♪ CRAIG: CRAIG: I AM CRAIG REMOVED.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON," MASSACHUSETTS’ HOUSING MARKET IS ROUGH ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT ACCORDING TO A NEW POLL IT IS ESPECIALLY HARD FOR LATINO COMMUNITIES TO ACCESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE WILL BREAK DOWN THE NUMBERS.

THEN, 2014 BOSTON MARATHON LEONARD MEB KEFLEZIGHI WILL GENERALLY 10 YEARS FROM HIS HISTORIC FIRST-PLACE FINISH.

IN THE HEAD OF NORTH ON MONDAY, WE WILL LEARN ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVE MARATHON TAKING PLACE THIS SUNDAY ACROSS THE CITY.

HOUSING IS ONE OF THE STATE OF STRESS BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH RAISING PRICES MAKING IT HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A PLACE TO RENT, LET ALONE BUY.

ONLY HALF OF ALL RESIDENTS OF THEIR HOME IN MASSACHUSETTS ACCORDING TO GBH NEWS’ A NEW POLL WITH COMMONWEALTH BEACON.

FOR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, THAT NUMBER IS EVEN LOWER, JUST 42% OF BLACK RESIDENTS AND ONLY ONE-THIRD OF LATINO RESIDENTS ON THEIR HOME IN MASSACHUSETTS.

TO DIG INTO THAT GAP AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, I AM JOINED BY ANDRE JONES, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR NUESTRA COMUNIDAD AND VANESSA CALDERON-ROSADO, CEO OF INQUILINOS BORICUAS EN ACCION.

THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

GUEST: THANK YOU.

GUEST: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

CRAIG: ANDRE, LATINO FAMILIES MAKE UP THE SECOND LARGEST RACIAL GROUP, FASTEST GROWING POPULATION IN THE STATE, BUT THIS NEW SURVEY SHOWS THEY ARE FAR LESS LIKELY TO OWN HOMES THAN OTHER RESIDENTS.

WHY IS THAT?

ANDRE: I THINK THERE HAS TO BE AN ADDITIONAL STUDY ON HOW CERTAIN SYSTEMIC FACTORS IMPACT LATINOS SPECIFICALLY AND DIFFERENTLY.

, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY THERE ISN’T A DIVERSITY WITHIN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF LATINOS WITHIN THE BROKERAGE AND AGENT FIELD, RIGHT, THAT WOULD BE AN IMPEDIMENT ACTUALLY TO HISPANIC PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUYERS.

I THINK THE OTHER THING IS THAT, I THINK TOO MUCH, WE LOOK AT THE LATINO POPULATION AS MONOLITHIC.

BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS WITHIN THE LATINO POPULATION, RIGHT, FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN HERE, WHEN THEY CAME, WHEN THEIR FAMILIES CAME TO THE STATES VARIES.

SO THEY ARE NOT OUR POSITION EQUALLY.

AS CAN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER OR WORKING FOR AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER, WE NEED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE AND THE CITY TO LOOK TO SEE IF WE CAN’T DRILL DOWN THAT INFORMATION EVEN MORE SO THAT WE ACCESS THEM WHERE THEY ARE.

CRAIG: VANESSA, ARE THERE OTHER REASONS YOU THINK ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS GAP?

VANESSA: I THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING WHAT ANDRE MENTIONED.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS A CLEAR LACK OF INVENTORY, AND A HIGH COST OF HOUSING.

THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE EQUALLY.

WE SAW IT IN THE POLL THAT YOU CONDUCTED.

I ALSO THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FOR LATINOS TO COME INTO HOME OWNERSHIP, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, SEGREGATION.

WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IN SERVICE JOBS, LOW PAID, ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS.

IF YOU ARE MAKING MINIMUM WAGE PER HOUR, HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OWN A HOUSE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHERE THE MARKET IS SO EXPENSIVE.

SO THAT’S IS A BIG BARRIER TO START WITH.

IN ADDITION, WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT MANY OF OUR FAMILIES DO NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND CREDIT, BANKING, FINANCIAL PATHS TO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.

SO THAT’S A BIG PART OF THE WORK WE DO, HELPING THEM BUILD CREDIT.

BE BANKED.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAVINGS AND REALLY THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE FROM THE ENTRY-LEVEL, MINIMUM-WAGE TYPE OF JOBS.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE FACTORS.

AND I BET THERE ARE OTHERS, LIKE ANDREW MENTIONED THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT MONOLITHIC.

WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

SOME OF THEM DOCUMENTED, SOME OF THEM UNDOCUMENTED.

CAP BECOMES ANOTHER BARRIER TO BECOME A HOMEOWNER DEPENDING ON YOUR CITIZENSHIP OR DOCUMENTATION STATUS.

OFTEN TIMES THOSE WHOSE FAMILIES LIVE IN MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLDS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE ENOUGH SAVINGS TO BUY A HOUSE, ONLY THE CREDIT OF THE PERSON THAT WILL GO ON THE MORTGAGE, THAT NAME IS WHAT IS GOING TO THE CONTENT AS OPPOSED TO THE MANY THAT FAMILY IS P OOLING TOGETHER FROM EVERYONE THAT IS LIVING IN THE HOUSEHOLD.

IT IS VERY LAYERED AND VERY NUANCED, BUT ALL OF THESE FACTORS COMPOUNDED REALLY PUT OUR COMMUNITY AT A DISADVANTAGE TO BECOME HOMEOWNERS, AND BY BECOMING HOMEOWNERS, BUILD ASSETS AND BUILD WEALTH, INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH.

CRAIG: OK,.

ANDRE THERE IS A HOME WARNING CRISIS ACROSS THE STATE.

IN TERMS OF ZONING MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, MAKING IT EASIER FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS TO GET A PLACE, SOME COMMUNITIES ARE LIMITING THAT KIND OF ZONING.

ANDRE: SO, THERE WAS A TIME NOT TOO LONG AGO, DECADES, BUT STILL NOT THAT LONG AGO, WHERE THAT STEP TO GENERATIONAL WEALTH WAS TO OWN MULTIFAMILY HOME.

AND WHAT VANESSA KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT, THAT HOUSING STOCK, IT IS NO LONGER EXISTS BECAUSE THOSE MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS, THOSE MULTIFAMILY HOMES ARE EXCEPTIONALLY EXPENSIVE IN GREATER BOSTON AND HAVE BECOME EITHER CONDOMS OR RENTED TO STUDENTS, THAT TYPE OF THING.

-- EITHER CONDOS OR RENTED TO STUDENTS, THE TYPE OF THING.

SOME MUNICIPALITIES ARE LOOKING TO ALLOW MULTIFAMILY HOMES AGAIN.

BUT THE SUBURBS PLAY A BIG ROLE.

BOSTON, THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY, IS DOING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, BUT THE QUESTION STILL IS OPEN.

GREATER BOSTON, FROM A STATISTICAL MANAGEMENT AREA, IS A LARGE AREA.

AND WE ALL HAVE TO PARTICIPATE BY LOOSENING UP THIS MORNING.

THE ZONING IS VERY BALKANIZED IN GREATER BOSTON.

CRAIG: FOR SURE.

ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?

VANESSA: YES, IT’S A BIG PROBLEM AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FACTORS THAT REALLY PREVENTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORE HOUSING THAT IS NEEDED ON ACROSS THE STATE AND CERTAINLY IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA.

SO OBVIOUSLY, LAWS LIKE THE MBTA COMMUNITIES ACT THAT IS TRYING TO PUSH FOR COMMUNITIES TO REZONE, RIGHT, TO BUILD MORE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IN AREAS CLOSER TO THE MBTA HUBS IS A BIG PROPOSAL.

WE ALL BELIEVE, ALL HOUSING ADVOCATES BELIEVE THAT IS RIGHT.

BUT WE HAVE SEEN ACROSS THE STATE, ESPECIALLY IN SOME COMMUNITIES LIKE MILTON, PUSH BACK ON THAT LAW AND THEY ARE CHALLENGING THE LAW.

I THINK COMMUNITIES REALLY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.

JUST RECENTLY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE STATE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD WHERE TO LIVE.

WE NEED TO REALLY, ALL OF US, THIS IS ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

IT IS THE PROSPERITY OF OUR STATE, IT IS THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF OUR STATE THAT IS AT STAKE IF WE DON’T ADDRESS HOUSING PRICES IN ONE PART OF ADDRESSING IT IS TACKLING ZONING REFORM.

CRAIG: THERE HAS BEEN RESEARCHED BY THE UMASS DONAHUE INSTITUTE THAT SHOWS PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DENIED THE MORTGAGE OR GET LESS FAVORABLE MORTGAGE TERMS.

CAN YOU SPEAK TO WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE AND HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THAT?

VANESSA: YES, I THINK ANDRE ALLUDED TO THIS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS CONVERSATION.

APPARENTLY THERE IS STILL DISCRIMINATION HAPPENING AND THAT CONTINUES TO NOT ONLY INCREASE SEGREGATION AS PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACCESS HOMEOWNERSHIP, BUT ALSO, IT PUSHES PEOPLE TO POTENTIALLY FINANCIAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THEM IN THE LONG TERM, WITH VARIABLE INTEREST RATES, ET CETERA.

THAT IS STILL A PROBLEM.

I THINK WHAT ANDRE MENTIONED ABOUT DIVERSIFYING THE BANKING AND MORTGAGE INDUSTRY, DIVERSIFYING THE APPRAISAL INDUSTRY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY WHEN IT COMES TO LATINOS, IT NOT ONLY BRINGS THAT CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS AND SENSITIVITY, BUT ALSO LANGUAGE, ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE AND TO CONNECT WITH THOSE FAMILIES.

SO, WE DO KNOW ANECDOTALLY THAT THAT TYPE OF DISCRIMINATION IS STILL HAPPENING.

AND TO THE FACT THAT WE CAN BRING MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, LATINOS TO THESE INDUSTRIES, A LOT OF THEM WILL CONTINUE TO SUCCEED.

CRAIG: ANDRE, WE AREN’T DIVERSIFYING THIS INDUSTRIES, WHAT ELSE CAN AND SHOULD HAPPEN TO MAKE IT MORE ABLE FOR PEOPLE TO GET HOMES?

ANDRE: ONE BIG AREA, AS VANESSA KNOWS, AS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER, IT IS HARD TO DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP.

BUT WE DO.

BECAUSE OF FAIR HOUSING LAW THOUGH YOU HAVE TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN EQUAL SHOT AT IT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN POPULATIONS THAT ARE MORE ASTUTE AT KNOWING WHAT THAT SYSTEM IS AND HOW TO GET INTO THOSE LOTTERIES AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR THOSE LOTTERIES.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS PREPARE OUR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS MAJORITY LATINO BY THE WAY, TRYING TO PREPARE THEM WITH FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER ACT PROGRAMS.

TRYING TO PREPARE THEM SO THEY GET THEIR NAME INTO THE LOTTERY, SO THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT ARE MORE ABLE OR ASTUTE TO GET INTO THAT PROCESS.

WE HAVE TO BRING LATINOS TO THAT LEVEL WHERE THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS SO THEY CAN AVAIL THEMSELVES OF AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

CRAIG: SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, SO MUCH MORE TO SAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANDRE JONES AND VANESSA CALDERON-ROSADO, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

10 YEARS AGO, THE FIRST BOSTON MARATHON SINCE THE 2013 BOMBING, HIS WIN WAS SEEN AS A HOPE -- A SYMBOL OF HOPE AND RESILIENCE.

MEB KEFLEZIGHI GOT THROUGH THE FINISH LINE, BECOMING THE FIRST AMERICAN MAN TO WIN THE RACE IN OVER 30 YEARS.

NOW, A DECADE ON, HE IS GEARING UP TO RUN THE RACE AGAIN WITH A DIFFERENT GROUP THIS TIME.

MEB KEFLEZIGHI JOINS ME NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MEB: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

CRAIG: THE HEARING WON, YOU’VE EARNED WITH THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO DIED THE YEAR BEFORE WRITTEN ON YOUR BIB.

TALK TO US THROUGH WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR YOU THAT DAY CROSSING THE FINISH LINE AND ONLY HAD WON THE FIRST YEAR AFTER THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING.

MEB: COMING TO 2014 MARATHON, THE SLOGAN WAS BOSTON STRONG, AND THE CITY OF BOSTON SHOWED HOW STRONG THEY WERE.

IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC MOMENT.

THE LIVES AND LIMBS WE LOST, WE CAN’T GET THEM BACK.

IN HONOR OF THE VICTIMS THAT PASSED AWAY, MARTIN, CRYSTAL, SEAN AND LILLIAN, I DECIDED TO DO IT THE NIGHT BEFORE, I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE A CROSS WITH THEIR PICTURES ON IT, BUT THEN HOW WOULD I TAKE IT OUT WHEN RUNNING.

SO I DECIDED TO WRITE IT WITH A SHARPIE.

I WAS CONSCIOUS OF THE SPONSORS AND HOW THEY WOULD TAKE IT, NOT TO TAMPER WITH THE BIB, BUT I WROTE IT WITH A SHARPIE AND I FELT THE SPIRIT.

THE CITY FELT THE SPIRIT.

THEY WANTED TO SHOW RESILIENCE.

TO COME BACK ON THE STREETS OF BOSTON AMONG 36 OTHER PARTICIPANTS.

THEY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING POSITIVE TO SHOW THAT WE CAN’T BE STOPPED.

SHOW RESILIENCE TO COME BACK STRONGER THAN BEFORE AND TO CARRY THOSE NAMES, I WAS HURTING PRETTY BAD, BUT I KEPT PRAYING IN MY NATIVE TONGUE, TIGRINYA, AND IN ENGLISH, JUST GIVE ME THE SPIRIT.

IT WAS A RISKY MOVE.

BUT I DEFINITELY FELT THE SPIRIT.

I AM A BELIEVER.

GOD WAS THERE TO HELP ME GET TO THE FINISH LINE.

AND THE CROWD WAS JUST FASCINATING.

CRAIG: YES, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE FINISHED AND YOU REALLY PUT THE GLASS ON AT THE END OF TO PUSH THROUGH THE FINISH LINE.

WHEN YOU CROSSED THE FINISH LINE ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DID WAS TO RUSH TO THE FAMILY OF MARTIN RICHARDS, IS THAT RIGHT?

MEB: YES, FIRST I RUSHED TO MY WIFE, WHO GAVE ME A BIG HUG.

MICHAEL RICHARDS FAMILY WERE NOT IN TOWN, BUT THEY REALIZE SOMEBODY CALLED THEM TO SAY, HEY THEY WERE.

DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH THAT SO THEY WERE ON VACATION.

SO THEY CALLED ON THE CELL PHONE AND SAY, HEY, YOU MIGHT WANT TO TURN ON THE TV BECAUSE THERE IS AN AMERICAN IN THE LEAD AND HE HAS YOUR SON’S NAME ON HIS BED.

AS WE GOT FRIENDS OVERTIME, DENISE AND BILL, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE FINISH LINE ALSO THEIR SON HENRY, ALSO RAN FOR THE FOUNDATION IN NEW YORK LAST FALL.

THE RELATIONSHIP IS PRETTY STRONG.

AND NOW CRAIG: CRAIG: 10 YEARS LATER YOU ARE RUNNING THE MOST AMERICAN AGAIN.

TELL ME ABOUT THE FOUNDATION YOU ARE RUNNING TO SUPPORT.

MEB: I DON’T KNOW WHAT I AM THINKING, BUT I DECIDED AFTER RUNNING FOR THE FOUNDATION, I DECIDED ONE DAY I WANT TO DO IT FOR THE FOUNDATION, WHICH IS TO MAINTAIN AN EXCELLENT BALANCE OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND FITNESS TO EMPOWER YOUNG KIDS.

I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING ATTENTION TO THE FOUNDATION AND TO THE WORK WE DO WHETHER IT IS SCHOLARSHIPS OR GIVING OPTIONS.

I AM EXCITED TO PARTNER UP WITH NEW BALANCE, TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION.

NOW AS I LAY UP MY SHOES ON MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2024, IT’S GOING TO BE A TOUGH COURSE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU ARE DOING IT FOR A GREATER CAUSE, IT MEANT SO MUCH MORE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO REPRESENTING THE FOUNDATION OF THE BEST THAT I CAN.

THERE ARE 15 OTHERS RUNNING FOR THE FOUNDATION AND OTHER CHARITY RUNNERS THAT ARE TRYING TO DO A GREATER CAUSE OTHER THAN THEMSELVES.

CRAIG: TERRIFIC.

I AM SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING WHO ARE PLANNING ON JOINING YOU ON THAT RACE ROUTE ON MONDAY.

ANY ADVICE FOR THE RUNNERS OUT THERE WHO WILL BE RUNNING ALONGSIDE YOU?

MEB: THE BOSTON MARATHON IS NOT TO HAVE A TOUGH COURSE, BUT WE FOCUSED SOMETIMES ON THE SLIGHT DOWNHILL THAT FORCES YOU TO GO FASTER.

SO I WOULD SAY PUT YOUR BRAKES ON THE BEGINNING AND THE FIRST FIVE MILES.

IF YOU DO THAT, COMING OVER THAT, COMING OVER THE NEWTON HILLS, HEARTBREAK HILLS, IT’S A DOWNHILL FINISH, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME ENERGY AND SOME GAS TO GET THAT MOMENTUM AND LET GRAVITY TAKE YOU DOWN.

IT’S GOING TO BE FUN AND EXCITING.

THE WEATHER SEEMS TO BE RIGHT.

JUST SAVE SOME FOR THE END.

CRAIG: I KNOW YOU ARE ALSO THROWING OUR FIRST PITCH AT FENWAY ON SUNDAY.

YOU’VE BEEN PRACTICING?

MEB: A LITTLE BIT.

[LAUGHS] SO EXCITED FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.

I WAS VERY NERVOUS AFTER THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WON THE 2014 MARATHON.

THEY HAVE INVITED ME A COUPLE OF TIMES.

IT IS SUCH A GREAT HONOR.

I HAVE BEEN VISUALIZING AND I HOPE TO HAVE A GOOD PITCH.

CRAIG: GOOD LUCK WITH THAT AND WITH THIS YEAR’S BOSTON MARATHON.

MEB KEFLEZIGHI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

MEB: APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME.

CRAIG: BEFORE TENS OF THOUSANDS RUN THE 26.2 MILES IN THE 120 EIGHT BOSTON MARATHON, AND AT THE RUNNERS WILL SET OFF ON SATURDAY FOR 26 POINT TRUE AN ALTERNATIVE MARATHON THAT AIMS TO CELEBRATE AND AMPLIFY THE CITY’S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WITH A COURSE THAT PASSES THROUGH AND DOESN’T BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS.

I AM JOINED BY JEAN MIKE REMY AN , ASSISTANT RUN COACH WITH READY SET MARATHON, AND A MEMBER OF THE PIONEERS RUN CREW.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.

TELL ME ABOUT THE COURSE, IT’S A DIFFERENT COURSE THAN THE BOSTON MARATHON AND WHAT IS THE POINT, RIGHT?

JEAN: ABSOLUTELY.

THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT IT IS ACTUALLY IN BOSTON AND FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT FROM HERE, THEY WOULDN’T KNOW THAT THE BOSTON MARATHON, YOU SPEND MAY BE THREE MILES IN BOSTON VERSUS 26 POINT TRUE, WHERE WE WILL BE RUNNING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON, HYDE PARK, JAMAICA PLAIN’S, SOUTH BOSTON, AND ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING OUR CITY.

CRAIG: PART OF YOUR POOL IS MAKING RUNNING MORE WELCOMING TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

WHAT IS UNWELCOMING ABOUT THE BOSTON MARATHON?

JEAN: THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT IT IS NOT AS INCLUSIVE AS ONE WOULD THINK.

YOU KNOW THAT YOU START PLANNING, YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND THEN YOU HEAR ABOUT THE RACE AND YOU ARE, LIKE, MAY BE I WANT TO RUN THE BOSTON MARATHON.

THE MORE YOU FIND OUT, THE MORE IT BECOMES LIKE SOKOTO, HOLD ON, EITHER, LETTER A, A NEED TO BE MEGA FAST.

IF YOU ARE AWESOME, THERE ARE STILL CUT OFF TIMES AND BUFFERS AND IT IS AN EASY TO GET IN AS, I’D LIKE TO RUN THIS, LET ME REGISTER.

THERE ARE CHARITY GEEKS, BUT EVEN THAT IS SUPER COMPETITIVE AND WE DON’T ALL HAVE EXTENSIVE NETWORKS THAT CAN HELP YOU FIND RAISED THE 7000 OR $8,000 NECESSARY ON TOP OF TRAINING AND DOING ALL THOSE THINGS, SO IT JUST FELT LIKE THERE WAS ENOUGH SPACE TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE OPTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO RUN AND SEE THE CITY AND COULDN’T.

YOU KNOW, YOU GREW UP IN BOSTON AND YOU NEVER GET A CHANCE TO RUN THE BOSTON MARATHON, BUT YOU CAN STILL RUN THROUGH BOSTON.

CRAIG: YOU AND I LAST SPOKE AFTER LAST YEARS BOSTON MARATHON WHERE THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT MILE 21 WHERE MEMBERS OF THE PIONEERS RUN CREW AND TRAIL BLAZERS WERE CHEERING FOR FANS AND THE NEWTON POLICE RESPONDED BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMPLAINT THAT MEMBERS OF YOUR RUN CREW WERE RUNNING ALONG THE MARATHON ROUTE.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BAA APOLOGIZED AFTER THAT, BUT HAS SINCE APOLOGIZED TO NEWTON POLICE RECENTLY FOR HOW THE INCIDENT WAS HANDLED.

I ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO HIM RECENTLY ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND HERE’S WHAT HE SAID.

>> WE WANT THE RUN CREWS, WE WANT THE PIONEERS AND TRAIL BLAZERS TO BE THERE IN 2024 LIKE THEY WERE THERE AND HAVE BEEN THERE IN PAST YEARS.

I HAVE TO ASK THAT THE CHEER.

EVERYONE CHEER FROM THE SIDELINES, AS WE ASK EVERYONE AND ANYONE IN EACH OF THE 8 CITIES AND TOWNS TO DO THE SAME.

CRAIG: WHAT DO YOU THINK NOW OF THAT INCIDENT AND HOW IT WAS HANDLED, AND WILL YOU BE GREAT TO THE BOSTON MARATHON THIS YEAR?

JEAN: WELL, I WILL ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION FIRST, NO, I WILL NOT.

THERE IS A LOT THERE.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT THEY CAN AT LEAST RECOGNIZE THAT MY BIGGEST GRIPE WAS THE INCONSISTENCY.

SO, OWNING THAT YOU WERE NOT CLEAR, AND IT WAS NOT CONSISTENT.

BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN AT DIFFERENT SHEAR ZONES IN PAST YEARS WHEN I WAS NOT AROUND HER, AND HANGING AROUND D.C., FOLKS ARE DRINKING AND UNRULY AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE ON THE COURSE OF A RACE.

BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THAT I SAW THAT KIND OF RESPONSE THAT I SAW THAT KIND OF ENFORCEMENT OF PEOPLE COMING OUT OR JUMPING IN AND CELEBRATING WITH THEIR FRIEND, THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING HOURS TO SEE RYAN IF IT IS THEIR FIRST MARATHON.

WE WERE OUT IN CHICAGO, AND A VERY SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE WERE CELEBRATING AND IT WAS ALL FAIR GAME.

NOBODY WAS IMPEDING THE RUNNERS.

BUT CELEBRATING WITH THEM AND THERE WAS ONE POLICE DETAIL THAT WAS THERE AND THEY WORKING VERY WELL WITH US TO MANAGE THINGS AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATED AND GIVE US THE TOOLS TO STAY IN LINE.

BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY.

CRAIG: OK, LET’S TALK IF WE CAN IN THE MOMENT WE HAVE LEFT, ABOUT 26.TRUE.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

IT IS AN UNSANCTIONED RACE IN THAT THE ROADS ARE NOT CLOSED DOWN.

HOW MANY RUNNERS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AND HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY RUN A MARATHON UNSANCTIONED LIKE THAT?

JEAN: SO ONE OF MY EARLY EXPERIENCES WITH GETTING READY FOR MY FIRST MARATHON, THERE ARE ALL THESE TRAINING RUNS.

WE TOOK A BUS UP TO FRAMINGHAM AND RAN INTO BACK BETTY.

SO NO, YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT YOUR ROAD CROSSINGS, YOU ARE USING THE SIDEWALK.

BUT YOU HAVE SAFETY IN NUMBERS.

JUST LIKE AS A CYCLIST HE WOULD STAY TO THE FRINGES AND WATCH OUT FOR YOUR SPOTS.

THAT IS HOW THAT WILL WORK.

THERE ARE ABOUT 200 50 RUNNERS.

SOME HAVE TRAVELED FROM FAR AND WIDE TO COME ON DOWN.

I AM SUPER EXCITED TO SEE EVERYBODY ON SATURDAY MORNING.

IT IS REALLY A LESS COMPETITIVE RACE, SO YOU CAN COME OUT, RUN AS YOU ARE.

IF YOU WANT TO LIGHTED UP AND RUN YOUR BEST RACE, GREAT.

IF IT IS YOUR FIRST TIME AND YOU JUST WANT TO SEE IF YOU CAN DO IT, ALSO GREAT.

THERE IS SPACE FOR THAT AND IT DOESN’T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY.

THEIR EARS BACK AND LET’S SEE WHAT YOU’VE GOT.

I, IN THE FUTURE, WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE EVENT GROW SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A COUPLE OF MAJOR STREET CROSSINGS, BE A LITTLE BIT SAFER AND MORE PROTECTED.

BUT I AM JUST THRILLED THAT THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION AND OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE MY CITY WITH OTHERS.

CRAIG: GREAT.

I KNOW YOU ARE PLANNING ON RUNNING IT, SO GOOD LUCK ON SATURDAY.

JEAN MIKE REMY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

JEAN: THANK YOU.

CRAIG: COME BACK TOMORROW FOR "TALKING POLITICS."

WE WILL SIT DOWN WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABOUT HER EFFORTS ON COLLEGE SPORTS BETTING, THE ONGOING FIGHT WITH MILTON OVER THE MBTA COMMUNITIES ACT, AND MORE.

THAT AND MORE TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7:00.

I AM CRAIG MOULTON.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

A♪ ♪