By Pam Pollan
Two Sterling friends, Alicia McHugh and Michelle Harris met after McHugh joined the Central Mass.
Striders (CMS) running group in Dec. 2019 and began training together. The two recently completed
their first Boston Marathon.
“I started running with Alicia about three and a half years ago. We are both members of Central
Mass Striders. I posted on their site looking for buddies to run with and she joined. We’ve been
running together ever since! We’ve run lots of races together including a trail ultra marathon last
Sept.” Harris said.
McHugh started running almost four years ago to get some cardio, and thought it would be fun to do
a 5K and ran her first 5K in West Boylston for Abby’s House in Oct. 2019.
“Once I joined CMS and started running with other runners, I began doing longer distances and
different types of races. I was definitely motivated and inspired by my friends. Running has also been
an adventure – I have had many entertaining and memorable trail running outings with my friends. It’s
also empowering and satisfying to push myself to do something challenging. For instance, Michelle
and I did a 50K trail race last September, and that was tough, but personally rewarding to complete
that distance,” McHugh said. “Michelle was at the first group run I joined. She was so welcoming and
fun to run with. We have been friends ever since. When she ran her first marathon, I was inspired to
give it a try and run one too, so I signed up for my first – which was the Providence Marathon in May
2022,” McHugh said.
McHugh, 56, who has lived in Sterling for 27 years and grew up in Marlborough. She teaches 7th
grade ELA at West Boylston Middle High School. She is married is David McHugh and mom to
Connor, 23 and Nolan, 21.
“Boston is an iconic race. I remember going to watch it as a kid. My father and sisters were runners,
so I grew up knowing the names of many of the Boston winners. I have gone in recent years to cheer
on friends, and, last April, I volunteered at one of the professional hydration stations, which was a lot
of fun. When I qualified in my age group for Boston at the Providence Marathon last year, I was
thrilled to get the chance to run Boston,” McHugh said.
She runs year-round and has been training for Boston since mid-December 2022.
Preparing for the Boston Marathon“I have been using the FIRST (Furhman Institute of Running
Scientific Training) plan. Each week there are three key runs – speed work, a tempo run, and a long
run. It also emphasizes cross training. My favorite cross training is swimming. I also do strength
training each week with a group of runner friends,” McHugh said.
She and Harris strength trained together weekly and sometimes met up for track work or long runs,
McHugh explained.
To prepare for the Boston Marathon, McHugh said her “running program has me do speed/track
work once a week (for example repeats of 400s), a mid-distance tempo run, and a weekend long run
(10-20 miles). Other days, I may do a short run or swim or bike. I meet up with friends for “leg day”
strength work each week as well. In March, I ran Stu’s 30k locally and did the Black Cat 20 miler in
Salem.”
Harris, a 47-year-old mom to two teens, Jackson and Sara, and is married to Lance Harris, her
husband of 21 years. She works as a physical therapist assistant at Notre Dame Rehab in Worcester.
She was born in Winchester, grew up in Medford and Tewksbury. She moved to Sterling 16 years ago.
Harris motivation in running is to get healthier.
“I was never an athlete in high school or college. I started running about 4 years ago as part of a
major lifestyle change to get healthier. I’ve since lost 100 lbs., no longer need to take meds for high
blood pressure nor diabetes and have set a much better example for my kids,” Harris said “My main
motivation is staying healthy and fit. I’ve made so many incredible friends through running, we keep
each other motivated and accountable. It’s really a blessing.”
Harris ran the Boston Marathon in memory of her parents, raising funds for the Joseph and Leslie
Carr Foundation, a charity she and her siblings founded.
“We help with many local food banks, diaper banks, women’s shelters and schools to provide much
needed items and food. At Christmas time we provided over 600 food baskets that included an entire
turkey dinner and all the fixings to local families in Central MA and Merrimack Valley,” Harris said.
“I was lucky enough to receive a time waived bib from CMS which is allowing me to run in one of the
greatest races on earth. It’s an incredible honor and privilege,” Harris said before the race.
Harris said she also followed a plan for the Boston Marathon.
“This plan has me running one day a week either a track work out or hill repeats. Another day a
tempo run and the third run of the week is a long run on the weekend. It spells out the speed and
distances you should run based on your current fitness/paces.
McHugh finished the Boston Marathon in 4 hours, 2 minutes and 6 seconds. Harris finished it in 5
hours, 52 mins and 17 seconds.
“Alicia is an amazing friend and athlete. We have so much fun on our adventures together!”
