2021 #RunningForResearch: Shari Aldrich

Posted:Friday, August 27, 2021

I am so excited to be a member of the Massage Therapy Foundation #RunningForResearch Boston Marathon Team.  Running changed my life in 2004, when I woke up with a dream to train for – and run – the Seattle Marathon.  Over the course of training, I received my first massage and my life has never been the same.

At the time, I was an IT Director and was supporting 150 computers in 10 offices and 2 states by myself – and the president of the company refused to get me any help.  I was taking between 10-12 ibuprofen every day dealing with headaches and stress. I thought I would die before I was 40.

I had good reason to believe that…  my brother died in 1997 at 36 years old from a stroke; my mom died in 2000 at 59 years old from Lung Cancer; and my older sister died in 2004 from a head-on collision at 39. I was so scared that I would die early.

When I made that decision to run the marathon, that was me claiming my life and saying I would live past my 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and far beyond.  Running and massage saved me.

My goal with the Massage Therapy Foundation is to bring those 2 passions together – to run to bring awareness of the foundation and its great work, and to raise funds to show support.

As a massage school owner, I believe it is my responsibility to educate my students and the public about massage therapy. I am excited be to able to run in Boston – at the intersection of running and massage.

Thank you for reading, and for your support.

Shari

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