On Monday, April 17, Austin resident Pete Mittelholzer will run the Boston Marathon, his 53rd marathon in his 37th state. However, Marathon Monday might be his most special, as he will be running in support of The New England Center for Children (NECC), which serves children with autism in Southborough, MA.
Mittelholzer chose to run for Team NECC because of what the school did for his cousin. “Twenty years ago, my cousin benefited from NECC’s services as a young boy,” he shared. “Because of his time at NECC, he has continued to thrive and is now in college.”
Mittelholzer, who grew up in Wilton, CT, used to go for long runs in high school to clear his mind and to get into shape for lacrosse. Marathons were never on his radar until after college, but by then he had moved away from New England.
“I have wanted to qualify for Boston for years, but my times are not getting any faster as I get older,” he shared. “Teaming up with NECC was a great way for me to be a part of the race while raising money for such great people.”
Mittelholzer moved to Austin in 2013 to be with his wife, Lindsay, with whom he shares two children: Finn (9) and Neely Jane (5).
He shared that while he’s looking forward to finishing the race with a “respectable time and without injury,” he can’t wait for “my kids to see how wonderful Boston is on Patriot’s Day. And for them to see their dad doing something active.”
To support Mittelholzer, visit his Boston Marathon fundraising page.