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BF Volunteer and Massage Therapist Runs the Marathon

August 09, 2007, 11:20PM MT

By Susan Robinson

Martha Roberts will run the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon for Best Friends on October 7, 2007.

Martha Roberts will run the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon for Best Friends on October 7, 2007.

By Susan A. Robinson, Best Friends Network
Photo contributed by Martha Roberts

Marathon runner Martha Roberts is originally from central NY state but has called Boston, MA home for the last 26 years. When she is not training for the marathon she is the office manager for a law firm, currently building a practise as a massage therapist for people and dogs!

Martha has run the LaSalle Bank Marathon in 2005 and 2006 and looks forward to her third consecutive marathon here, she has also run the Florida Gulf Beaches in 2002.

Martha first learned about Best Friends from her dog sitter, Linda Day. But it was her first hand experience that sold her on the organization. Martha volunteered with Best Friends in Tylertown, MS during the Katrina relief effort. Martha writes, "to say the least I was amazed by Best Friends' organization, compassion and committement and love for the dogs and cats they had rescued. It was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life."

Last year after she had run the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon she read in a BF newsletter all about the Chicago runners who had run for BF and thought she would try to do that this year.

Martha's furkids include a 'bordergoldie' named Piper and a 'newfrador' named Rushmore. Both dogs love to join her on her training runs when it is cool enough, running for the first four miles before breaking for a nap before breakfast while Martha finishes her run. When its hot they walk and Rushie also enjoys helping with the swim training on the weekends in Maine.

Tips for other runners:

Martha writes that after following strict training plans in past years she has decided to do lots of cross training this year, "long swims and bike rides, weights and elliptical - with only a couple of long runs a week - up to 20 miles." She finds the risk of injury goes up significantly if your training is devoted solely to running.

Martha hopes to raise lots of money for BF and looks forward to meeting all the BF runners at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon finish line.

Thanks Martha and good luck ! We will be cheering for you!

What you can do:

For more information go to:
http://www.chicagomarathon.com/cms400min/chicago_marathon/

Go to the Marathon Blog on Chicago Community here:
http://network.bestfriends.org/MessageBoards/Forum.aspx?g=c73abe3ef854473198c2f8a9112675fd&f=1636

Click button to Sponsor Martha Roberts

Stay tuned for more details about how you can cheer on the BF runners on October 7, 2007

Comments

Posted August 18, 2007, 2:55PM by tasha4gino

Hello Best Friends ! I am Linda Day, Martha's
good friend as well as dog sitter:-) We also were
at Tylertown together last Feb, helping the Katrina
dogs -- I LOVED the week I was there......and am
hoping to get out to Kanab in the near future !

Martha, along with a girlfriend and relatives are ALL
running the Marathon, indeed a family affair !
I wish I could be there to see them cross the
finish line (they will, they did last year!) but, alas, I will be in MA taking care of Piper and Rushie, Martha's furry running pals.....
I am letting everyone I know, both in rescue and
my dogsitting business, to support Martha and
Best Friends !! GO MARTHA !!!
Linda and her own gang of rescued and fostered
dogs -- fondly called the ":Hooligans" by Martha !