By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
“I kind of race for me. It’s me vs. me. This is my mental health break . . .
“There is nothing like a finish line at the Boston Marathon. It’s deafening. I tear up every time. . .
“When I was in that first one in 2016, I never thought of running 10 consecutive. That wasn’t even on my radar. . . It has gotten harder and harder over the years, so I’m beyond proud of what I’ve been able to do.”
– Boston Marathoner Matt Sommer of Burlington
Matt Sommer trains for marathons as a way of relaxing.
The Burlington man will be in what counts as his 10th consecutive Boston Marathon later this month.
“I kind of race for me,” he said. “It’s me vs. me. This is my mental health break.”
Sommer competes in Ironman competitions around the world, yet the annual Boston event means the most to him.
“There is nothing like a finish line at the Boston Marathon,” he said. “It’s deafening. I tear up every time.”
Sommer, 47, recently reached the 20-year mark as fitness director at Alamance Country Club.
The Boston Marathon requires runners to qualify by obtaining a certain time. Those times are based on age groups, but they’ve typically been toughened because of the large number of applicants.
And just meeting the qualifying time doesn’t guarantee a spot because there are limits on the number for each age group. So the slots are determined based on the margins compared to the time needed.
With his 10th straight Boston Marathon set for April 21, Sommer will only need to meet the qualifying mark to gain entry to the 2026 event. Fewer than 700 runners have finished 10 in a row.
“When I was in that first one in 2016, I never thought of running 10 consecutive,” he said. “That wasn’t even on my radar. … It has gotten harder and harder over the years, so I’m beyond proud of what I’ve been able to do.”
The in-person version of the 2020 Boston Marathon was cancelled because of the pandemic, but qualified runners were approved to run it virtually at other locations and provide the documentation. The 2021 race was moved to the autumn, and runners were permitted to do so again virtually and have it count, something Sommer did because of a conflict with a triathlon.
“Triathlons are my passion,” he said.
He competes in the half-Ironman (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, 13.1-mile run). He organizes groups for these Ironman events.
He finished the half-Ironman world championship in December in New Zealand. He has future Ironman competitions scheduled for June and July in Idaho and then the world championships in November in Spain.
Sommer arrived in the area as a college freshman at Elon in 1995. He received a degree in exercise science from Elon and later a master’s degree from UNC Greensboro.
For two decades, he has been working with ACC members.
“His ability to help members obtain their personal health goals including fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being have been impactful,” noted Gayle Gunn, a member. “Specifically, watching him coach and encourage ‘mature’ members to work on balance, core strength and stamina while having fun and laughing a lot is truly inspiring.”
Aside from his instructor’s role at ACC, he’s part of a coaching network that provides training globally. He has international clients. Four runners he trains will be among the entrants in this month’s Boston Marathon.
“It’s an opportunity to go race with my athletes,” he said.
For each marathon, Sommers said he writes the initials of his two sons and deceased father on his wrists as sources of inspiration and inner strength during segments of the races that become challenging.
He has collected the participation medals and the celebration jackets from each of the Boston Marathons. He has requested to be buried with those from 2016, while the others will be passed on to his sons and any grandchildren.
“I don’t do it for the pats on the back,” Sommer said. “It’s the proudest thing I’ve ever done. I look at it as a privilege.”
