She’s shipping up to Boston for their biggest race!
Krystal Worthy is a NYC Department of Education (DOE) employee who loves her work, stays late and does whatever she can to help her colleagues and the school community. She makes her job a big part of her life, and as rewarding as it is, she still finds time for another life passion: training for the Boston Marathon on April 15.
Worthy, a Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, resident, is a life-long sports fan, diligently training for the prestigious marathon as she keeps up with the demands of her busy work day. In between juggling her duties as a school services manager for the DOE, she trains several days a week in preparation for race day.
As a school student services manager, she oversees 42 public elementary and middle schools in District 30, based in western Queens, where her duties include crisis management, student and parent support, training school counselors, giving professional development opportunities to fellow administrators and a lot more.
Worthy’s career fills up her plate and gives her long days, but she’s found a training routine that works despite her busy schedule. Needless to say, the DOE staffer takes training as seriously as she takes her job, and has been able to customize a workout along with some coaching to fit what works best for her and her desire to complete the upcoming marathon.
“I get home from work super late, so I’ve learned my love for the treadmill,” Worthy, 40, said. “I used to hate running on a treadmill. I dreaded it. But now I’ve learned my passion for it just because I get off work so late.”
But even when the weekends and days off come around, the training continues. During this down time, she hits the pavement outside, taking advantage of city hot spots to do some scenic running. She does a lot of bridge and hill running to prepare for her Boston Marathon stint an also runs through Prospect Park.
“The Manhattan Bridge and I have become quite acquainted,” Worthy said cheerfully.
Participating in the Boston Marathon
There are many marathons, but only six are part of the World Marathon Majors. Boston is one of those races, along with Tokyo, Chicago, London, Berlin and New York City.
Since 2018, Worthy has completed five of the six majors, with Boston next on her list. Not surprisingly, her first World Marathon Majors was in New York City, where she finished the course from the Verrazzano Bridge to Tavern on the Green in Central Park in 4 hours and 20 minutes.
“I made my goal, so I was happy with that,” she said, adding that her times improved in the following races.
Worthy is part of Team TCS Teachers, a group of teachers who are given the opportunity to run in a variety of world marathons. Sponsored by IT services firm, TCS, the award guarantees winners receive complimentary entry into select marathons and access to the company’s STEM education programs.
Team TCS Teachers was created in 2018 to celebrate the educators. That year, 50 teachers from across the United States were awarded entry to the TCS New York City Marathon, the world’s largest marathon but also the most competitive to get into.
“The mission of Team TCS Teachers is to celebrate and honor teachers who give so much to their students, schools, and communities,” Megan Wright, sports sponsorship managers at TCS, said. “Krystal Worthy is a dynamic and inspirational educator. Much like teaching, running a marathon takes considerable preparation and determination. We, at TCS, are committed to supporting Krystal as she takes on the challenge of running 26.2 miles on the streets of Boston.”
Originally intended to last just one year, Team TCS Teachers in 2024 features nearly 100 teachers running five of the most iconic marathons in three countries.
And Worthy is one of them.
So what does this local athlete like best about marathon running?
“It feels like you can do anything,” she said. “I never saw myself as a runner. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”
She also added that running, wherever it may take place, helps with her work, focus and mental health.
“In my field, I deal with a lot of things in terms of crises and things of that nature,” she said. “When I run, I have a clear head and I totally feel free.”
Read more: SoHo Hotel Murder: Suspect Switched Clothes
