The race has attracted a Supreme Court justice, the vice president of the United States, a governor, a TV game show host and Oprah Winfrey.
Todd Fletcher and Jim Scanlon aren’t national celebrities like Winfrey & Co., but they are extremely motivated to reach the finish line at the Marine Corps Marathon.
Former Chelmsford High hockey and football teammates, Fletcher and Scanlon have a special reason to run the 26.2 miles from Arlington, Va., to Washington, D.C., and back to Arlington on Sunday, Oct. 26.
The duo will compete in the event’s 50th anniversary race for the Travis Manion Foundation under the team name Honor Shift. The foundation empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes.
“Honor Shift isn’t just a team name — it’s our mission. As former hockey players from Chelmsford, we understand the effort it takes to give everything you have during a shift on the ice. This year, our ‘shift’ will take place on the streets of Washington, D.C., as we run in tribute to the men and women who serve our country with courage and sacrifice, as well as in memory of family members and close friends we have lost,” Fletcher said.
Both were star athletes at Chelmsford High.
Fletcher, the son of former Chelmsford High and Lowell Catholic High athletic director Jack Fletcher, went on to play Division 1 hockey at UMass Lowell.
He is now a middle and high school counselor and associate athletic director at St. Edward’s School in Vero Beach, Fla., where he coaches football and lacrosse.
The 2003 CHS graduate was also a well known coach in the Lowell area. He served as a head coach at Westford Academy, leading the varsity girls Ice hockey team to a 62-33-12 record. He earned two Sun Coach of the Year honors after leading the Ghosts to a pair of MVC/DCL championships.
At Chelmsford High, he served as an assistant with the boys ice hockey, football and boys/girls lacrosse programs. He also worked as a career counselor at Valley Collaborative in Billerica for five years before relocating to Florida.
Scanlon was a three-sport athlete at Chelmsford High. He played football, hockey and baseball before going on to play one year at Worcester State. He lives in Chelmsford and is the president of WJS Mechanical in Westford. He also spent four years as an assistant hockey coach at CHS.
Fletcher and Scanlon are plenty motivated to raise as much money as they can, as well as to reach the finish line next month.
“We run to honor their service, their spirit, and the impact they’ve left on our lives,” Fletcher said.
On their fundraising page, here’s the last paragraph: “Our goal is simple: we will never forget them. We carry their names and their stories with us from the starting line to the finish, fueled by the same values they embodied … honor, commitment, and selflessness.”
To donate, go to their team page: https://donate.travismanion.org/team/761374
