Photo courtesy of Toffy Prakittiphoom ’24/The Choate News
As the winter season is in full force, a dedicated group of runners rise to the challenges that come with the shortened days and harsher weather conditions.
Despite the unique obstacles that nature presents, many student-athletes at Choate are taking on winter running to meet both their athletic requirements and achieve their personal running goals.
Six years ago, Physics and Chemistry teacher Ms. Fran O’Donoghue started winter running as an intramural sport with the goal of encouraging running for fun.
“I was in teams and sports throughout high school and college,” she said. “As I got older, I realized I needed to stay in shape and signed up for half marathons with several Choate faculty members, and I haven’t stopped running since.” Now, she hopes to inspire more people to develop a healthy relationship with exercise through the sport.
Joining Ms. O’Donoghue in leading the winter running program is Science teacher Dr. Selena Gell. “I love running because it’s so accessible and you can do it anywhere in the world with just a pair of shoes,” she said. Dr. Gell is also using the program as an opportunity to meet new students and get back into exercising herself.
The winter running program at Choate is diverse, with students from various backgrounds and experience levels. Some students participate in winter running for leisure, while others, such as Akari Kamigaki ’25, who runs cross country in the fall, joined for training purposes. “I really like that I’m close with my friends and it’s a great time to run and talk sometimes,” Kamigaki said of the camaraderie among runners.
As the sun sets earlier, students often have to run in low temperatures and in the dark. However, with the use of reflective safety vests, they feel safe and comfortable in this environment. “I’ve never felt insecure about running at night. When I’m doing winter running, I don’ t feel like the town is dangerous,” Kamigaki said.
For Ms. O’Donoghue, seeing students improve over the course of the term is one of the most rewarding experiences. “The best moment of winter running was when a couple of kids ran farther than they’ve ever run before. They were so excited and proud of themselves, and they didn’t think they could do it,” she said. With a diverse group of students and dedicated coaches, winter running is a great activity that students should continue to participate in each year.
