Belmont resident Becca Pizzi has had a busy summer. One week, the accomplished endurance athlete was directing other runners tackling the Easter Island Marathon.
Immediately after, she headed north, way north, to run the North Pole Marathon.
Next up: A shorter distance, a lot closer to home, as she sponsors the 5K Belmont road race that bears her name.
“I had always dreamt about doing the North Pole Marathon,” Pizzi said.
The race is a challenge. Not only does it cover the 26.2 marathon distance, but it covers that distance in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet. There was the wind, there was the slush, and the cold.
“And you were running on the frozen ocean, so it was intimidating,” she said.
Pizzi covered the distance in 4 hours, 46 minutes, 21 seconds, setting a women’s course record.
Now, she’s directing her 5K, set for Sunday, Aug. 10 at 9 a.m. at Belmont High School.
“I’m so excited,” Pizzi said. “This is our 10th anniversary, and so far, $100,000 has been given out in scholarships.”
This year, 500 people are expected to navigate the 3.1 miles that carves a rough loop through Belmont.
“This is our chance to give back,” Pizzi said.
There isn’t much spare time built into Pizzi’s schedule. She coaches and competes almost full-time, including coaching her daughter’s track team in Belmont.
“I hope to see a lot of people at the 5k,” she said. “It’s stroller-friendly and dog-friendly.”