Tim Smyth said he began his running journey for his own health and wellness years ago, but he struggled to stay consistent. Eventually, Smyth said he set the goal of completing the Boston Marathon for himself.
“For much of my life, I wasn’t much of an athlete,” Smyth, MCAS ’22, said. “So, I wanted to prove to myself something physical, a real achievement that I had never really had before.”
Hailing from South Boston, Smyth, who ran the 2022 Boston Marathon through a personal sponsor, said he wanted to end his time at Boston College with the 26.2-mile race down Commonwealth Avenue.
“Of course, you know, at BC, as a senior, it’s such a momentous day that, you know, everyone’s looking forward to, and they’re all cheering you on,” Smyth said. “So all my friends were [cheering me on,] as I said. It was really amazing. It’s really what I wanted to do, to finish [my time at] BC doing the Marathon.”
Smyth’s training began in February, which was late in the game, he said. He tried to make up for it, however, with a rigorous routine that his friends set up.
“So, I started on Valentine’s Day,” he said. “I was a lot later than most people. So I kind of got right to it. I kept moving forward. I follow the basic schedule that my friend built up according to my own [abilities], what I can meet physically. So, I ran six days a week about every day, increasing the mileage and every weekend for long runs.”
Smyth said that when passing Mile 21, he felt the support of the BC community.
“It was unbelievable,” Smyth said. “I’m a senior, so seeing all my friends for the last time, with all the incredible support and love I received in the days leading up to [Mile] 21, was like something I’ve never felt before.
