Pizzi 5K Returns Aug. 25

Nine years ago this month, just over 100 runners registered for the Becca Pizzi 5K, a race that has since grown to five times the size.

“We pulled it together in 31 days,” recalled Becca Pizzi. “We had 112 runners. Now we’re up to over 500.”

This year’s Becca Pizzi 5K takes place Aug. 25 at 9:30 a.m., with bib and swag pickup from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. A kids run, which is four laps around the Belmont High School track, precedes the 5K at 9 a.m. Both races start at the Belmont High School (BHS) track.

Pizzi co-directs the race with Paula Elbert.

A lifelong Belmont resident—aside from her college years—Pizzi said she started the race nine years ago as a way to give back to the community.

“I ran the 7-7-7 [World Marathon Challenge] and got into the Guinness Book of World Records, and I kept thinking, ‘How can I give back to the community that has supported me?’” Pizzi said.

After running in high school and college, Pizzi competed in more than 80 marathons. In 2016, she became the first American woman to complete the World Marathon Challenge—seven marathons in seven days on seven continents (7-7-7). In 2018, she ran it again and still holds the record for American women with a time of 27:26:15.

She’s also a coach for Belmont middle school cross country and for the high school track and field team.

“It’s so fun to be from Belmont,” Pizzi said. “I attribute so much of my success to Belmont, where my parents went to high school. We’re generations here … I thought, ‘What if I had a 5K? That would be kind of cool.’ “

Pizzi said the community has shown up “so hard” for her.

“Over the last nine years, we’ve given $100,000 in scholarships and … toward [Belmont High School] equipment,” she said. All proceeds benefit the Becca Pizzi Foundation.

This year, scholarship recipients included Marykate Brady, Austin Lasseter, and Tomas Estrada.

According to Pizzi, people from all over Massachusetts participate in the annual race. Sen. Will Brownsberger has been an annual supporter of the event.

“I’m really proud of it,” she said. “I can’t believe it’s been nine years.”

Registration can be found online at tinyurl.com/BeccaPizzi5K.