Running for Good
Army veteran raises money for charities by running marathons
The safety director for electric operations at Eversource NH has a habit of veering toward the unexpected.
Christopher Stock went to Keene State College because “it was near a good selection of mountains to snowboard.” He risked a promising career for a detour in the U.S. Army, and in April, he was scheduled to run the Boston Marathon, his fourth marathon in five years.
For a Connecticut kid who grew up with asthma, few of Stock’s life choices have been grounded in logic. He is 38 now, a husband and father of three boys. He has a home in Brookline and a good job. For the moment at least, Stock’s unpredictability seems more predictable.
New Hampshire Magazine: Were you always a runner?
Christopher Stock: Not until I joined the military. The biggest thing I miss about the Army is PT (physical fitness training) in the morning. Call me crazy. It set me up for my day. I just felt better. I had always been active, but I never expected to be a runner.
NHM: You were hooked.
CS: Once I started, I liked it. It’s like a drug. Something happens between mile eight and 10. They call it a runner’s high. I can’t live without it.
NHM: Your wife joined you. And it was not just about the adrenaline rush. You and Ashleigh have raised almost $28,000 for three different charities running a half-marathon in Hartford and the Chicago and New York City marathons.
CS: We pick organizations that are close to us. We ran Hartford for Wounded Warriors on behalf of my platoon sergeant. Sgt. 1st Class Rick Hines was one of my best friends, a great leader and mentor. My oldest son has epilepsy, so we chose the Danny Did Foundation for Chicago and You Gotta Believe for New York City. They help older foster kids find permanent families.
NHM: You’re running the Boston for the United Service Organizations. (Ashleigh chose to sit this one out.) Thanks to a generous donation from the Eversource Veterans Association, you’ve raised more than $11,000 as a member of Team USO. Collectively, the team has raised $80,000. That’s impressive. (Founded in 1941, the USO provides support and entertainment for U.S. military and their families in peacetime and war.)
CS: USO had been phenomenal. They have a running coach for us. The team is made up of 12 runners. They are military veterans, active military, military spouses and children of military. They are from all over the country. We’re getting to know each other. We do monthly Zoom calls. We’re on WhatsApp and we text. We motivate each other.
NHM: You’re the safety director for electric transmission and distribution. What does that mean?
CS: I’m in charge of overseeing the safety of working in transmission and distribution. I have a full team under me. We set policies and procedures to mitigate and control hazards. It’s not just high-voltage electricity. It’s gravity hazards, temperature hazards, physical hazards and mechanical hazards.
NHM: Do you have a goal in mind for the 130th Boston Marathon?
CS: Boston’s the gold standard for me. It’s the most prestigious marathon in the world. My father-in-law ran it three times. I’d like to set a personal record, so I would have to run it in under three hours and 50 minutes. I did that in Chicago. But that was flat. Boston’s not flat.
