Lakewood Ranch's Jennifer Tullio wasn't sure the annual Boo Run, which raises funds and awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, was going to happen during the pandemic.
Then Fit2Run's Parks Robinson came to her and explained how her event could be held safely by switching the venue from Lakewood Main Street to Nathan Benderson Park and then staggering the runners in groups of 25, five minutes apart in starting times.
In a matter of weeks, the event was put together.
"We weren't going to do this until he explained all the protocols," said Tullio, whose son Grayson has Duchenne and was the inspiration for the nonprofit Another Day for Gray. "Everything came together fast."
Although the event didn't draw near the 800 runners who competed in 2019, it did have 330 participants, with 60 of those competing on a virtual basis. The other 270 enjoyed the scaled back event at Nathan Benderson Park.
"This is just a huge family event," Robinson said. "It would have been hard not to have it. And these nonprofits need some sort of income.
Monaka Oberer, Grayson Tullio and Jennifer Tullio get ready to kick off the annual Boo Run at Nathan Benderson Park Oct. 31. It took a Superman kind of effort to get the race organized in just weeks.
Lakewood Ranch 10-year-old Shadai Magra was the first youth runner to finish the Boo Run. She ran a personal best 25:01.
Palmetto's Alvin Ducre is a regular fixture at area benefit runs and he didn't mind riding his bike 19 miles to arrive at Nathan Benderson Park for the Boo Run.
Lakewood Ranch's Rebekah Boudrie and Lola came to support Another Day for Gray in the Boo Run.
Grayson Tullio gets the race started alongside Lakewood Ranch's Christina Weger.
Bradenton's Kori Boyd crossed the finish line first among those in the first wave in 19:09.
Bradenton's Pamela Wusthof and Maureen Matson were all smiles now that they can run in charity events once again.
Parks Robinson of Fit2Run went to Boo Run organizers and told them they could safely host an in-person run at Nathan Benderson Park.
East County's Carmen Sutphen and Janelle Sutphen made no bones about the fact they were happy to be able to compete in benefit races again.
Janae Pranschke and Maryann Keller of Dunedin said they love the beauty of Nathan Benderson Park and they want to return for other events.
Parrish's Matthew Laliberte and Dunedin's Janae Pranschke head for the finish line of the Boo Run.
