Boston’s youngest marathoner won’t party on race day

Growing up near Commonwealth Avenue in Newton, watching the thousands of athletes compete in the Boston Marathon was a spring tradition for Spencer Bernstein. Since elementary school, participating in the race was something that remained in his mind as a worthy goal once he was old enough. Now he finally will.

Bernstein will officially be the youngest athlete in the race, turning 18 on April 15, the day of the marathon. But he doesn’t want to party.

Instead, Bernstein will focus on Preston Settles, a friend who died at age 15 after collapsing during a basketball game in 2022.

An unforgettable memory

Bernstein met Settles, another Newton resident, in fifth grade when the two joined a hockey team at the same time. Both were new to the team and the sport and bonded easily.

“I was more of a shy kid, but Preston was the exact opposite. He would talk to anyone,” Bernstein told Boston.com.

Although Bernstein and Settles attended different schools and stopped playing hockey together in high school, they still found time to catch up.

“We didn’t see each other as much, but when we did, it was like we were back in the locker room, like no time had passed. It was like, ‘Here’s Preston, he’s going to make me smile and laugh,'” Bernstein said.

He remembers the multitude of text messages he received that February day when Settles was first hospitalized. He remembers visiting his friend in the hospital the day before Settles died. He remembers the bewilderment, the fear that accompanied Settles’ collapse and that still remains.

Settles was a prolific athlete who was thought to be in perfect health before the incident. He spent a total of 22 days unconscious at Tufts Medical Center and Children’s Hospital in Boston before doctors told his family he would not wake up.

“I think what was super special about Preston was that he was literally friends with everyone,” Bernstein said. “It really showed at the funeral…the church was packed with children. It was truly mind-blowing to see how many people were there and how many people he touched with his personality.

Hundreds of people filled Trinity Church in Boston for Settles’ funeral in March 2022. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley opened the service’s remembrance hour.

Settles suffered from a condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which causes part of the heart muscle to become dangerously thickened and impact blood flow. Many people with this condition have no symptoms.

“That’s what’s so scary and so personal. You never really know when something like this is going to happen. He felt perfectly fine before the game…this could happen to any young athlete,” Bernstein said.

As Settles’ memory persisted, so did Bernstein’s longtime interest in the marathon. Last spring, he realized he would finally be old enough to compete in 2024. Running in Settles’ memory was a no-brainer.

Bernstein struggled at first. He applied to run for several charities officially associated with the marathon, but was rejected each time. He was told the charities didn’t want to add the pressures of marathon training to a teenager’s life, or that he wouldn’t be able to raise the necessary minimum of $5,000.

“It kind of added a little fuel to my fire,” he said.

Eventually, with the help of representatives from Bank of America, Bernstein was able to secure a spot in the race to raise money for the Preston Settles Memorial Fund. He created a GoFundMe page with the initial goal of raising $7,500, a goal that was exceeded within 24 hours. Today, nearly $15,000 has been raised.

A new challenge

Bernstein, a senior at Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, is no stranger to competition. He is captain of the school’s varsity basketball and golf teams and has always had a desire to push his body to its limits.

But long-distance running is a new test, and training has come in fits and starts. Last spring, Bernstein was running a few miles every now and then when he remembered he had signed up for the marathon, he said. It wasn’t until last fall that he consciously began “building a base,” with long runs reaching 16 miles.

Bernstein took the winter off to focus on basketball, knowing he would have to “hit it big” once the season ended. He has been training intensely for the past six weeks. Bernstein tries to do three or four shorter runs (between 4 and 6 miles) during the week, while tackling longer runs (now around 18 miles) on the weekends.

He battled minor physical obstacles, like a twisted ankle and shin splints, but avoided serious injury. The biggest obstacles are mental. Bernstein knew his training regiment would be unusual and that he would have to overcompensate after basketball season. But he cites the support of his friends, family and school community as key factors in his success so far.

Now training is something to be cherished in itself.

“As I started running longer and longer, I found myself able to think and have a lot of time to myself. I found myself with a super clear head. I started to love running the more I did it and the better I got,” he said. “I came to love this training so much. I never thought I could run 18 miles, but now I can’t wait to do it.

With race day just days away, Bernstein isn’t nervous. Instead, his enthusiasm grows more and more every day.

Asked about the fact that he will run his first marathon on his 18th birthday, Bernstein downplays the significance. Others suggested she wear something Monday to show it’s her birthday, perhaps a crown or a sign affixed to her bib.

Bernstein has no interest.

“It’s really lucky that it falls on my birthday, but I really want this day to be about Preston,” he said. “That’s why I’m running…I can celebrate my birthday afterwards.”