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Patriots' Day Mile Celebrates Community Members

On Patriots' Day — Monday, April 19 — 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden surprised five frontline workers and community members in a symbolic running of the inaugural Patriots' Day Mile on Boylston Street.

Linden, a five-time top-five finisher of the Boston Marathon, two-time Olympic marathoner, and national record holder for the 50K, ran alongside five local athletes who were honored for their service to the community.

Upon crossing the finish, each of the five

frontline workers and community members were surprised by Des and Tom Grilk, B.A.A. President and C.E.O., with invitational entries to October’s race for their commitment to helping others. Keep an eye out for these special runners on race day!

Jessie Chen is an active member of the BEN Running Club and has volunteered at the B.A.A. 10K, B.A.A. Half Marathon, and Boston Marathon through her running club. Her passion for running and community engagement has led her to take on a variety of community projects, volunteer her time at B.A.A. events, and help the mission of different organizations. She serves as a board member of the Lingzi Foundation, and together with Helen Zhao helped organize the annual Lingzi Dash 5K race. In March, she helped the Chinese American Association of Lexington organize the #StopAsianHate relay along the Boston Marathon route. Chen has participated in the B.A.A. 5K twice, B.A.A. 10K once, and B.A.A  Half Marathon once, and finished her first Boston Marathon in 2019 and the first virtual Boston Marathon in 2020.

Rochelle Solomon of Boston is an essential worker in compliance for Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and is also a Black Girls RUN! Run Coordinator. In 2020, Soloman achieved her goal of finishing the Boston Marathon Virtual Experience with the help of Road to Wellness coach Gael Henville.

Lindsay Devers, a nurse anesthetist at Massachusetts General Hospital, gained fame for her marathon attempt on Patriots’ Day 2020, where she inadvertently spelled “Boston Strog” when completing 26.2 miles, forgetting the ’n’! Devers was named to the 2020 Honorary Boston Marathon Team, and ran in 2020 for Dream Big! Her dedication and Boston Marathon spirit has inspired many.

Staff Sergeant Dorothy Anderson of Southbridge joined the Massachusetts National Guard in 2007. She supported COVID-19 response operations as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the orders production team, ensuring that all soldiers supporting the mission receive appropriate in- and out-processing. Her hard work and dedication ensures military medical professionals can focus entirely on mission accomplishment. SSG Anderson also studies at UMass Lowell, where she was inducted into the SALUTE National Veterans Honor Society, and recently received the Meritorious Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Massachusetts Emergency Service Ribbon in recognition of superior accomplishments during the COVID-19 response.

Chris Vasquez is a member of the PIONEERS Run Crew in Boston, a group that promotes diversity in the Boston running community with weekly runs in Franklin Park and Fields Corner. Determined to stay active, Vasquez joined the PIONEERS Run Crew in 2019 as a way to pursue a healthier lifestyle, and has since become a team captain. Vasquez says, “Running the Boston Marathon would mean everything to me. To be able to run my first marathon in my city, in front of friends and family and represent PRC, the run crew that taught me about this lifestyle, would be everything.”