Run To Remember Boston Supporting Sole Train, a Mentoring Program Helping Boston Youth Realize Their Capacity for Greatness

200 ‘Young Soles’ will join field as registration continues for popular Memorial Day weekend road race honoring fallen first responders

BOSTON (April 24, 2017) – The upcoming Run To Remember Boston will benefit more than six non-profit organizations. One of those is Sole Train, a community building and mentoring program that uses running to help youth in Boston public schools realize their capacity for greatness.

The goal-setting and training program will culminate on May 28 when 200 Young Soles (youth participants) and 100+ Old Soles (adult volunteers) toe the line for Run To Remember Boston, a half marathon and 5-mile road race event through historic downtown Boston.   

“Our courageous Young Soles look forward to this fabulous race each year,” said Sole Train Director Jess Leffler. “For many, it's a day that they will remember for the rest of their lives. We also often hear that it's one of the most amazing things they've ever done.”

Sole Train: Boston Runs Together, a program of Trinity Boston Foundation, uses running as a vehicle for helping the young people it serves, ages 11-20, set and achieve seemingly impossible goals. Now in its ninth year, Sole Train has expanded from a 16-person program to serving nearly 200 youths with more than 100 adult volunteers at 15 Boston public school sites, based in Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Fenway, Charlestown, Chelsea and the South End.

Sole Train teams practice twice a week during or after the school day. Young Soles build strong connections with their team, courageously tackle challenges, and gain confidence, Leffler said. Living out these values and skills drives their success in Sole Train, as well as their desire and ability to be successful in other areas of their lives, she added.

“It is the only time in the day when I see kids being totally supportive and encouraging of one another,” said Lucia Mandelbaum, Sole Train Site Coordinator at Boston Green Academy. “There is so much positive energy and commitment from them — it’s a little pocket of heaven here at school. I love it so much.”

Teams come together for community building events and races throughout the year, leading up to Sole Train’s culminating goal race: Run to Remember Boston’s five-mile race or half marathon. 

Young Soles receive free race entry to Run To Remember Boston, sneakers, shirts and hoodies that get worn with pride.

“Sole Train is about believing in yourself and never giving up,” said Julie T., a Young Sole. “I learned that running isn’t about winning; it’s about trying your best and always following your dreams.”

Run To Remember Boston Race Director Steve Balfour said Sole Train’s participation is among the most inspiring aspects of the event.

“You know how hard these kids have worked, the connections they’ve made with the adult mentors, and it just adds a huge amount of positive energy on race day, one of the many great stories of this event,” Balfour said.

In addition to Sole Train, other charitable organizations that will benefit from the 2017 Run to Remember Boston are the Alzheimer’s Association, Cops for Kids with Cancer, MDA, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Fallen Heroes and Massachusetts Law Enforcement Memorial.

Registration for the half marathon and 5-mile events at Run to Remember Boston is ongoing at www.BostonsRunToRemember.com. Organizers are urging runners to sign up soon as the popular Memorial Day weekend event is already more than half way to being full.

Run To Remember Boston’s half marathon and 5-mile races both start at the Seaport World Trade Center in downtown Boston on Sunday, May 28. This is the 13th year for the charity event, created as a tribute to Massachusetts law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

Starting from the Seaport World Trade Center, the scenic loop courses wind through historic downtown Boston, with the half marathon crossing over the Charles River along Memorial Drive in Cambridge before looping back. Run To Remember Boston is the only road race through historic downtown Boston to honor those who lost their lives protecting and serving others,

Last month, the race announced it is again offering the 1st Responder Challenge where teams with a minimum of five runners from any first responder department in the U.S. compete in the half marathon for a chance to win bragging rights and split a cash prize of $10,000 among the top three teams for the charity of their choice. Race organizers also are excited to announce an additional prize of $1,000 for the top department with 250 or fewer active members.  For more info on the challenge, contact Brigit at BostonRuntoRemember@gmail.com

Run to Remember Boston is produced by a handful of police officers, detectives and their supporters who volunteer their time to create, organize and manage the race. Proceeds benefit the community and children’s programs of the police department running club.

Last year, just over 9,000 runners crossed the finish line in the two races.

As a bonus again this year, every finisher will receive a commemorative, two-piece medal with a magnetized space to attach a special inner Challenge Coin of their choice that honors Police, Fire or 1st Responders.

Major sponsors include the City of Boston Credit Union, New Balance, Star Market, Shaw’s and CBS Radio Mix 104.1.

For additional information, find the race on Facebook or Twitter and visit the website at www.BostonsRunToRemember.com.

For those who cannot run this year but want to take part, donations may be made to Run To Remember Boston and sent to P.O. Box 664, North Berwick, ME 03906.  People can also take part in the race virtually by registering as a virtual participant and running a distance and at a time of their choice. Visit the Run to Remember Boston website for more information.

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