How grief led her to run Boston for South Boston Neighborhood House

"The work they do — for kids, families, and seniors — is real and it matters."

Lindsey Buonocore is running the 2026 Boston Marathon. (Photo courtesy of Lindset Buonocore)

January 30, 2026

1 minute to read

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: Lindsey Buonocore
Age: 38
From: Hopkinton

Running the Boston Marathon this year feels really personal to me. It’ll be my fifth marathon, but the last one I ran was Boston in 2016, and that race changed my life in ways I didn’t expect.

That year, I met Orla O’Brien, who was running for the South Boston Neighborhood House (SBNH) — The Ollie. Orla ended up becoming one of my closest friends, and it’s been amazing to watch her continued commitment to the organization — she’s now on the Board at the Ollie. But when I met her, I was also in the thick of grief. Training for Boston was one of the only things keeping me grounded. It gave me something to hold onto when everything else felt heavy.

Since then, so much has changed. Over the last ten years, I’ve had to find my way through new relationships, big life changes, and becoming a mom — twice! I’ve grown a lot, not just as a runner, but as a person. I’ve learned how to keep moving forward, how to find joy again, and how important community really is.

Through Orla, I stayed connected to SBNH, and over time it became a place I genuinely care about. I’ve volunteered at the Ollie Gala, taught Girls Group Yoga, and met the people who make the Ollie what it is. The work they do — for kids, families, and seniors — is real and it matters.

This year feels like a full-circle moment. I’m running for SBNH because I believe in what they do, but also because I want to honor the version of me from 2016 — the one who showed up, hurting, and kept going anyway.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.