miles in two days, the primary 26.2-mile journey will probably be with a 25-30-pound military-grade backpack.
“It’s possible,” Paolino stated. “It’s just this will be a little different because there’s weight involved in the first 26.”
Sunday will mark Paolino’s sixth Robust Ruck, an occasion he appreciates for its bodily and psychological problem in addition to its tribute to fallen members of the navy and first responders. Paolino served eight years within the Air Pressure Reserve and has a powerful navy background. His grandfather, Vito A. Paolino, was a Marine.
Whereas maintaining his grandfather’s reminiscence alive, Paolino will probably be working in honor of fallen USMC Capt. Ross Reynolds, a local of Leominster. Paolino met the Reynolds household final 12 months, and it solely heightened his ardour to remain concerned with Robust Ruck.
“That really was eye-opening for me,” Paolino stated. “I think at that point I realized I’m not doing these races for the finish lines or for medals. There’s a greater purpose, and it’s for families like Ross’s family and to remember his legacy and his service.”
Paolino stated he plans to include working, jogging and strolling whereas lugging the ruck on his again to preserve as a lot power as he can for Monday. The strategy will mirror how he took on his trio of long-distance hauls in the summertime.
And when he shifts his focus to Boston on Patriots Day, it can examine a significant field for the 2003 Methuen Excessive graduate who by no means had marathons on his radar.
Paolino attended UMass Lowell whereas working with the Lowell Spinners as head groundskeeper, a place he held from 2007-16. He juggled his groundskeeping job with lessons at UML whereas dedicating weekends to his reserve obligation. Paolino fondly remembers taking his oath in an on-field ceremony at LeLacheur Park.
He now works in Lawrence for the Division of Developmental Companies as a program coordinator II to help people with mental disabilities, a task he’s had for 9 years.
When he’s not at his 9-5 job, he’s dedicated to a strict coaching routine that yielded his first Ironman Triathlon final spring in Texas. The gauntlet consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike journey and full marathon. He competed with fellow Air Pressure veteran Ryan Robertson, a coaching companion influential in his journey.
In February, he ran a marathon in Austin, Texas, and has been trying ahead to his first Boston Marathon. Paolino is working in help of the Army Buddies Basis, the beneficiary of Robust Ruck. He was tasked with $15,000 in fundraising.
“It means so much to me,” he stated. “So many people have crossed that finish line … it’s truly an honor.”
Paolino ultimately hopes to beat the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors. He’s registered for New York and Chicago within the fall and plans to run in Berlin, London, Tokyo and Australia.
Till then, he will probably be replenishing with meals and electrolytes on Sunday night time into Monday morning to prep for one more 26.2 miles.
“I’ve got a lot of food already planned out,” he stated, laughing. “I’ve got a lot of orders already in.”
Paolino is trying ahead to the problem. This time, his music and private ideas will probably be accompanied by a lot extra.
“I can’t tell you how many times it crossed my mind where I’m thinking back to some of my grandfather’s stories, and I reflect on that and say here I am, I’m able to have my nutrition, I’m able to hydrate appropriately surrounded by some great people running these races when his generation and many service members went through hell and back,” Paolino stated.
Initially Printed:
