Vinacco '18 is running the Boston Marathon on April 18 to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for him mother, Paula. (PHOTO COURTESY Kenny Vinacco, '17) |
BY MARY GETTENS '23
Click Here for Vinacco's Marathon Donation Page
In 2020, Kenneth Vinacco qualified to run the Boston Marathon. Then the COVID-19 pandemic led to the marathon being canceled.
Now, Vinacco is back, running the 2022 Boston Marathon under the Strides Against MS Team to help raise $10,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Vinacco said he was inspired to run the Boston Marathon and raise money by his mother, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005.
He said she was a strong supporter throughout his cross-country career in high school and as an undergraduate at Stonehill College. He also graduated last year from the University of Rhode Island with a doctorate in physical therapy.
"My mother loves watching me run and seeing me excel at what I do, so it means a lot to me to be able to run in the Boston Marathon for her," Vinacco said. "She and I share a close connection, and [with] her living vicariously through my efforts, I am obligated to give her this, and to show her that her boy is out there running and doing the best he can do."
Vinacco is currently in a residency program for neurological physical therapy at Boston University and works for about 10 hours a day, on top of training for the marathon. He officially began training for the Boston Marathon in January, and on average runs up to 50 miles a week and is set to reach 70 miles a week.
Despite having to qualify for a rigorous running time of three hours or under in the 18-34 age group, applying to run for the Strides against MS team under the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is also rigorous. In the application process, he said the National Multiple Sclerosis Society asked him a series of questions, including what marathons he had run previously and if he had raised money for the society earlier.
Vinacco, '18 (left) was a key member of the Skyhawks 2017 NCAA East Regional Championship squad (PHOTO BY Nick LoVerde) |
On Christmas Eve, he received a call that he had been accepted to the team. Since that call, Vinacco is one of 15 runners to represent the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on the Strides against the MS team.
Vinacco said he owes much of his success to Stonehill College's cross-country coach Karen Boen.
"When I joined the program as a walk-on, I was not particularly good, but the program itself was a national-caliber program, so Karen and I have a long history," Vinacco said. "She is the reason I am in the position I am in today and excelled in the sport of running. I owe a lot to her, and to the Stonehill community."
In his senior season, Vinacco was named a captain of the cross-country team and was the male recipient of the Fr. John McCarthy Leadership Award, which is awarded to senior student-athletes in good academic and citizenship standing who have displayed exemplary leadership.
Vinacco joined the Stonehill community in 2014 as a Biology major because he fell in love with the college when he stepped on campus for the first time. He said he was drawn to the strong academic reputation and the supportive community of faculty, staff, and students centered on community service.
He said he plans to keep supporting efforts to help those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He said his mother inspired him to pursue neurological physical therapy to help people in similar situations like her.
"Focusing on neurological physical therapy is one way I can help to support people like my mother and give them my absolute best to help optimize their lives as best as I can," Vinacco said. "I have taken a lot of pride in helping people like my mother throughout my whole career. I hope to do more fundraisers like this in the future. I am certainly up for the challenge, and I am excited to be a part of something like this."
He said people can help support by donating here.
