It's not every day you wake up and say you want to run the Boston Marathon, but former NHL player Craig Adams has done just that in honor of his father-in-law, former Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci.
"It's not something I ever thought I'd want to do," said Adams, a right wing who played in 951 games for the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins. "I've never been a big runner, but it's certainly a big challenge."
Adams decided to take on marathon running, with his mission to help raise money for ALS research at UMass Medical Center. Cellucci was diagnosed with the disease in 2011 and died from it in 2013.
"It puts things into perspective, for sure," said Adams. "Those dealing with ALS, Paul included, they would have given anything to get out of their wheelchair and run so that definitely pushes you forward."
Just a few weeks ago, Adams completed 21 miles. That's not a small feat. He doesn't consider himself a runner, but he knows his father-in-law will be there, cheering him on, every step of the way.
"Training for Boston, there are some dark, cold mornings out there by yourself," he said. "I definitely kept him in my thoughts."
Cellucci led an effort to raise millions for research at UMass Medical School before his death. For his marathon run, Adams raised close to $17,000 to help Dr. Robert Brown's research.
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"It means a lot to me personally," said Anne Adams, Craig's wife and Cellucci's daughter. "I think about my dad every single day."
On Marathon Monday, Anne Adams knows her dad will be smiling down, as her husband puts one foot forward to try and help stamp out ALS for good.
"I don't know what the last few miles will feel like, but hopefully, I'll be feeling good," Craig Adams said. "I'm sure it'll be a good sense of accomplishment, and I'll be keeping Paul in my thoughts."
Click here for more information about the Cellucci Fund at UMass Medical School.
