Going the distance

Jamie Simpson, a 41-year-old Boston resident, is HIV-positive and healthy, and he doesn't take that for granted. On April 21 Simpson will be among the 25,000 runners in the 112th Boston Marathon, and this will mark his second time running. But he isn't just running for himself. Simpson, a member of the Boston Living Center for the last ten years, is one of 17 members of the Living Center's marathon team, which is raising money for the community and wellness center for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"I've been pretty lucky in life - in general and since I became HIV-positive - that I've always been pretty healthy, so it was never a concern with me. ... Part of the reason I wanted to do it is some of the people at the Living Center were not so fortunate," said Simpson, one of two members of the Living Center running on its marathon team. He was particularly inspired by a friend who had been a competitive runner in high school but who, after he was infected with HIV, developed health problems that forced him to give up running.

This year marks the Living Center's first in a three-year run as an official charity of the Boston Marathon. Runners who want to take part in the marathon but who do not have a running time to qualify to run can join one of the teams fielded by the 24 official charities. Each runner must raise a minimum of $3000 for their chosen charity. This is not the first time the Living Center has entered runners into the marathon; in 2003 and 2004 John Hancock, one of the official charities during those years, donated several of its team slots to the Living Center, and Simpson ran under the Living Center banner during his first marathon in 2004. When the opportunity came around for Simpson to join the Living Center team for marathon number two, he eagerly signed on to run.

"The Living Center has meant a lot to me and done a lot for me, so when the opportunity came up to run for the team and fundraise for the Center I jumped at it," Simpson explained. "... [The Living Center] brings together people from all walks of life, people whose paths don't always cross. The one thing they all have in common is they're living with HIV, and through all their activities, their meals programs, the various kinds of help they offer people, it really provides us a lot of opportunities for interaction with a lot of people living in a similar situation."

While some members of the team have direct ties to the Living Center, others only learned of it when searching the list of Boston Marathon charities. Holly Perreault, a 27-year-old Fenway resident, said she felt that running for the Living Center would give her the chance to support a local charity making a tangible difference in people's lives.

"I just really wanted something with specific connections to the community and a human face on it. It's really nice when we go to the Boston Living Center. The members cheer us on and thank us for our efforts," said Perreault.

While Perreault wanted to run to raise money for charity, her decision to run the marathon for the first time was also deeply personal. Perreault, who has multiple sclerosis, said a year ago she was in a wheelchair.

"It was a huge undertaking [to train for the marathon]. When I was really sick I just wanted not to ever take for granted again the ability to do things like that and be healthy," said Perreault.

She said physical therapy and medication helped her get strong enough to get out of the chair and in shape to run the marathon. But her recovery was largely a matter of determination.

"I'm very stubborn. That's pretty much it," said Perreault. She said she's currently training five to six days a week.

Like Perrault, Kevin Hourihan, a 29-year-old South Ender, said that when he and his friend, Randy Fasnacht, were combing the list of charities they were largely unfamiliar with the Living Center. They were intrigued that it was located in their own back yard, and so decided to investigate it further.

"We went, took a tour and were very impressed with the Center and the work they did," said Hourihan. "The key was it was local, it was in our neighborhood, it helped people within our community, and with a charity so small every dollar you raise means more to them and you can actually see what it goes to."

This is Hourihan's first marathon. Though he started running about five years ago, all of his previous races have been no longer than five miles. Hourihan said he decided to do the marathon this year to fulfill a personal goal of running a marathon before he turned 30 this October.

Fasnacht, 30, also of the South End, said he only recently became a convert to the sport in the past couple years, but after running two half-marathons he decided the time was right to go all the way. When it came time to select a charity, Fasnacht said the Living Center's focus on HIV/AIDS appealed to him.

"I think the cause of HIV and AIDS prevention has been something I've cared about for a while. I helped out in college doing HIV test counseling for the health center, so I got to learn a lot about HIV and how people's lives are affected by it," said Fasnacht. "And also the Boston Living Center is in my neighborhood, and I never knew it existed but it's right around the corner, so it's a way to get to know some neighbors you never knew were there."

Through the Living Center's buddy program Fasnacht has gotten to know one of those neighbors, Justin Lopes of New Bedford, well. The Living Center partnered most of the runners on its team with a Living Center member, encouraging them to meet regularly and develop a friendship as a way to help runners build a personal connection to the center. When the buddy program began Lopes was a member of the Living Center, but since he and Fasnacht met Lopes was hired as member service coordinator and outreach worker.

Thus far Lopes and Fasnacht have met on a handful of occasions for dinner or appetizers, and they attended a recent Living Center function together. Lopes said when the weather warms up prior to the marathon he and Fasnacht have plans to train together, with Fasnacht running and Lopes on rollerblades.

"I just love to rollerblade, so I figured it would give him some help and get him motivated and keep him company," said Lopes.

He said the buddy program helps give the runners a better sense of the people who benefit from the Living Center.

"Part of their meeting with the members is finding out what a day in the life is of someone who has HIV. ... I can get him integrated into showing how the center works and how we operate," said Lopes.

Fasnacht said meeting Lopes has been eye opening, as he has seen the struggles of someone living with HIV. He said as he has trained for the marathon Lopes has given him a new perspective on endurance.

"He's shown me that, he's really demonstrated that strength," said Fasnacht.

With about a month and a half to go until the marathon Fasnacht said he is confident he will be able to complete the course.

"It's been very intense, but I feel ready. I think the training program I'm doing is a good program, tested, and the longest run I've done is 18 miles, but I did it in a snowstorm," said Fasnacht. "So I feel like if I can do that I can push the extra eight miles needed."

Meanwhile Lopes said he'd be cheering Fasnacht on at the finish line.

"I told him the day of the marathon I'd be at the finish line with a dozen roses to throw at him when he finishes," said Lopes.