Westfield State cross country and track and field alumnus Jessie Cardin '18 will take the next step in her professional running career when she competes with the elite women at the 127^th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17.

Cardin will be running her second-ever marathon after a hugely successful debut at the Chicago Marathon in October, where she ran 14^th in 2:33.34, which gave her a qualifying time for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Among many accolades, Cardin was a two-time cross country All-American and an All-American in the 3000 steeplechase in outdoor track as an undergraduate at Westfield State, as well as the first-ever four-time MASCAC champion in cross country.

Boston will be a homecoming for the Sutton, Mass., native, who has been training with the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance Project in Rochester, Michigan, and competing in major races across the nation.

Cardin wrote via e-mail that she's most excited about competing in Boston, "running the biggest race I grew up hearing about. Not only as a participant, but as my dream - as a professional runner in the elite field, with women I have been following and looking up to for years! I can't wait to run through towns I have family and friends in, and to cross the finish line at a place I grew up going to and watching the marathon at. I can't wait to have SO many of my family and friends coming to watch. Chicago was special because it was my marathon debut… Boston is even more special because it's BOSTON."

Despite her impressive debut, Cardin said that she is far from taking her performance level for granted entering Boston, and that she is still a student of the event.

"Like the steeplechase at Westfield, after doing it once, it doesn't make you a master at it," said Cardin.  "It takes a lot more trial runs and practice to master this craft - if it's even possible to master the marathon."

"My debut went wonderfully, and for that I'm grateful," she said.  "However, I'm not a runner who now magically knows everything about the marathon -and that's ok! I like to learn, and be a student of this sport. I've learned that it's good to keep learning, keep asking for advice from those more experienced and seasoned in the marathon than I, and use that mentality going into April 17th."

Cardin said she will be arriving in Boston on the 14^th (coincidentally, her birthday), then traveling to visit her family in Sutton after the race.

"I know that Taylor Surrette, Ashley Craig, Jon Kelland, Ryan Carucci, and many other of my fellow Owl XC/track and field friends will be on the course cheering me on, and I hope to see them post-marathon to catch up," said Cardin.  "Meg Ceniglio, my best friend from Westfield and fellow teacher, will be coming as well to watch! Matt Moussamih and Lauren Fitzgerald will be coming to watch too! My sister will be flying in with my nephew, Boh, to watch. My parents and brothers will be there. Sam Gagnon, my boyfriend of 6+ years, who I met at Westfield will be there… And that's just my Westfield circle! Tons of people are coming in, and I cannot wait to see them. They are my whole world!"

As Cardin looks forward to the race, she noted that "just showing up to the starting line healthy is probably my biggest sigh of relief, since so many athletes don't even get to say that (and yes, I'm thankfully, healthy and ready to race! The segment was blessed with health and strength all the way through)."

"I would definitely say that what we are training for - sub-2:30 - is on my radar," Cardin added.  "Yes, we train for it, but we never know if that will come into fruition. So I would really like to break that barrier, since I feel like this build was so great, and I felt less timid/more familiar with the intensity of the training. So, definitely trying to better my time."

"Racing smart will be a win for me," added Cardin. "I want to approach Boston with respect; to the hills, to the weather, whatever it may be, to the competitive field. This one is going to be big, and one to remember. I want to finish knowing not only that I ran well, but that I ran smart, just like we practice and talked about regarding the course."

The professional women start at 9:47 a.m. on Patriot's Day.  The race has live national coverage on ESPN from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., and local coverage on WCVB (Channel 5 in Boston)  beginning at 4:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m., and will be  exclusively simulcast regionally on WCVB Channel 5's Hearst Television owned sister-stations WMUR (Manchester, NH), WMTW (Portland/Auburn, ME), and WPTZ (Burlington, VT/Plattsburgh, NY).

Westfield State has a long history of involvement with the Boston Marathon.   Owls XC/Track alumnus Tom Stewart '90, now athletic director at Holyoke Community College as well as a track and field official, was a member of the Boston Marathon Committee for 12 years, and retired VP of student life Carlton Pickron has long staffed a water/support station with Westfield State students along the route.   Retired Owls' athletic trainer Rich Pierce has worked in the medical tent.   Among the many Westfield State alumni who have run Boston, Jon Joyce '12 has had several impressive finishes, including 43^rd overall in 2:32 in 2016.

In summation, Cardin said "Honestly, just that I'm thankful to be able to run this race. Last year, I watched the marathon and told Sam, 'whether I'm a professional or not next year, I really want to be on the starting line for 2023,' and here I am. I also know that you know me pretty well, but my faith in God is very, very important to me. If you include anything else, please just share that my ability to run is a gift from God, and I'm just thankful that I can represent Him, my family, Westfield, Sutton, and Hansons in this historic, electric, crazy race. I am beyond excited for April 17th!"

Release courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information