This week, I had the opportunity to interview one of Winthrop’s very own staff members to honor them as the teacher spotlight.  This staff member is an adjustment counselor, Ms. Santangelo!  This Tuesday, I got the chance to talk to her about working at Winthrop High School and running the Boston Marathon for the second time this Monday.

Shan Raneri: [What is it like] working in Winthrop High School?

Ms. Santangelo: I’m from Winthrop, I went to Winthrop High School… you know what?  I will say it’s awesome.  It’s a small town, it was such a great experience to be a student here and now a staff member, and you know, some of the teachers who were teaching when I was in high school are still here; it’s just such a close-knit-like community.  It’s just such a great experience… I never thought I would love [teaching here], but I do.

Raneri: So we are going to get into the Boston Marathon part, why did you want to run it?

Santangelo: I really started getting into running during COVID.  The gyms were closed, I’m a big gym rat.  I love working out and exercising, it’s really good for the physical aspect but also mental health-wise it just helps me.  It clears my mind, I love running.  But during COVID, gyms were closed, so I was always outdoors, so I really started getting into running.  I trained for my own, solo, half-marathon, during COVID.  And then I thought about running the Boston Marathon and how cool it would be but I wanted to do it for a cause.  It was the best experience ever and now I’m running again this year!

Raneri: So you’ve already run before?!

Santangelo: So, I ran last year, and now this year I’m doing it again! I caught the “marathon bug,” I was like, “I absolutely love it.  I have to do it again.”  This year, I’m  running for Mass General Pediatric Cancer.

Raneri: That’s awesome!  How did you stay committed to doing the Marathon the first time and then what made you want to do it a second time?  And what was the training process?

Santangelo: I guess I find myself to be a very disciplined person as it is.  I’m very consistent with my physical health, so the training piece, like getting myself to actually commit to it, was never that hard for me because I am already so committed and dedicated to my physical health.  It’s a lot of early mornings and late nights and Saturdays, you have to sacrifice your Saturdays or ten, twelve, fourteen, eighteen, twenty-mile runs.  It’s a lot but I think when you have a plan and a goal, which is to run something so big, it keeps you on track.

Raneri: How does it feel when you turn left onto Boylston Street?  What’s the adrenaline rush when you turn that corner with the bells and everything?

Santangelo: I took my headphones out because I wanted to hear the crowd.  I was like “Oh my God.”  I felt like I was being flown to the finish line because it was so amazing.  I had family and friends right on Boylston Street; you’re so close you can see it.  You have people cheering you on.  It took me four hours to finish the first time so I’ve been waiting to get to that finish line.  I was like, “This is amazing.  It’s crazy.”

Raneri: Well, good luck, congratulations, and thank you for your time.

Be sure to wish Ms. Santangelo good luck when you see her.  And if you wish to check on her status during the marathon, download the B.A.A. Racing App, her bib number is 26757.  Good luck Ms. Santangelo!