<   Please help me get to the starting line in Hopkinton   >

You can donate on-line by clicking the "DONATE" button or you can mail me a check made out to "Ron Burton Training Village" with a note in the memo section "BAAJH -- M Bower" and mail it to:  Mike Bower, 18 Edith Road, Framingham, MA 01701.  Thank you so very much.

<   Mike's Marathon History   >

The 2012 Boston Marathon will be my 7th Boston marathon and my 13th marathon overall.  My first marathon was April 2000 in Boston.  Ironically my best marathon time ever came last October 2011 at the Bay State Marathon in Lowell when I finished in 4:02:40 during my 12th marathon run.

I have run the Boston Marathon 6 times (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2010), the Bay State Marathon in Lowell 5 times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2011), and the Cape Cod Marathon 1 time (2009).

          <   Mike's Training Progess - 15 Week Program   >

                 <   January 2, 2012 --- April 16, 2012   >

                                15 Weeks   ---   450 Miles   ---   70 Runs

Status  at the end of  week # 15 (04/09 - 04/15) -- 470.3, 58 runs

Status at the end of week # 14 (04/02 - 04/08) --  452.1 miles, 56 runs 

Status at the end of week # 13 (03/26 - 04/01) --  426.7 miles, 53 runs 

Status at the end of week # 12 (03/19 - 03/25) --  401.3 miles, 50 runs 

Status at the end of week # 11 (03/12 - 03/18) --  373.9 miles, 47 runs 

 Status at the end of week # 10 (03/05 - 03/11) --  362.6 miles, 44 runs

 Status at the end of week # 9  (02/27 - 03/04)  --  313.6 miles, 40 runs       

  Status at the end of week # 8  (02/20 - 02/26)  --  297.1 miles, 37 runs       

  Status at the end of week # 7  (02/13 - 02/19)  --  258.7 miles, 33 runs       

  Status at the end of week # 6  (02/06 - 02/12)  --  218.7 miles, 28 runs     

  Status at the end of week # 5  (01/30 - 02/05)  --  166.0 miles, 23 runs  

  Status at the end of week # 4  (01/23 - 01/29)  --  125.5 miles, 18 runs 

  Status at the end of week # 3  (01/16 - 01/22)   --   85.3 miles, 13 runs

  Status at the end of week # 2  (01/09 - 01/15)   --   50.3 miles, 8 runs

  Status at the end of week # 1  (01/02 - 01/08)   --   16.5 miles, 3 runs

Planned Races:   SU 2/5 - Lynn Great Stew Chase 15K (9.3 miles)  >>>                                     89:28,  9:37/mile       

                                SU 2/19 - Foxboro Old Fashioned10 Miler >>>                                          95:22,  9:32/mile

                                SU 2/26 - Hyannis 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) >>>                                                  125:42,  9:36/mile

Long Runs with the JH Marathon Training Team:

SU 12/04 -- 12.7 miles - Starting line in Hopkinton  to  Wellesley College

SU 02/12 -- 18.3 miles - Wellesley College to Boston College and back

SU 03/11 -- 22.0 miles - Copley Square to Wellesley and back

 <    Background on the Ron Burton Training Village  >

RON BURTON TRAINING VILLAGE wrote -

Over the past twenty -four years the Ron Burton Training Village (RBTV) has served more than 3000 young men and women in their spiritual, physical and educational growth. Twelve months a year, over a six-year period, campers are guided, supported and mentored in some of life’s most essential areas including: education, social skills, morals, values, leadership and fitness. The most intense part of this mentorship occurs during the summer when the campers attend our five-week training camp in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. The camp stresses diversity with a balanced roster of minority and non-minority campers. Though the youngsters come from very diverse backgrounds, the majority of the youth who attend the training village are kids from economically disadvantaged and often troubled and at-risk situations. The environments they are reared in generally lead to adverse behavior and low self-esteem. These youngsters have excessive stress in their homes, neighborhoods and social lives and are looking for direction.

Our campers genuinely desire to get better, however the majority of the surrounding forces they are confronted with on a daily basis keep them teetering on that fence; and with the wrong influences they could easily be edged in a very unfavorable direction. The Ron Burton Training Village curriculum directs the focus of these individuals toward a positive and productive target whose bull’s-eye is; a love for God and ones fellow human beings, physical adeptness and academic excellence. We are able to accomplish this through the medium of sport.

Though the kids come from different backgrounds, most of the campers come on scholarship. No child is turned away due to their financial situation. Each camper is given all of their clothes, meals and accommodations for the five weeks. Everyone is dressed the same so that no one feels any different (better or worse) than anyone else. They are given full Reebok sweat suits, running sneakers, shorts, t-shirts, socks; in fact the only articles kids come to camp with is a sleeping bag, a few personal items, and the clothes on their backs.

The entire program is based on love and understanding. The staff, counselors and campers alike are only allowed to speak positive and uplifting words. Teasing, putting down or any words that might hurt or otherwise demean someone’s spirit are not allowed. The kids are taught never to swear or use harsh language. Through athletics, we inspire the campers never to drink, smoke or take any kind of drugs. We stress the importance of respecting their colleagues, their elders and a special emphasis is placed on loving and respecting their parents.