Click Logos to Visit our Sponsors
Dr. Lois Lombardo, DDS
Over 250 people gathered for our third annual 5K Fun-Run & Walk on a beautiful Sunday morning. Top finishers: Todd Collins (M) 16:35, Emily Tremaine (F) 20:39, and Scott Diekema (U-18) 17:47. The money raised funds our operating expenses and enrichment programs. In addition, a donation is being made to the One Fund in honor of the victims of the Marathon Day attack.
ANDOVER – Over 250 people gathered at the A Better Chance Fun Run & Walk this past Sunday. The third annual 5K event was a family affair for many of the runners. Children under a year old were pushed in strollers and multiple parent-child entrants enjoyed the course, including A Better Chance scholar Xonatia Lee, who was joined by her mother, Marsha, and brother Rhyeem, who came up from Brooklyn for the race. 
Rhyeem ran a personal best and came in third overall. Other top finishers included Todd Collins, 34, of Andover, who was the first male finisher with a time of 16:35. Emily Tremaine, 27, of Arlington was the first place female finisher with a time of 20:39. Scott Diekema a Phillips Academy student from Iowa City, Iowa was the first place U-18 finisher with a time of 17:47. These along with second— and third— place winners in each division, received gift certificates from race sponsor Greater Boston Running Company.
“Friends old and new to A Better Chance joined us today,” said ABC President Mary Pritchard, “We had such a festive atmosphere and we are so appreciative of all the support we received from the runners, walkers, the cheering section and local businesses.” ABC supporters, neighbors and serious runners enjoyed the brilliant April morning and the race course through the neighborhoods near downtown. All seven of the ABC scholars were in attendance, along with house residence staff.
This year the event included a moment honoring the Boston Marathon bombing victims, their families and the running community as well as celebrating the resilient and generous spirit that Boston has shown the world. ABC student Ariel Leachman read a quote from President Barak Obama and the crowd stood in complete silence in a moment of remembrance. In addition, race participants wore blue and yellow ribbons and wrote words of appreciation and encouragement on a reflections poster. Several runners who ran the Boston Marathon last week ran the 5K. Two mothers whose sons were both injured at the Marathon ran the 5K side by side and shared an emotional moment as they finished this race together, saying they were really touched by the community support demonstrated at the 5K. ABC is pleased that $1,500 of the $5,000 funds raised has been donated to the One Fund.
As registration closed and the race was about to start, we were still missing the LaMarche family. Lo and behold, their early plans to run in the Andover ABC 5K were pre-empted by a bigger mission. Starting at the Boston Marathon finish line at Copley Square, Phillips Academy students Olivia LaMarche and Peyton McGovern, ran a relay race all the way to Phillips Academy in honor of the Boston Marathon victims. Amy LaMarche, Friend of ABC, shared their story with us after the race: Phillips Academy Athletes Raise Money for One Fund.
Peyton's father Paul McGovern was able to share a piece of the official Boston Marathon finishing line ribbon with them for their heartfelt finish.
In addition to the Greater Boston Running Company, local business sponsors included Tewksbury Physical Therapy, Optimum Sportswear, North Andover Pediatrics, Black Diamond Networks, TD Bank, Whole Foods, SNAP Infusion, Enterprise Bank, Panera Bread, Lois Lombardo, DDS, Commonwealth Motors, Salvatore’s Restaurant, Chama Grill, EXIT Group One Real Estate, New Balance Athletic Shoe, Learning Express, Gath Sign Company and Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods, Inc.
Full race resultsposted at Cool Running - Andover A Better Chance 5K Fun-Run & Walk Results.
Andover Townsman articles::
April 18, 2013
A Better Chance gearing up for 5K Fun Walk, Run
April 25, 2013
Moment of silence to precede ABC 5K
May 2, 2013
On the heels of Boston
Lost & Found: if anyone lost a woven metal ring, please email us at 5K@AndoverABC.org.
Todd Collins Wins The Race