Patrick J. Knight

I am excited and honored to run my first Boston Marathon for the Newton Boys and Girls Club. For the past 13 years I have stood near the finish line (at the corner of Fairfield and Boylston) and watched the runners complete the last few hundred yards of the race. I have always been inspired by the ‘average Joe’ and the look of determination and grit on their faces as they complete 26.2 miles. What an incredible accomplishment after a long training period.

This year I decided to get off the sidelines. I ran my first half marathon with the Boston Athletic Association in October of 2011, and I was inspired to take it to the next level. As a Newton resident, I feel a responsibility to give back to my community and support an organization that has a direct positive impact on local children and their families. While this has been an amazing journey (and a lot of hard work) it is really about supporting the Newton Boys and Girls Club to ensure that their work continues. They play a critical role in helping to build a future for the children they serve.

Thank you for helping to support a worthy cause. You have an open invitation to join me any morning at 6AM to tackle the Newton hills.