Field Hockey Community Rallies Around Own For Boston Marathon

Janna Anctil doesn't consider herself a marathoner. A former member of the Boston College field hockey program, she runs to stay in shape, a way to continue fitness now that her days on the turf are in her rearview mirror. There's the occasional 5K, but as the field hockey coach at the Rivers School, running is done for pleasure as opposed for purpose.

All of that will change on the third Monday in April.

Anctil will put feet to pavement in Hopkinton, Mass., and join the thousands who annually run 26.2 miles, through the communities of Ashland and Framingham, winding the roads of Newton and Wellesley, up Heartbreak Hill and by Mile 21 at Boston College, turning onto Boylston Street as part of the rock concert known as the Boston Marathon's finish line. She'll do it because of a reason, a purpose, a person, and, most importantly, a teammate. | MORE INFORMATION

She'll run for Chelsey Feole, a fellow Boston College field hockey alum who was stricken in September 2015 with a spinal stroke, a condition that accounts for roughly 1.25 percent of all strokes reported in the world's medical community.

"I had a clogged blood vessel in my neck,which was totally random," Feole said. "There was nothing wrong with me leading up to it and then I cracked my neck and my arms went numb. My lower half of my body became depleted and I couldn't feel anything."

The stroke resulted in a mix of different issues. Because the stroke hit her spine and not her brain, Feole suffered from both paralysis and severe muscle atrophy because her body's blood supply had been clogged and blocked.

"Nerve regeneration happens at about 1 millimeter per day, which is about a grain of sand per day," she said. "So I had to battle time and just wait for the nerves to regenerate."

She also had to rehab her strength while retraining daily activities. Over time, her legs and arms regenerated, but her body still hasn't gotten quite back to where it was.

"My biceps are good but my shoulders still have damage and serious atrophy," Feole said. "That's really just because it's not like legs where you constantly use them. It's taking longer than I imagined and there were some gruesome few weeks, but slowly things are getting back to normal. I'm not as active as I was but I know I will be myself again."

From the beginning, Anctil had been there. Feole's parents got in touch with her when the stroke first hit, making her among the first to hear what was happening. She recalled the unknowns of her friend's condition, that the doctors tested for things like multiple sclerosis and brain tumors before they diagnosed Feole with a spinal stroke. As she moved from Mass General to Spaulding Hospital to begin the process of rehabilitation, the duo joined with other field hockey alumni to set a specific goal.

"It was really sad when Chelsey had her stroke," Anctil recalled. "We didn't know what her state was while she was at MGH. But when she went to Spaulding, I always looked forward to seeing her because she always had BC people around her. In a way, it brought us all back together again and we made a pact with a goal to run the Boston Marathon. The seed had been planted, which for me, I had an itch from being at BC to run the marathon. So I applied to run for Spaulding, where I had to tell them why I wanted to run. And now I'll get to run for Spaulding and their unbelievable people." | MORE INFORMATION

"The BC alumni really rallied together and set a goal for Spring 2017 to run the Boston Marathon," Feole said. "I had the stroke in 2015, and we figured it would be two years and I would be healthy. I would run with Janna and other alumni. But as I progressed, I realized there was no chance I would be able to do it. Well Spaulding's motto is 'run for those who can't' and Janna took it on herself to run for that motto and run for Spaulding Hospital."

That meant more hours on the pavement than ever before. Anctil, who hadn't run more than 13 miles before her training, now found herself disciplining for twice that. She now remarks that 15 miles is nothing to her and that her body responded positively. This past week she ran 21 miles for the first time and finished feeling great, the culmination of a training that's been built around a hectic schedule.

"Coaching at Rivers means I had to plan long runs around my schedule," she said. "It's a lot like field hockey was at BC. You had your practice times where you knew you had to show up and play."

That field hockey community has been a huge part of both parts of the story. While Feole, who remains in the greater sporting community through NorthEast Elite Field Hockey, recovered, the outpouring of support came from all ends of the Boston College and field hockey community. She found allies in the BC coaches, both current and former. She also found support from the greater field hockey community.

"This marathon means everything to me," she said. "I had so many teammates that visited, called and texted, but the support from the greater BC network's been amazing. What it means for BC to me goes way beyond anything in field hockey."

It also adds a layer to the story that, for one runner, will take on a whole new meaning when she passes through the Maroon and Gold mile at Mile 21.

"Chelsey is a rock star," Anctil said. "To see her go from not moving to learning how to walk again, I know how special it's going to be to run. Marathon Monday is always a great day, and I remember what it was like when I was at BC. When I run now, I see all those runners on the routes, and we're training with nobody cheering us on. I really can't wait to see what it's going to be like and I can't wait to run this race." | MORE INFORMATION

Field Hockey Community Rallies Around Own For Boston Marathon

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