Sign up for our Boston Marathon newsletter
Get Boston Marathon registration information, start times, live runner tracking, road closures, live updates from race day, special features, and more.
‘Turning loss into purpose’: Melrose woman to run Boston
Kristina McCarthy is running the 2026 Boston Marathon for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.
Name: Kristina McCarthy
Age: 45
From: Melrose
Running Boston is my way of honoring my dad and turning loss into purpose.
Last April, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer and passed away shortly after. My sisters and I had the honor of caring for him during his illness, a time that was incredibly difficult, but deeply meaningful.
Advertisement:
While we were by his side, the 2025 Boston Marathon was taking place. Like so many New Englanders, I grew up watching it, but that year it felt different. I remember thinking that one day, I wanted to run Boston. What started as a bucket-list idea quickly became something more. Overwhelmed by grief, I started to run for the first time in my life. Running gave me a way to process my grief, stay grounded, and feel close to my dad during a time when everything else felt uncertain. I set my sights on the 2026 Boston Marathon and knew I had to run for the Dana-Farber Marathon Team. His diagnosis came with limited treatment options, leaving our family wishing for more hope and more answers. Supporting Dana-Farber’s Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research allows me to contribute to the kind of work that can change those outcomes, advancing research that leads to new treatments and better options for families facing cancer.
Advertisement:
Boston is a city that shows up for its runners and for its causes. Running the 2026 Boston Marathon is my way of honoring my dad, giving back to a community that means so much to me, and helping move cancer research forward.
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com