Two LMA docs are preparing for Monday's Boston Marathon and have very personal reasons for running. 

Dr. Stephen Odom is an acute care trauma surgeon at BIDMC and will be running his fourth Boston Marathon this year. Impressive. But, what’s even more impressive is that he’ll be running the Marathon TWICE that day. Early Monday morning, Dr. Odom (along with his colleague, BIDMC orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joe DeAngelis) will run the 26.2 miles from downtown Boston to Hopkinton, turn around, and run the 26.2 miles back to Boston with the other runners. Incredible.

What makes Dr. Odom even more extraordinary than that is just how personal the Marathon is to him.  He was one of the first members of the BIDMC trauma care team who cared for patients after the 2013 Marathon bombings. His experience caring for the injured inspired him to run his first Boston Marathon for Team BIDMC in 2014, and he has been part of the team for four years now. This will be Dr. Odom’s first ultra-marathon (any race greater than 26.2)

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Dr. Nicole LeBoeuf will be running the marathon while 27 weeks pregnant! A seasoned marathoner, Dr. LeBoeuf has the OK from her OB-GYN to run the race as long as she stays hydrated and runs at a comfortable pace. She is running for her sister Amie (pictured) and her two sisters-in-law who are all cancer survivors. She is paired through the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Patient Partner Program with 14-year old Ben Hardcastle who is also her patient. 

"Our patients face incredible challenges everyday. As long as my legs can carry me I will continue to run for our mission." Hardcastle plans to cheer her on at mile 25. 

Dr. LeBoeuf is the clinical director for the Center for Cutaneous Oncology and director of the Program in Skin Toxicities from Anticancer Therapies. She will run with 14 DFCI colleagues and is raising money for the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at DFCI.