Love Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint

• Every year, without fail, the legendary Boston Marathon produces a number of heartwarming and inspiring stories of human endurance, resilience… and love. We didn’t have to search very far to find our favorite Marathon story of the year — it involves Mary Shertenlieb, the wife of Rich Shertenlieb, co-host of the popular Toucher & Rich morning show on Beasley Sports-Talk WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub)/Boston.

Longtime listeners of The Sports Hub know Mary’s story — five years ago she was diagnosed with leukemia, and over that time she has bravely battled back with the support of Rich, their two sons, Hank and Max, and the love of family and friends. Mary is now in remission and she made the decision to run in this year’s Marathon, buoyed by over $33,000 in donations she collected for the world-renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Mary’s saga, which is chronicled on the Sports Hub website, began just after 11am Monday, when she left from the starting line in suburban Hopkinton, MA. Braving unseasonably low temperatures and torrential rain, Mary made it some 15 1/2 miles to Wellesley before she was forced to take an extended break. As Rich explained in an Instagram post, “At that point, her body began to shiver uncontrollably, her lips turned purple, and because of her compromised immune system, her doctors instructed her to stop running in the rain should this happen.”

At 8:30pm, with the rain stopped and a change into dry clothes, Mary continued her run, this time with Rich by her side. The two made their way along the darkened marathon route together, with thousands cheering them on through social media. An example of some of the amazing posts: “Ever witness true love? They’re still running if you want to catch a glimpse. Rich & Mary, you rock;” “Some love stories are better than fairy tales because they have two heroes and tons of heart. If you’re in the area, please step outside to send them support,” and “This is what the Boston Marathon is all about! True strength and determination! Truly Boston Strong!”

Rich continued to post updates as the couple conquered various race landmarks, including the infamous “Heartbreak Hill,” Cleveland Circle, and the iconic Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, before they turned onto Boylston Street, the finish line in sight.

Finally, at 12:18am, with Rich right by her side, Mary Shertenlieb completed the 122nd Boston Marathon, and WCVB-TV cameras were there to capture this emotional moment. True to local television tradition, the video caption described Rich as “her husband, a local radio host.”