A holiday message from The Reny Family

Dear Stepping Strong Marathon Team,

On behalf of our family, we want to wish you the very best holidays filled with happiness, love, and laughter. May 2024 bring you peace, health, and good weather for the remainder of our training season and especially on race day! We hope that you are able to enjoy all the joys of this season with family and friends. Thank you again for being part of our Stepping Strong family as we celebrate 10 years of Stepping Strong!

With gratitude, xo Audrey, Steven, Danielle, Kyle, Gillian, and Matt

Saturday training runs start SATURDAY!

You are now just 17 weeks away from your remarkable 26.2-mile journey from Hopkinton to Boston. On behalf of countless patients worldwide who suffer from the devastation of traumatic injuries and events, we thank you for supporting the Stepping Strong Center.

As a reminder, Saturday training runs starts THIS SATURDAY, 12/16, with Coach John. Teammates will embark on a six – ten mile run that starts at Joint Venture Physical Therapy (533 Commonwealth Ave in Kenmore Square, Boston) at 8AM. Doors will open at 7:30AM and you will have access to a changing area and water.

Make sure to wear your Stepping Strong hat and be ready for a group photo that we will take before you depart! Ali, Ally, and Caroline will be there on Saturday so please call/text Ally (857 523 8052) or Ali (857 505 1225) if you need any support Saturday morning. Please make sure to introduce yourselves so we can get to know each and every one of your incredible teammates! Also, don’t forget to join us afterwards back at Joint Ventures for bagels and mingling! If you haven’t already and plan on attending, RSVP by clicking HERE!

Be sure to check out John’s website or his latest email for more information and to keep up to date on the training schedule.

Send Us Your Photos!

One of our favorite perks about marathon season is seeing our runners enjoying their fundraisers, training runs, our team gatherings, meetings, and events! Please share your photos with us, no matter if you are near or afar, to be featured in a slideshow over marathon week and be re-posted on Stepping Strong Center social media, including but not limited to, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

To feature as many runners as possible, we are counting on YOU to collect your photos! The deadline for submission is Wednesday, April 10, so please, email your photos to marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu, by then! If easier, you can also text them to Ally at 857-523-8052. Examples of photos we would love to see are:

  • Pictures with you repping team swag (hats, t-shirts, gear when it arrives)
  • Holding our team poster, you received at the first team meeting (if you want one, email us!)
  • On training runs solo/with teammates/with your running buddy(s)
  • Group shots at your fundraising events/with your supports

If you have any questions, please contact us at marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu.

From start to finish,

Ali, Ally, and Caroline

Marathon Sports Shopping Week Ends TOMORROW

Make sure to stop by Marathon Sports, located at 671 Boylston Street, Boston, before 6pm TOMORROW to stock up on all your marathon gear! There will be a 15 percent discount (excluding electronics and items that are already marked down) for all Brigham Stepping Strong Marathon Team runners, just mention you are a member of our team.

If you are unable to make it to the store, buy online! Please use the code STEPPINGSTRONG15 at checkout up until 12/10 at 12pm. This code is only for members of the Stepping Strong team and should not be shared with family members or friends. The code is limited to one use per customer.

If you have any questions, please contact us at marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu.

From start to finish,

Ali, Ally, and Caroline

Marathon Team Updates #4

Saturday Training Runs Start on 12/16 + Post-Run Bagels!

Saturday training runs start next Saturday, 12/16, with Coach John. Teammates will embark on a six – ten mile run that starts at Joint Venture Physical Therapy (533 Commonwealth Ave in Kenmore Square, Boston) at 8AM. Doors will open at 7:30AM and you will have access to a changing area and water. Be sure to check out John’s website or his latest email for more information and to keep up to date on the training schedule. Make sure you are signed up to receive weekly email updates from Coach John, which are separate from our emails, to keep you informed, educated, and motivated for this season’s Boston Marathon training. Click here to subscribe to his newsletter.

Be sure to wear your Stepping Strong wicking hat and be ready for a group photo that we will take before you depart! Ali, Ally, and Caroline will be there on Saturday so please call/text Ally (857 523 8052) or Ali (857 505 1225) if you need any support Saturday morning.

After the run on 12/16, join us back at Joint Ventures for bagels and mingling! Please RSVP by clicking HERE ASAP, but no later than 12/12, so we have an accurate count.

Fundraising Tip of the Week

The holiday season provides your community of family and friends with a wonderful reason to support a great cause. In lieu of gifts, ask your network to donate directly to your TeamRaiser page.

Matching Gifts

Matching gifts are a great way to double the funds you raise. Please make sure to review the matching gift document on the runner portal and follow these simple steps to ensure you receive credit:

  • Step 1: Ask your employer if the company has a matching gift program; ask your donors if their company has a matching gift program.
  • Step 2: Complete the required paperwork for your company; note that each company has their own form. Make sure your donors have completed any required paperwork as well.
  • Step 3 (IMPORTANT!): Email marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu the confirmation email or document that a matching gift was submitted from ‘X’ company, in the amount of ‘$X’ from ‘X’ employee/donor. If a confirmation document was not received, please have the donor email marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu with the above information confirming they submitted the request.

Offline Donation Reminders

Please remind your supporters to donate to your individual TeamRaiser fundraising page link that you provide and not the BWH main giving site. This will ensure immediate and proper crediting to your fundraising page. And please be patient! All offline donations (any donation not received via TeamRaiser) take 2 – 6 weeks to be processed and added to individual fundraising pages. If you are missing a gift, reach out and we will help figure it out.

Marathon Sports Shopping Week

Make sure to stop by Marathon Sports, located at 671 Boylston Street, Boston, NOW until December 10 to stock up on all your marathon gear! There will be a 15 percent discount (excluding electronics and items that are already marked down) for all Brigham Stepping Strong Marathon Team runners, just mention you are a member of our team.

If you are unable to make it to the store, buy online! Please use the code STEPPINGSTRONG15 at checkout up until 12/10 at 12pm. This code is only for members of the Stepping Strong team and should not be shared with family members or friends. The code is limited to one use per customer.

ALSO, all teammates are also invited to join Marathon Sports and their holiday run on Thursday, December 13! Check out their website for more details.

If you have any questions, please contact us at marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu.

From start to finish,

Ali, Ally, and Caroline

P.S. Reminder: If for some reason your plans change and you are not able to participate on the team, please let us know by January 1, 2024. After January 1, 2024, you will be responsible for your fundraising commitment, regardless of if you are able to run or not in April.

Marathon Sports Shopping Week

Make sure to stop by Marathon Sports, located at 671 Boylston Street, Boston, between December 4 – 10 to stock up on all your marathon gear! There will be a 15 percent discount (excluding electronics and items that are already marked down) for all Brigham Stepping Strong Marathon Team runners, just mention you are a member of our team.

If you are unable to make it to the store, buy online! Please use the code STEPPINGSTRONG15 at checkout up until 12/10 at 12pm. This code is only for members of the Stepping Strong team and should not be shared with family members or friends. The code is limited to one use per customer.

If you have any questions, please contact us at marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu.

From start to finish,

Ali, Ally, and Caroline