Saucony 26 Strong | Team 8 – Marisa Boasa & Jill Karno
Cadet: Marisa Boasa
Age: 35 | City: Vernon, Conn.
For Marisa Boasa, the decision to start running was as much about changing her life as challenging herself. She began running in 2010, when she was north of 275 pounds. “I was extremely overweight, unhappy and missed the former me—the person who loved to run, who was fit and fearless,” she said. “Starting to run again gave me back my confidence.”
“It was painful,” she says. “My knees hurt, and I even had a MRI to confirm all was well. My orthopedic said ‘Your knees are OK, you can do this, however it will take time, you will have to push through the pain and take it step by step.’”
She finished a half marathon last fall, and she’s excited to complete the full-distance this year. “It’s never too late to start,” she says. “Keep going, put together a schedule and stick with it. Listen and absorb the guidance from other runners and the best advice I could give to a newbie runner.”
Vet: Jill Karno
Age: 25 | City: Hartford, Conn.
“I’m so excited to run with Marisa,” Jill says. “I started running four years ago right after college to try to get myself moving without team sports. I fell in love with running, Fleet Feet and all the people I met along the way. I’ve done several half marathons and two full marathons. I believe strongly in the running community and what we can do when we put our minds to it. Running changed my life. It introduced me to people I never would have met and allowed me to see neighborhoods I would have otherwise missed. Marisa is right when she says it is never too late to start. I’ve helped many people get started through coaching at the store and can’t wait to spend more time with Marisa, she is such an inspiration!”