Boston Runners Come Together and Celebrate Community at The Martin Richard Memorial One Mile Invitational
Thank you to the 250+ attendees who joined us at the Invitational!
Over 250 racers of all abilities and ages participated in the 4th Annual Martin Richard Memorial One Mile Invitational on August 17, making it the largest Invitational to date. The Invitational is an annual event which celebrates the life of Martin Richard, a YES Track & Field participant. 2017 event partners included the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation, Adaptive Sports New England, USA Track & Field, and the New Balance Foundation.
According to Joe Walsh of Adaptive Sports New England, the event continues to have the largest Paralympic contingency of any track meet in New England.
“It was an honor to have over 250 runners came out to run, walk, or roll in celebration of Martin Richard’s life.” remarked YES Executive Director, Bryan Van Dorpe. ” Throughout his time with YES Track & Field, Martin demonstrated an outstanding love for running and his community. The Invitational continues to commemorate Martin by bringing together the Boston running community every August.”
The Invitational raised over $3,000 for YES and the Martin Richard Charitable Foundation. Thank you to all of our supporters who attended the event.
About the Martin Richard Invitational: This invitational is in honor of Martin Richard, who started his running career with YES in 2009 at age 5. In his early days, Martin would chase his brother, Henry, and the older athletes on their runs, many of whom he would eventually catch up to and pass. But his fierce and unrivaled sense of competition does not tell the full picture of Martin’s character and drive. His understanding of fairness, inclusion, and teamwork were values that helped to identify Martin. The one mile that we run, walk, or shuttle through will celebrate Martin’s zest for life as a competitor, teammate, and vibrant young boy.