Commack Middle School Teacher Competes in All 50 States

Commack Middle School Social Studies teacher, Chris Boundy, will complete his goal of running a marathon in all 50 states in October. State #50, his 70th marathon, is the Hartford Marathon in Connecticut on Saturday, October 10.

“When I started the 50-states goal in 2011, I wanted to make it more than just a personal accomplishment. So I decided it was also an opportunity to raise funds for a worthwhile cause.  So far, I have raised $1,425 for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  My goal is to reach at least $2,500 ($50 per state) by the time I finish Connecticut this weekend.  Running marathons may not be easy, but it is nothing compared to what people go through every day when they are fighting cancer.”

Chris is a member of the Marathon Maniacs, a club for “folks that do crazy numbers of marathons.” He started running sporadically to control his weight. “As a kid I was very out of shape and overweight. I dreaded doing the mile for gyms class, and running it under the required 12 minutes was a challenge!” In 2005, Chris ran his first half marathon, and then completed the New York City Marathon. in NYC.  “After finishing the states I still plan to run marathons consistently.  I will focus on doing more international races as well as some closer to home that I haven’t had the chance to hit yet.”

The eighth grade social studies classes are planning a fundraiser to help Chris achieve his fundraising goal. Colleagues in the Commack School District have also helped by sponsoring him via a direct donation to St. Jude at http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=3392410&fr_id=31900&pg=personal.

By Brenda Lentsch