District team members participate in 2023 Boston Marathon

Photo By AnnMarie Harvie | Maxwell Titelbaum serves as a Amateur Radio Communications Volunteer during the Boston Marathon.  

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES

04.17.2023

Story by AnnMarie Harvie 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District

The Boston Marathon is synonymous with springtime in Massachusetts. The 127-year-old race is one of the most famous in the world, and people come from all corners of the Earth to participate. Two New England District employees took part in this year’s event, held on April 17.
Douglas Sorensen, Engineering Technician, Construction Support Branch and Maxwell Titelbaum, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency (CHRA), participated in two different ways.

This was Sorenson’s first ever marathon, one that he’s been dreaming of running since he was a child.

“I had never run a marathon previously, so when my wife and I moved to Boston in 2021, I set a goal for myself that I would run the Boston Marathon,” he said.  “I wanted the challenge and felt this was a perfect chance to run in a marathon I had been seeing on TV since I was a kid in California.”

When deciding to run, Sorensen said he wanted to run for a charity.
“The charity that I found is called Home Base, which is a partnership between the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH),” he said.  “This charity raises funds for support and care to treat the “invisible wounds” suffered by our vVeterans.  Being a Veteran myself –I’m currently serving as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves -- this was a no-brainer for me.”  

The first-time marathoner said he started the marathon running with his teammates, but as everyone discovered their own pace, he found himself running on his own. Sorensen completed the race in five hours, 31 minutes and eight seconds. He said that running in the Boston Marathon is an experience he would like to repeat.

“I would absolutely run this again,” he said. “The feeling you get running past so many of our towns with people lining both sides of the route cheering you on is indescribable.” 

Titelbaum did not run in the marathon, but has been a volunteer since 2009.

“I’m an Amateur Radio Communications Volunteer for the marathon, handling logistics, safety, and medical communications and as an emergency communications backup for the event,” he said. “In the past I’ve been assigned to various locations including the finish line area, various on-course locations such as medical tents and hydration stations and the Course Amateur Radio Operations Center.”

This year, he was assigned to the start line segment as the communications assistant for the Boston Athletic Association representative in the Start Unified Command Center in Hopkinton.
Titelbaum volunteers at many other public service events as an Amateur Radio Operator, but after being licensed in 2008, he was inspired to volunteer at the marathon after a presentation from a member of his Amateur Radio club on his many years of experience at the event.
“I thought it looked like an interesting event and a great way to both test and grow my skills in Amateur Radio.,” he said.

Titelbaum said that being a volunteer at the Boston Marathon is work very dear to him.

“I enjoy the opportunity to use my skills to support the event, and that it’s one of my favorite events to volunteer for, and I look forward to it every year,” he said. “I’m especially happy to continue to volunteer after the attack in 2013, and I know my skills and the skills of my fellow volunteers are appreciated by everyone involved.

Sorensen joined the New England District’s Construction Division as an Engineering Technician (Civil) in August 2021.

Prior to joining the District, he worked in the Dredging Section in the Savannah District. He is currently stationed in the Construction Support Branch.

Titelbaum has been assigned by the CHRA to support New England District since 2021, and will celebrate three years in August.

• Date Taken: 04.17.2023
• Date Posted: 12.08.2023 12:06
• Story ID: 459511
• Location: BOSTON, MA, US