By Geena Monahan—For the North Star Reporter
Most days, Armanda Demeris’ marathon training looks less like a solo run and more like a family outing — her two toddlers along for the ride in a jogging stroller as she logs the miles.
“They’re probably the best coaches in the world,” Demeris said with a laugh. “They’re always telling me to go faster.”
This spring, the 35-year-old mother of two — who lived in North Attleborough for eight years before recently moving just over the line into South Attleboro — will take on her biggest challenge yet when she runs the 130th Boston Marathon on April 20 while raising money for the Massachusetts General Hospital Fund.
For Demeris, a project manager at Siemens Healthineers in Walpole, the race is a deeply personal mission shaped by family, friendship and service.
“It’s been really meaningful,” she said. “This is something that’s pushed me outside of being just a mom and a wife — it’s something I’m doing for myself, while also giving back.”
From stroller runs to Boston
Demeris didn’t always love running. A former high school athlete, she said she “hated running” until it became part of her life after having children. With two kids just 15 months apart, she began with walks during maternity leave before gradually building up to short runs.
“I needed something more,” Demeris said.
Her first major step came in 2023, when she completed a half marathon just eight months postpartum — an experience she described as “not fast or pretty, but I did it.”
From there, running became both an outlet and a way to stay grounded, especially while her husband spent 18 months away training with the Massachusetts Army National Guard.
“I’m not getting any younger,” she joked. “If I’m going to run a marathon, this is the time.”
A race with personal meaning
Demeris was accepted to run on the Massachusetts General Hospital Marathon Team after applying to multiple charities, drawn to causes that reflected her own life. Each of the hospital fund’s focus areas — emergency response, cancer care and research, and veteran support through the Home Base Program — carries a personal connection.
Her best friend, Alisia Toscano, works as a nurse in Massachusetts General Hospital’s Emergency Department, and her husband is both a first responder and an Operation Enduring Freedom veteran.
Cancer research is equally close to home.
Her mother, Sandra Roy, is a two-time breast cancer survivor and has been cancer-free for 13 years. Demeris also worked early in her career as a technician in a breast cancer research lab, giving her firsthand insight into the importance of funding.
“We just have so many connections,” she said. “I jokingly say it’s the big three — you can’t really say no to first responders, cancer and veterans.”
A balancing act
Training for a marathon while raising two young children and working full-time has required flexibility — and plenty of late nights.
With her husband working overnight shifts on a rotating schedule, Demeris fits in runs whenever she can, often turning to her treadmill after her children go to bed.
“My motto is ‘run when I can,’” she said.
Longer runs are typically saved for weekends, including trips to the Cape Cod canal for a change in scenery.
Despite the physical demands, Demeris said one of the most difficult aspects of the journey hasn’t been running — it’s been fundraising.
She has raised about $7,000 toward her $12,000 goal through creative efforts, including selling homemade sourdough bread and organizing community events. An upcoming fundraiser at Elite Boxing & Fitness in North Attleborough will feature sparring sessions and raffles, including free class passes and a handmade quilt by her mother as prizes.
Finding meaning beyond the finish line
For Demeris, the Boston Marathon represents more than just a race — it’s a chance to challenge herself while giving back.
“As a working mom and a wife of a first responder, a lot of times I have to be selfless and put everyone else first,” she said. “This has been something where I can prove to myself that I can do something for me, too.”
Boston won’t be her last. Demeris has already been accepted into the Chicago Marathon this fall and dreams of completing all six major marathons. While she jokes that simply finishing the Boston course is the main goal, her competitive side is aiming for a time between four and five hours.
“I love how Boston shows up for this race,” she said. “It’s such a huge celebration.”
Desmeris’ fundraising page can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2twba9b5.