North grad opted not to run in Boston

 

North grad opted not to run in Boston

By Janell Bradley
Contributing Writer

In a twist of circumstances, 1980 North High graduate and marathon competitor Kevin Hoey wasn't competing in the Boston Marathon Monday. However, several of his friends from his Cottage Grove, Wis., neighborhood were among the more than 20,000 competing. They were in close proximity to the explosions that had everyone using social media and cell phones to get news about their loved ones.

Hoey, a pharmacist in Cottage Grove, Wis., was working at Hoey Apothecary Monday afternoon and watching for his friends' finish times when he learned of the explosions near the finish line.

After competing in track and cross country at North, Hoey has continued to run for health and recreation and regularly competes in long-distance competitions. He has run in Boston three times.

Last fall, Hoey was to compete for the first time in the New York City Marathon. However, the timing of Hurricane Sandy kept Hoey and family members from being able to fly into New York City without a great deal of struggle. Hoey said Monday that because he intends to compete in the 2013 NYC Marathon this fall, he opted not to run at Boston, Mass., this week.

If he had, Hoey would have expected to finish around the 3 hour, 15 minute mark, ahead of the explosions that have been termed suspicious in nature.

As he worked to fill orders for prescriptions Monday afternoon, Hoey said he remained uneasy. One of his four friends in Monday's marathon, with whom he communicated by text message, said his family members had just been standing in that area near the finish line 20 minutes prior as he (the friend) finished the race.

"It's very unsettling," Hoey said.

Kevin and his wife, Janell (Rawson), are both North High grads and have family living in the West Union area. The couple have four children.

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