by Larry Eder
This meet is one of the most important meets I go to each and every year. It is important because it honors a young man who lived his life quietly and lovingly, Adrian Martinez. The meet has gone from a small community meet to a meet that welcomes local runners, elite runners and also unified events (options for athletes who compete in Special Olympics).
Why is it important? It reminds us of our roots. Small meets, a small group of fans and friends, and races for everyone who wants to race. Several elite races for us to enjoy and some fun New England surprises (last year, Tommy Ratcliffe ran 4:01.50, a New England record). And it is the perfect type of event for HOKA ONE ONE to support. HOKA ONE ONE is one of the most successful footwear start ups of the last decade. Staying grass roots, HOKA ONE ONE has grown to be a global phenonmenon.
Women’s 5000 meters, Adrian Martinez Classic, June 2016, photo by Kevin Morris
My dream? I would love to see four meets like this, around the country, providing the combination of local runners, unified runners and elite runners, on a local track. I will be there, and hope that you will too. If not, follow our coverage at @runblogrun on Fb, twitter, Instagram.
Press release is just below and all social media contacts are listed!
The Adrian Martinez Classic is scheduled for Thursday June 1st; HOKA ONE ONE returns as lead sponsor for the fourth year.
The 9th Annual Adrian Martinez Classic will take place on Thursday, June 1st at 4:30pm at Emerson Field in Concord, MA. This unique track meet brings together Olympians, elite high school athletes, and runners of all ages for a celebratory evening of racing. The High Performance events will feature many of the nation’s top athletes in the 800m, Mile, and 3000m. In the citizen events, runners of all abilities will compete in community mile races for kids as young as 5 and masters as old as 75. In addition, the Martinez Classic will host some of the state’s best athletes with intellectual disabilities in the Unified 400m. And of course, local families will once again duel on the track in the Family 4×4.
HOKA ONE ONE returns for its fourth year as presenting sponsor of the Martinez Classic. HOKA has increased its support in 2017, adding larger prize purses and time bonuses for athletes breaking meet records or hitting the USATF Outdoor Championships standard in the High Performance races. In all, at least $26,000 will be on the line at this year’s Martinez Classic – with the possibility of significantly more. According the Mike McManus, Global Sports Marketing Manager for HOKA ONE ONE, “We are honored to continue our support of the Martinez Classic, which is inclusive to all ages and competitive levels. Moreover, HOKA ONE ONE is proud to honor the legacy of Adrian Martinez and share in his passion for running.”
Adrian Martinez was a champion miler
who graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in 2002. Known for his humility, gentle and caring nature, and love of learning, he gave of himself to all who sought his help, whether academically as a gifted student or athletically as an accomplished distance runner. He led quietly and by example, both at Concord-Carlisle and at Williams College, from which he graduated in 2006. The summer after graduation, Adrian suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing soccer. The Adrian Martinez Classic is a way to honor his life by doing things he truly loved: running with friends and bringing people together.
The Adrian Martinez Classic serves as a fundraiser for the Adrian A. Martinez Memorial Scholarship Fund at Concord-Carlisle High School (administered by the CCHS Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)3 non-profit), and for the Friends of CCHS Track & Field, which supports the Track & Field teams at CCHS. Adrian’s family – his parents, Angel and Frankie, and his siblings Lucas, Julian, and Olivia – established the scholarship to commemorate his passion for distance running and his devotion to learning. It is their sincere hope that his kindness, humility, giving nature, sense of purpose, and leadership are reflected in the recipients of this annual award.
For more information about the Adrian Martinez Classic, contact:
Stephen Lane, Meet Director
twitter: @martinezclassic
To download the release, please go here: MartinezClassicPressRelease3-31.pdf
