‘Kiss Me, I’m _____’ at Wellesley College
“Run Karita, Run!’’ “Kiss me! You’re halfway there!’’ “BEER: 13 miles ahead.’’ Much like the Boston Red Sox playing at Fenway Park every Marathon Monday, you can count on Wellesley College students to cheer on, and kiss, the runners.
The students took to the Boston Marathon’s halfway point this morning to keep its smooch-filled “scream tunnel’’ as loud as ever. Women holding massive “Kiss me’’ signs provided deafening cheers despite the rain.
After the women’s and men’s elite runners passed without looking back, the fun began. The pockets of approaching runners were announced with roaring cheers from down the course, and the occasional participant would lean in to quickly kiss a student among a sea of high-fives.
“A little mouth to mouth resuscitation!’’ one runner shouted.
This is exactly what Wellesley junior Maria Castano has been planning for months. Castano presides over Wellesley’s Munger Hall, a dormitory on campus, which means she also presides over all scream-tunnel sign-making.
“Last year over 900 signs were made, this year we had to cap it at 400,’’ she said. “It was a hazard! All the [barricade] railings were covered.’’
Cranking out 50 to 100 signs a night, Castano and a team of students made whatever cardboard creations the runners or their families requested. The planning started about three months ago, Castano said.
Kathleen Lau, a first-time marathoner who’s running to complete her blog about losing over 60 pounds the past three years, says the signs give runners the push they need. Lau has been telling her story on her website, halfassbadass.wordpress.com, and thought there would be no better way to mark her arrival at mile 13 than with a sign boasting the site’s name.
“It’s basically a picture of, an ass… with ‘badass’ written on it,’’ she said. “During training, my coach has said to envision the halfway point with all these girls, all these signs… this is going to pump you up!’’
Lau works for Back On My Feet, a nonprofit that helps homeless and at-risk people in the area recover through physical exercise.
Castano’s fundraising goal to cover the cost of signs and supplies was $250. The donation account garnered a total of over $800. Castano says she’s donating all of the extra proceeds to a marathon charity, and that the workload is worth it.
“The request forms come in with little notes,’’ she said. “One said ‘Wellesley is the fabric of the marathon, we couldn’t do this without you.’ The marathon has definitely given me a lot of Boston pride.’’
[bdc-gallery id=”333710″]
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