Stephen Purnell (aged 41) began running B.A.A. races about ten years ago and went on to complete his Abbott World Marathon Major Six Star Journey in Berlin this past September. His daughter Courtney (aged 13) is also an avid runner and wife Jessica (aged 40) supports both of them with their training, racing and the thousands of dollars that Stephen has raised for charities while pounding the pavement.
We caught up with the Purnell family from Stoughton, MA to find out more.
Jessica, what role do you play in the family running journey supporting both your husband and daughter?
I am the keeper of the schedule. When Stephen is full on marathon training, I have to make sure Courtney can get to and from her activities, especially on weekends when Stephen might be gone for two to three hours. I am also the “come get me” uber driver. Stephen likes to change up his route so when he does, he’ll call me to come grab him from wherever he ended up. Similarly, with Courtney if she is running with Stephen, I’ll go grab her when she is done.
What does it mean to you to see all that your husband has done for the running community with his fundraising efforts?
It truly is incredible. The amount of time and energy that he puts into fundraising is amazing to see. We have been fortunate enough to have support from all our family and friends and we’ve been able to have a lot of fun with it. We’ve hosted a paint night and have done football squares for every fundraising marathon he has done.
Stephen has found a love for running and has made so many great connections throughout the last few years. He was lucky enough to have Coach Amanda from the B.A.A. during his first marathon training and he has taken all that she has taught him and used that to inspire others as they prepare for their first or even 10th marathon.
I love seeing him in his element. He never complains about needing to go out and get his run in (expect maybe in the middle of winter) but he gets it done, day in and day out.
What does running mean to you as a family?
I am not a runner. I am the cheerleader, the emotional support person, the emergency contact and most importantly the “bag lady”. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love watching Stephen pursue his dreams, I love watching Courtney navigate her sometimes love/hate relationship with the sport. I love watching the two of them bond, achieve their own personal bests and then try to crush it at the next race. I love watching their personal competitiveness when they try to sprint at the very last second to see who can come out on top. Courtney will never let Stephen live down the first race that she beat him by one second.
The fun and memories we’ve created along the way describe exactly what running means to us as a family.
Courtney, when did you start to run and what do you enjoy about it?
I started running when I was four or five years old. I liked going out there and trying to win.
How much has your dad’s running inspired you to get involved?
Watching him run has inspired me to run. He has also volunteered over the last couple years during the Boston Marathon and when I’m old enough I hope to be able to join him.
What has been your favorite running event so far?
My favorite event was the B.A.A. 10k this year with my dad because, it was the longest distance that I had ever run. I also like all the 5K races that we have been able to do while traveling.
What are your running goals and upcoming plans?
First, I am a competitive gymnast, I also just completed my second cross-country season at school and plan to start my second track and field season in the spring. As far as goals go, I’d like to work on getting faster and training for more runs with my dad.
Stephen, when did your running begin and did you ever imagine all that it would become?
I started running in High School as part of the Cross-Country Team. After High School, I’d run road races here and there but in 2011 I decided I wanted to do more. I signed up for the Falmouth Road Race and after that I never really stopped. In 2015, I participated in my first B.A.A. 5K and got inspired by their mission to get involved. I always knew even going back to High School that I wanted to run a marathon one day, but I never imagined that one marathon would have turned into nine.
What has been your proudest moment to date?
My proudest moment just happened last month; I became a Six Star Finisher in Berlin. That moment wouldn’t have been possible without the B.A.A. In 2019, when I ran my first Boston Marathon with the B.A.A. Inaugural Charity Team I had collapsed just shy of Mile 25, I wasn’t sure that I would be able to come back and do it again but I was lucky enough to have the support of the B.A.A. Staff and Coach Amanda to continue on.
What does running mean to you?
Running has become such a big part of my life. At the end of a busy workday, it's nice to just go outside, turn on my music and get in a few miles. I’ve been lucky enough to make a lot of connections through the B.A.A. and have made life-long friends. This community is special.
How much does Jessica’s support mean to you and enable your running?
Jessica’ support is hard to put into words. She is everything to our family. Without her support I wouldn’t have been able to put the time and effort into running. She picks up a lot of the slack especially during those super long runs. She follows me around the world, watches me along the course, replaces my fuel as needed and provides the best encouragement along the way. There is no way that I could have done this without her.
Courtney seems to be following in your footsteps?
Courtney does have a love/hate relationship with running. She joined the Cross-Country team at school because she knew she could run. She prefers to run with me versus running alone but I’m not going to complain that she likes running with me. It gives us time to catch up on life since she is so busy with gymnastics, school and whatever thirteen-year-old girls do these days.
Tell us about your journey to become a Six Star Finisher.
This journey took me five years, but it was a quick five years.
When my first Boston Marathon in 2019 didn’t go as planned, I wasn’t sure what would come after that. Emotionally, it took a lot out of me. I had to work through it quickly because Chicago was on schedule for later that same year. With a great Chicago Marathon result, I was excited at the prospect of running Boston again - then the pandemic hit. I participated in the virtual marathon and created a route through five towns and family and friends came out and supported me along the way.
Before I knew it, it was time to start training for the fall 2021 Boston Marathon which I ran but knew I could do better. I signed up to join the B.A.A. Charity Team for 2022. The 2022 Boston Marathon was my favorite. I finally got the result I had hoped to achieve. This had me really pumped and I was looking forward to New York. It was a tough day in the Big Apple in 75 degrees. It was my slowest marathon to date. Next came the 2023 London Marathon. The winter months are hard to train in but it’s still better than summer training for me. Then there was Tokyo in 2024. With almost a whole year off, I was able to give my body some much needed rest before starting over again. It turned out to be one of my favorites. Now, here I am just a few months after completing my Six Star in Berlin and it’s hard to describe how it feels. During this journey, I've trained all over the world, from laps upon laps on the running deck while cruising in Alaska to the mountains of Madeira, with many incredible locations in between. I’m so grateful for Jessica and Courtney for following me on this wild ride. I’m so thankful that the connections I made, and that through the B.A.A. kids’ races with Courtney, it afforded me a place to start this journey. As a member of the B.A.A. Charity Team, I’m grateful for the chance to raise funds that create opportunities for the youth of Boston and its surrounding areas, helping them experience the positive impact that running can have on their lives.