On Monday, April 20th, tens of thousands of runners converged in Hopkinton, Massachusetts to compete in the Boston Marathon. Among them was Sierra Club Foundation Executive Director Peter Martin. With two other runners, Martin took on the 26-mile challenge on behalf of Sierra Club Outdoors (SCO), a program that facilitates outdoor activities for at-risk youth, military families, and veterans.

Peter Martin with his family, after he ran the 2015 Boston Marathon | Photo courtesy of Peter Martin

This was the first full marathon in ten years for Martin, who regularly runs half-marathons in the hills of Marin County, California, near his San Francisco home. And although he was determined to beat his 10-year-old personal record (which he did, by several minutes), his real motive for running this year was to “give back” to SCO. “Sierra Club Outdoors was how I originally became involved with the Sierra Club and it’s what put me on my career path within the conservation movement,” he said. “Finding joy, comfort, and confidence through outdoor experiences has helped shape the lives of my family members during critical times. There’s no cause closer to my heart than Sierra Club Outdoors and I was proud to represent the program.” 

National Hockey League goaltender Mike Richter was also scheduled to race on behalf of SCO, but a family emergency forced him to withdraw from the marathon last minute (Richter took to the woods outside of his New Jersey home after suffering a career-ending head injury in 2002 and has advocated for the healing power of nature ever since). Like Martin, Richter is passionate about SCO’s mission and purpose. “Understanding the connection between nature and human health is vital, especially in terms of mental health,” Richter told Sierra. “Soon, doctors may be prescribing time outdoors to their patients.” 

Learn more about Sierra Club Outdoors here.