Finding Her Stride Through Running
Christina’s longest race this year was the Newport Rhode Races Half Marathon in April. She will add the Falmouth Road Race (this Sunday) and Chicago Marathon (October) to the list in a year the Vineyard resident has dedicated to running.
When it comes to running, Christina Park is relatively new to the sport.
“I started running in early 2024,” she said. “It gave me an opportunity to be on my own, but now I love running with people and hate running by myself. It’s been a great way for me to be in my own space and clear my own head.”
Since that time, Christina has run several 5Ks on Martha’s Vineyard — she lives in Edgartown and has worked at Martha’s Vineyard Bank for the past 15 years, starting as a teller and working her way up to become its training and development manager.
This spring, she pushed herself even more, completing the Newport Rhode Races Half Marathon. “It went very well,” she said of her first half-marathon. “I came in 15 to 20 minutes under my goal and finished in just over two hours.”
This Sunday, she will cross another race off her list when she runs the 54th Annual Falmouth Road Race. Even before she started running, Christina had long heard of the iconic race and the energy that it brings to this seaside community.
After her colleague at the bank, Jennifer Dooling, mentioned she was on the board of the Arts Foundation and they had bibs available, Christina jumped at the chance to run in support of the arts. “If I can run and raise money for something that I really appreciate, that was the kicker for me,” Christina said. “Everything just really fell into place with this.”
As a single parent who has seen the impact that creativity has had on her own daughter, Christina understands the important role that arts can play in people’s lives. “It’s helped my daughter through changes she has been going through. She’s able to express herself in positive ways through art,” Christina said.
She drew a parallel to what running has given her the past two years. “I don’t think enough people have access to the arts. You forget it is a great way to express yourself, whether it’s through drawing, coloring, painting, music, or theatre,” she said. “Any art, like running for me, gives you an outlet for your emotions and feelings. To watch what art has done for my daughter has been amazing.”
It is why Christina was so excited to support the Arts Foundation’s programs which include Arts Access, an initiative started in 2019 with the goal of connecting all children on the Cape and Islands to meaningful arts experiences. “Being a single mom, I appreciate things like that which effect kids in a positive manner,” Christina said.
It is why, regardless of her time on Sunday, Christina is already proud of all she has accomplished as a member of the Arts Foundation’s road race team. “I just want to finish it and feel the energy that everyone talks about,” she said.
After this weekend, Christina will be looking for her next challenge. In October, she has her sights set on the Chicago Marathon. “I decided that 2026 is my running year which is great because the Falmouth Road Race is right in line with my training program,” she said. “As much as I pretend to be someone in it for personal records, I just really enjoy running and I enjoy being out there with others.”
This is now the fourth year the Arts Foundation has fielded a team for the Falmouth Road Race. Help support our team, and strengthen arts and culture across the region with a donation today.
If you’re interested in running for the Arts Foundation next year when the Falmouth Road Race celebrates its 55th anniversary, contact Amy Tuttle at atuttle@artsfoundation.org.