On a 75-degree day in Franklin Park Sept. 14, over 250 racers and walkers lined up for another run in the Boston Athletic Association’s, or B.A.A.’s, Neighborhood Race Series. The two-mile run marked the fifth installment of the six-part race series that began in March 2024. The race started at Schoolmaster Hill, which was decorated with tents with B.A.A. merchandise, friendly staff members and obstacle courses for children.
“It’s a great chance for folks to just try out running. There’s no pressure, there’s no prize money or top awards. It’s really meant to be a fun experience,” said Chris Lotsbom, director of race communications and media for the B.A.A.
Attendees could register online for the race in the weeks leading up to the event, but could also join in the day of. In addition to the bib number assigned to each participant, racers and walkers were provided with water, food and an official medal at the finish line. The race began at 10 a.m., with the final few participants finishing their two miles around an hour later.
The series, which is free to enter, started in Fall 2022 and is sponsored by Boston Children’s Hospital, which aims to inform the public about child safety and injury prevention. Cassandia Poteau, an injury prevention specialist at the hospital, said the Neighborhood Race Series helps the hospital “engage with low-income areas” and provides an opportunity to “help promote or give out safety information for families that might not be aware of some of [the information], like, car seats, helmet safety [and] pedestrian safety.” On her table were water bottles, sunglasses, activity books and flyers explaining the various ways that parents can keep their children safe during fitness activities.
Most participants were from nearby communities, like couple Amanda and Joe Walt, who live nearby Franklin Park and said they were excited to “spend time outside on this beautiful morning” at their first B.A.A race. Others traveled from farther places in the city and were regulars to these types of runs.
“We’ve been participating with the B.A.A Neighborhood Fitness Series since the summer,” said Chantha Toeum, a pre-teen specialist with the Edgerley Family South Boston Boys & Girls Club, his crew of adolescent runners behind him. “Today is actually our first official race for the new school year.”
Jack Fleming, the B.A.A’s president and chief executive officer, joined the race day fun, accompanying a runner who arrived after the run had officially started. “I was looking for a reason to join in, and I wanted [the runner] to have a good experience at one of our races,” he said. Fleming said he is incredibly proud of the Neighborhood Race Series and added that it promotes the B.A.A’s mission of “simply promoting health and fitness through running, walking and jogging.”
With medals around their necks and smiles on their faces, residents from all over Boston headed home after spending their morning surrounded by love, community and the desire to stay active.
“We want running to be a place for activity and fitness that everyone can come in to and feel like ‘Yeah, I can do that,’” Fleming said. “And that’s the first step towards fitness. I really believe that having events like today puts that in everyone’s minds.”
The B.A.A. will have their final Neighborhood Race for the 2024 season Oct. 5 at Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester, MA.
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