Boston Marathon Profile: Amy Menard

COVENTRY, RI — Coventry has four residents running in this year's Boston Marathon. Coventry Patch highlights those runners in the next few days. Today, we meet Amy Menard, who is 42. Good luck, Amy.

Reason for running: "I trained for my first marathon last year and during that training I lost my mother-in-law to cancer. I wanted to give up training because I was mentally exhausted from losing such a great person. However I took that energy and made a promise to myself if I qualified for Boston I would fight for her. Use my anger and hatred towards cancer and turn it into a positive. I qualified for Boston with my first marathon last spring in Providence.

"I am entered to run Boston with my qualifying time, however, I am raising money for the amyloidosis foundation, the disease that took my MIL. I hope to reach my goal of $2500 and run in the name of Joyce Menard.

Joyce Menard, left

"She was just such a strong person and never complained. She showed up to every event even if she felt sick."

Here is the link to Amy Menard's Boston Marathon Fundraising Page.

Marathon experience: This is her first Boston Marathon. Nine years ago she started running and doing half-marathons. In high school in Swansea, Mass., she ran the 100 yard and 200 yard dash but did not run long distance. Last May, she ran the Providence Marathon and qualified for Boston.

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Training tip: "I'm training hard. I run early in the morning and put in the miles. And I eat a lot. I eat while I'm running." She's also not worried about the marathon day, enjoys the exercise and her husband Jason's jokes.

Photo submitted

Are you running the Boston Marathon? We'd love to feature you, too. Email margo.sullivan@patch.com.

Charlene Arsenault (Patch Staff) contributed to this report.