2024 Stride For Stride

Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 1.5
Medium: sea glass on canvas
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: This artwork is dedicated to my son Aamir Francis Benincaso who has given his younger brother unconditional love and support to move him forward. He is honored to be running the 128th Boston Marathon for the Michael Lisnow Respite Center. Every child has a unique footprint which should be embraced and celebrated.

Dimensions: 14 x 11 x 1.5
Medium: text
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: I was inspired by my friend

Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 2
Medium: digital photography
Year created: 2014What inspired you to make this work?: I was impressed by the number of runners (35,000+) who showed up in Hopkinton the year after the Marathon bombing in Boston. I was particularly excited to see Marblehead native Shalane Flannigan as head of the pack of elite women runners as they passed my street, which is about one mile from the start. As I understood it, Flannigan held steady for about 17 miles and emerged 6th in the women's field at the end of the race.

Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 2
Medium: digital photography
Year created: 2019What inspired you to make this work?: Marathon weekend is always fun in Hopkinton as the excitement builds for the actual race. The wheelchair racers are the first to go and get the crowd going with their speed and grit. This racer seemed both surprised and determined to master the course.

Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 2
Medium: digital photography
Year created: 2019What inspired you to make this work?: Non-elite runners run the Boston Marathon for many reasons. Some run for charity, while others run in memory of lost family members or friends. I am always struck by those who run for ideas, such as peace, and in this case, hope.

Medium: PHOTOGRAPH
Year created: 2022What inspired you to make this work?: "I feel like if I stay with you, I'll make it." Marathons are hard. They are a test, not just of your physical ability and endurance, but of your emotions, and your mental perseverance. There are hundreds of moments along the 26.2 miles where your body can fail you, or where any number of different things can creep into your head that make you say "Nahh, I'm good, I've gone as far as I can. I'm done." And then, in that moment, you remember - it's not about you. It's about the journey, and why you're doing it, and how you get there, and sometimes, WHO gets you there. Her name is Crystal. I first noticed her right around the first hill in Newton. We were both slugging it out, working through our own issues with the course. When I started cramping around Mile 16, she passed me, and then when I caught my eighth wind, I passed her. We silently crossed paths a few times, on the downhill from BC, and again at the turn into Brookline across the T tracks, both of us fighting through one step at a time. As we passed Mile 22, she was off my left shoulder, and I looked over and asked "You good?" "Yeah... I feel like if I stay with you, I'll make it." That's all it took. It was the thing that put a last little bit of gas in the tank. I turned to her and said: "I've got you. Come on."

Dimensions: 21.25 x 15.25
Medium: Collaged paper
Year created: 2014What inspired you to make this work?: “It’s where the Boston Marathon starts.” 10 years have passed since I moved to the Northwest, but this is still the fact I use to tell people about my hometown. It connects Hopkinton to the wider world, and as a runner myself, it’s something I’m proud of. When I think of the marathon, I think of the excitement of our little town transforming into a world-renowned event overnight. I think of lines of PortaPotties. I think of staking out a spot just past the starting line for optimal high-fiving. But perhaps my favorite Marathon tradition is Kenyan Runner Day. I remember being 8 and having the elite team of Kenyan runners come to school and thinking that it was the coolest thing that had ever happened to me. I had to the opportunity to return to the event my senior year, as a Cross Country Captain, to be an escort for the fastest marathoners in the world. It was even cooler than I remembered. I think it took leaving Hopkinton to realize just how unique it was to grow up as a runner in this town. It made running a sport worth paying attention to. I made this collage my senior year as an ode to my Cross Country career. I saved every number from every race I ever ran and used it to create a girl doing what I love – running. A decade later this piece still means so much to me. It closes out an era in both my running and art careers to make way for new eras, as both have continued to be core parts of who I am. It is a reminder of both where I came from and where I am going.

Dimensions: 14 x 16
Medium: Photography
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: This Marathon was the year following the devastating Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. It was a sunny beautiful day for runners and spectators. Thousands came to show that we are Boston Strong.

Dimensions: 14 x 20
Medium: Photography
Year created: 2014What inspired you to make this work?: This marathon was the year following the devastating Boston Marathon bombing of 2013. It was a beautiful, sunny day for runners and spectators. Thousands came to show that we are Boston Strong.

Dimensions: 14 x 20
Medium: Photography
Year created: 2014What inspired you to make this work?: This marathon was the year following the devastating Boston Marathon bombing of 2014. It was a beautiful, sunny day for runners and spectators. Thousands came to show that we are Boston Strong.

Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 1
Medium: Oil on canvas
Year created: 2023What inspired you to make this work?: I was running the marathon in 2013 (bib #2941) and realized as I approached the Mass Ave. bridge while on Comm Ave., that everyone was slowing down with less and less space between us until we stopped. Confused, we stood there, assuming we were stopped for an important reason but questioning why the race would be stopped. I remember post-run chills setting in and started shivering while trying to answer texts coming in from various people. Eventually, spectators who had come from the finish line started telling us of the explosion that had happened. After a while, a man appeared at the front of the crowd holding a speaker above his head. I couldn't see who was speaking from the mic, but they delivered official word of what happened and asked us to please be patient while they worked on how to proceed. With an interesting mix of reactions, some runners were crying, some were stunned, and some were not even deterred by the news and tried to continue to the finish line (which they found to be blocked off of course). It was a huge relief that they started passing out the finisher thermal blankets to warm us up. We were finally allowed to start moving and most of us started to make our way down Comm Ave. towards the public gardens to get to public transportation or meet up with rides. This piece was from a photo I took documenting my experience.

Dimensions: 14.875 x 11.875 x 2
Medium: Poem in shadow box with photo and medal
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: As a lifelong runner in his mid-sixties, I was out on a run one morning and the thought came to me that one day it would be my last run, and my last race. Thinking back to the many experiences I have had with running, I sat down and wrote out "Ode To One Last Race". Having taken nearly 10 years to qualify and get into the Boston Marathon, this race means a lot to me. I was lucky to run my first one, in 2018, with my amazing wife, who had also qualified. I came back in 2019 and the experience was just as incredible as I ran down Boylston to the finish. Yes, if fate allows my final race would certainly start out Hopkinton way.

Dimensions: 16 x 20 x 1
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: My daughter, Christine "Stina" Barone works for Newton Wellesley Hospital as an MRI Technician. Stina has had the pleasure of raising money for the "Newton Wellesley Cancer Center" and ran in the Boston 2015 Marathon, The Boston 2020 Virtual Marathon, and finally the one and only 125th Boston Marathon in October 2021. These images capture her as she is approaching Newton Wellesley Hospital and all her colleagues are waiting/routing for her. So proud. P.S. She also dedicated that run for one of her best friends sister who had Brain Cancer at the age of 16. Finish time = 3:49:04 Photos are taken by me Marianne Thiffault (Stina's mom) - amateur photographer

Dimensions: 17 x 14
Medium: Ink and watercolor
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: This poem was inspired by many years of watching the marathon runners... Their focus, drive, resilience and their grit is truly motivating. I wrote this poem as part of a full length illustrated Novel In Verse that I am currently working on. I believe that obstacles are overcome by so many, in particular the special runners of the Boston Marathon who run despite their many shortcomings. They inspire and motivate everyone.

Dimensions: 17 x 14
Medium: Ink and Watercolor
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: This poem was inspired by many years of watching the marathon runners... Their focus, drive, resilience and their grit is truly motivating. I wrote this poem as part of a full length illustrated Novel In Verse that I am currently working on. I believe that obstacles are overcome by so many, in particular the special runners of the Boston Marathon who run despite their many shortcomings. They inspire and motivate everyone.

Dimensions: 17 x 14
Medium: Photograph
Year created: 2024What inspired you to make this work?: This poem was inspired by many years of watching the marathon runners... Their focus, drive, resilience and their grit is truly motivating. I have many photographs I have taken of these runners and one in particular that I have used as part of this poem, motivates me when I am facing a challenge. It tells me that strength is not just physical, mental fortitude is equally if not more important. It is what drive one towards their goal. I wrote this poem as part of a full length illustrated Novel In Verse that I am currently working on. I believe that obstacles are overcome by so many, in particular the special runners of the Boston Marathon who run despite their many shortcomings. They inspire and motivate everyone.