9-15-2020 6:53pm

Cross Country Team Supports Coach Harry Applegate During Boston Marathon

Rick Amburgey Neighbor

Photo Contributed.

Runners can't just sign up for the Boston Marathon.

It is the only marathon that requires runners to have a certain qualifying time before they can participate. Harry Applegate, cross country coach at Franklin High School, has been trying for nearly 10 years to meet his goal of running in the Boston Marathon. He was approved to run in this year's Boston Marathon, which was turned into a virtual event because of COVID-19.

Runners had until Sept. 14 to submit their runs to the Boston Marathon. Applegate was planning to run his event on Sunday. Although he didn't know it, the cross country team planned to come support him. They had lined Applegate's route about seven miles into the 26.2-mile run. Applegate didn't make it that far. Applegate's wife texted them that he had badly rolled his ankle about a mile into the run. As a result, he returned home.

That's when Robert Bond, girls cross country coach, told the students that Applegate wasn't going to be able to finish because of his injury. That's when the cross country team came up a plan of their own. The decided to split up the 26 miles, run it and submit it to the Boston Marathon on Applegate's behalf.

Applegate's wife texted again and told them that he was back on the course and determined to finish the race with his bad ankle. With the help of the cross country team, he was able to achieve this goal. Bond said the team returned to surprise Applegate around mile eight of the marathon. Bond said that people who weren't even associated with Franklin heard about what was happening and came out to offer their support.