2012 Olympian and current American Record holder in the 5000m Molly Huddle has joined the Board of Directors for NE Distance, a New England based non-profit organization with a unique dual mission to promote health and wellbeing among children in while providing support to post-collegiate athletes on a training path to top-level competition.

NE Distance established an athlete-in-residence fellowship program in the city of Woonsocket, Rhode Island in 2012.  The not-for-profit organization recruits top-level post-collegiate track athletes and provides them with housing, travel stipends, gear, physical therapy and places to train.  When they are not training to represent New England at top level meets, each NE Distance athlete fellow works 16-20 hours per week in after-school programs, providing mentorship, coaching, tutoring and living within community to model good habits for health including physical activity and smart eating habits.

Molly Huddle says, “I wanted to get more involved in the community where I have chosen to live.  The NE Distance program has done a great job of integrating running and physical activity into a program that is beneficial to both the community and the athletes in the program”.

Nich Haber, President of NE Distance says, “Northern Rhode Island sent four track & field athletes to the London Olympics with Molly being the most prominent American.  We are extremely honored that she is joining our Board of Directors.  We know she will be extremely inspirational to our athletes and to the youth in the community that our athletes serve”.

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About NE Distance:  NE Distance, Inc. (www.nedistance.org) is a community-based distance running program funded by individuals in the running community.  NE Distance provides a supportive environment for post-collegiate runners committed to representing their community and reaching a higher level of competition.

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