“No matter what.”
It’s the motto of Hamptons Run Club, and on Nov. 1, more than 20 members of the group made it to the finish line of the New York City Marathon — no matter what came their way.
Jessica and Tammy Gutierrez, 31-year-old twins, and their father, Ruperto, 52, all of East Hampton, represented their home country of Ecuador, carrying the nation’s flag in the parade of nations through Central Park the Friday before the marathon.
The sisters, both fitness professionals, finished together, crossing the line in a speedy 3:35 (3:35:39 for Tammy and 3:35:40 for Jessica).
“The last mile was the most beautiful mile. We enjoyed it so much. We were crying at the end. We crossed the finish line giving each other hugs. And we were always thinking about my mom, my dad, and our brother. It was magical,” Tammy Gutierrez said.
Their father finished his first New York City Marathon in 4:13:38, wearing a shirt with a picture of the twins’ brother — his son, Christian — who was killed in a motorcycle accident in Riverhead in 2024 at just 21 years old. Running helped Mr. Gutierrez get out of bed, the family said, while he was grieving the loss of his son.
“I did it in honor of my son, for Team for Kids, and for me. My Angelo, he is always with me, with my daughters, and my wife and he was pushing me,” Mr. Gutierrez said. “I was thinking of my two daughters who were in
front of me and ended up beating me big time. But, I was thinking, ‘I can run. I can do it.’ It was a great experience. I enjoyed it a lot. I’m so excited. I want to do it again. I want to say to everybody, if I do it, everybody can do it, no matter what time, how long. You guys can do it.”
Lucas Mendoza, 42, of Montauk, has incorporated running into a new, healthier lifestyle, losing several inches from his waistline over the last few years. The marathon was his victory lap. He finished in 6:35:24.
“I’ve been trying to focus on what I eat and trying to run regularly. This is a crazy amount of miles that we did. But on a regular basis I’ll try to run around [Fort Pond], which is like three miles, and I’ll try to do nine miles a week, which is not bad,” he said, pointing out the affordability of running as well. “A good pair of sneakers is cheaper than a gym membership in Montauk, so I’ll drop a dime on a good pair of sneakers and go run around the pond.”
These stories of mental and physical wellness are exactly why Edwin Garcia, 45, a personal trainer in Montauk, started Hamptons Run Club.
“Belonging to a community does a lot for your mental health. Getting up on a Saturday and meeting up, saying hi to your friends — that does a lot. Being part of something does a lot for your mental health,” he said.
Mr. Garcia encouraged more than 30 members of the group to go for the full 26.2 miles, most of them to raise money for Team for Kids, a charity that supports no-cost youth and community running programs. Some have deferred their entries to next year because of injuries.
“I was Edwin-influenced,” Mr. Mendoza said. “I applied two years ago and didn’t get in. I decided to give it one more shot and I got accepted through Team for Kids and I ran for them.”
Like many of his club members, Mr. Garcia took to the streets of New York for the first time this year, finishing in 4:34:41.
“New York was an energy and vibe I have never felt in my life,” he said, encouraging non-runners to think about doing it. “Anyone can be the 1 percent of the population of the whole world [that runs a marathon]. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve many things in life, not just a marathon.”
Mr. Garcia has been working with Elise Matranga, 40, of Montauk, for years. Even after a knee replacement, she was able to complete the marathon training and finish the race in 7:47:49, beating her goal of eight hours. Ms. Matranga has been talking about getting her finish-line poncho for months.
“The poncho is everything I’ve ever wanted and more,” she said. “I felt like a rock star. I just felt like I was going on a tour of New York City. I just went for it. Training was rough, so race day was a celebration that I did not die in training,” she added, laughing.
Marcia Dias, 53, is an East Hampton Village emergency medical service first assistant chief who also works in the assistant superintendent’s office in the East Hampton School District. She has been building up her running and training all year long. Although she had questioned whether she would be able to finish the race, she did, in 5:16:59.
“It was an amazing experience. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. The people were great. I can’t even describe how I feel still, days after,” Ms. Dias said. “I found the training very difficult, very hard, and I didn’t think I would do it. I didn’t think I would finish it, but once I passed the Queensborough Bridge, I knew I had it.”
Adam Fine, East Hampton’s school superintendent, never had a doubt.
“I am so thrilled for Marcia and her amazing accomplishment,” he said. “I watched her train day in and day out for the marathon. The attention to detail and her dedication to the task was something to behold.”
Luis Aguilar, 28, of Springs, attacked his first New York City Marathon like an old pro, thanks to some friends who shared the wisdom they gained from years of running the five boroughs. He was hoping to finish in under three hours and 30 minutes but wasn’t complaining about his actual time — 3:31:31.
“I had advice that the marathon doesn’t start until 59th Street and First Avenue, coming off the Queensborough Bridge, so I kept that in mind. My pace was pretty much eight minutes flat the whole way there,” Mr. Aguilar said. “I also got advice to keep something in the tank for Fifth Avenue coming back through Central Park, which was right because at that point I really felt it, but I was able to maintain my pace and pretty much finish at an 8:05 pace.”
Laura Perez, 31, of East Hampton, has run New York before. This was her third marathon, which she finished in a personal-best time of 3:31:06. Her entire family came out to cheer her on, including her 83-year-old abuela, who is visiting from Colombia. “It’s what pushed me through every single mile and what kept me smiling until the very end,” she said. “I felt so lucky to share this moment together as a family. It’s a great reminder of how much we have to be thankful for.”
Family and community are at the core of Hamptons Run Club, which Mr. Garcia says is open to anyone, whether they’re thinking of running a marathon or not.
“This group has become a family,” he said. “All paces are welcome. You can walk. You can jog. You can do both and we’re a very welcoming and cool group so you should join us.”
Hamptons Run Club meets outside of Lululemon on Main Street in East Hampton at 8 a.m. on Saturdays, rain or shine.