Morgan Woodman has had to endure more challenges than the typical avid athlete. She has struggled with stomach issues since she was a sixth-grader in Hopkinton, and over the years has endured severe bloating, vomiting, bleeding, pain and a substantially compromised...
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Impellizeri runs so Garden Club can blossom
Before Johanna Impellizeri runs the Boston Marathon, she will continue to run a $5,000 fundraiser for the Hopkinton Garden Club, a group whose work will not be as visible during this year’s race. The area around the Boston Marathon starting line is part of the Main...
Marathon pioneer Gibb immortalized in bronze
When children are young, they tend to gravitate toward joyful activities like art and running, Bobbi Gibb has observed. Now 78, Gibb says, “I just never stopped doing those things.” “I have always loved to run,” she said. “And I kept on running, even when other people...
Elite athletes return for 125th Boston
Attracting an elite field proved more challenging than usual this fall for major marathons. With spring marathons postponed until the fall, five Abbott World Marathon Majors are taking place within seven weeks, spreading the top talent between them. Boston will have...
HMS principal runs Boston to support school’s Desire to Inspire program
Principal Alan Keller has been running Hopkinton Middle School for the past 12 years. Now he is running — literally — in the Boston Marathon to support his school’s Desire to Inspire program. Keller first ran the race in 2012, the year before the marathon bombing. He...
Dick Hoyt’s legacy lives on in Hopkinton
Dick Hoyt voiced optimism prior to the last Boston Marathon in 2019 that he might return to pushing his quadriplegic son, Rick, in the race that helped build the legacy of Team Hoyt. Tragically, Dick Hoyt did not live to see another Boston. The 80-year-old passed away...
Marathon volunteers excited for race’s return
The return of the Boston Marathon this October means the return of volunteers who have helped staff the annual event. After missing the past two spring events, they are eager to get back to work. “It’s awesome, it’s something I look forward to every year,” said Craig...
Resilience key to success of CrossFit marathoners
CrossFit is a workout regime best known for its ultra-high intensity and relatively short duration. But a quintet of athletes from Hopkinton’s Resilience Fitness will take on a much longer fitness endeavor when they run the Boston Marathon this October. The group...
Upalekar grateful for new passion of running, raises funds for native India
Ruta Upalekar has a drive for helping others, both at home and abroad. Her volunteer work with two India-based charities spurred her desire to begin running in 2015, an activity she uses as a vehicle for fundraising. The Hopkinton resident and will interlace her twin...
Fire Chief Miller tabbed as Boston Marathon race starter
As the Boston Marathon returns to Hopkinton on Oct. 11, after a pandemic-related cancellation last year and delay this year, many aspects of the race will change, but some hallmarks of the historic race remain. Since the advent of the wave start in 2006, the Boston...
Dragsbaek set for 15th Boston, supporting Project Just Because
Ann-Michele Dragsbaek didn’t play a single sport in high school. A mother of four, she first started running after having kids. Now, on Oct. 11, she’s set to run her 15th Boston Marathon. “I had just had my fourth baby,” Dragsbaek says, thinking back to her first...
Hopkinton’s Pete ready for 21st straight Boston
What started as a dare more than two decades ago has turned into a passion for David Pete. The Hopkinton resident was at a friend’s house in late 1999 when the idea of running the Boston Marathon was first discussed. “Our wives were there and they kind of chuckled to...
HHS Class of ’23 to benefit from veteran marathoner Longoria
For many people, running is either a hobby or a basic form of exercise. But for 62-year-old Andrew Longoria, a 15-year learning specialist at Hopkinton High School, it’s an escape to balance life. On Oct. 11, Longoria will run the Boston Marathon on behalf of the HHS...
Wicked good time at HCA’s Halloween 5K
This year on Halloween morning, a couple hundred people, many in costume, will run a 5K to raise money for the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, as the HCA hosts the fifth annual Wicked Weekend fundraiser. “We were looking for something different and fun for a...
Boston Marathon: Huebner hits road in support of Mental Health Collaborative
On Oct. 11, college sophomore Will Huebner will lace up his sneakers on Main Street to run the Boston Marathon for a crucial cause: mental health. Huebner is running to raise money for the Mental Health Collaborative, an organization founded in July of 2019 by local...
Baypath Adoptable Animals of the Week: Liam and Nelly
Each week, the Independent highlights an animal available for adoption at Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton. This week we feature a pair of adoptable animals, Liam and Nelly. Here is Baypath’s description of the duo: Completing your family has never been easier —...
Independent Thoughts: Garabedian got it started for HCA
When Dora Garabedian moved to Hopkinton in 1988 with her husband, Tom, and three young sons, she quickly became involved in the schools. A proponent of the arts, she coordinated visits from artists and musicians in order to share her passion with the town’s youth. She...
Archery, etiquette, etc.: Parks & Rec offers wider variety of activities
Thanks to a fast-growing population and an increasingly diverse populace, the Hopkinton Parks & Recreation Department has been pushed to expand its offerings to residents well beyond those traditionally associated with the office. In addition to youth sports like...
‘Love Letter’ film welcomes back marathoners to Hopkinton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJS2COFUHU0 In anticipation of Boston Marathon participants’ return to Hopkinton for the first time since April 2019, local filmmakers have produced a short film welcoming them back and sending a positive message to those connected with...
Photo contest winner, Sept. 29 edition
The Hopkinton Independent presents “A Slice of Hopkinton” photo contest, sponsored by Bill’s Pizzeria. Readers are encouraged to submit photos of people, places or things in Hopkinton. The Independent staff will select one winner for each issue. The winner will have...