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Matherne, a martial arts instructor for 12 years who works at The Dojo in Stamford, will run Monday’s Boston Marathon to raise money for the Connecticut Challenge. Readers can donate through his fundraising page. He has raised more than $2,000 so far.
The race will be Matherne’s 15th marathon and his first Boston. He is on a quest to run a marathon in every state. His most recent one was in Virginia last month. He believes his martial arts training goes a long way toward establishing the mental strength to push through at endurance races.
“I’ve had some races where my body is telling me I was not built to do this,’’ Matherne said. “After 2 or 3 miles, my body is telling me it’s time to stop. The martial arts training has given me this whole don’t quit mentality.”
Although Matherne believes martial arts helps runners, he finds runners are reluctant to reciprocate and try martial arts. “I tell a lot of runners that it could help them,’’ he said. “It’s so well-suited for running. I think the flexibility and athleticism in martial arts builds a more durable body.”
Matherne’s first love is martial arts. He owns two black belts and competed on a demonstration team at the National Collegiate Takekwondo Championship at the University of Bridgeport in 2004. He also has a background in theater, including an appearance at the Curtain Call in Stamford.
He has participated in a variety of endurance events, including the Ironman Texas in 2011, the Empire State Building Run-Up and the Gran Fondo Philadelphia Bike Ride. In 2010, he ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon barefoot. In October, he will run a 50-mile ultramarathon in Pennsylvania.
Jon Stellwagen, who recruits endurance athletes to race for the Connecticut Challenge, reached out to Matherne two months ago to see whether he had an interest in racing in Boston. Matherne, who was already training for an Ironman race next month, jumped at the chance.
“When I first found out about it, I didn’t think about the charity aspect of it too much,’’ he said. “I researched it and found out what the charity was doing, and it’s for a terrific cause in helping cancer survivors. I had done some fundraising races before, but nothing of this magnitude.”
Matherne raced a lot last year, running in everything from the Ironman U.S. Championship in New York to an obstacle race in Massachusetts. He’s looking forward to Boston, with its rich history, huge field and fabulous spectators.
“For me it’s a bucket list race,’’ he said. “I knew I would never there with a qualifying time. When the opportunity to came to do it for such a good cause, I couldn’t wait to get the chance. I think it’s going to be awesome.”
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