Former Hamburg police chief to run in NYC Marathon

HAMBURG — Retired Hamburg Police Chief Jan Wright knows what it’s like to deal with people suffering from drug addiction.

“I saw it all the time,” he said of his 25-year career in law enforcement. “People would stay clean for a little bit and then get right back into it.”

Because of his history with the disease, Wright jumped at the chance to be a part of The Herren Project — a Rhode Island-based charity dedicated to providing assistance to those taking their first steps toward sobriety and educating people on the signs of drug addiction.

“I kind of stumbled on it,” Wright said of his connection to the foundation started by former Boston Celtics player Chris Herren, whose eight-year heroin addiction ruined both his basketball career and personal life he started his recovery in 2008.

After learning about the foundation, Wright volunteered to teach a yoga class for them and was surprised when they responded to him with an offer to run in the New York City Marathon.

“It’s hard to get in that race,” Wright said. “I’m honored they asked me to be a part of their team.”

The Nov. 2 race will be Wright’s 10th marathon since 1993 — including an entry into last year’s NYC Marathon, which he ran to raise funds for National Center for Missing Children.

Running has “always been my go-to athletic thing,” Wright said, calling it a “meditative” hobby that gives him time to think.

Herren, also an avid runner as part of his recovery process, likens the sport to the recovery process itself.

“It’s a journey,” he said in a June 2014 interview with Runner’s World magazine. “A spiritual journey — that perpetual motion of moving forward.”

“He’s using his misery to help teach others,” Wright said. “It’s a privilege to be a part of the process.”

Wright is raising funds for the race through crowdsource funding. To donate, visit www.crowdrise.com/theherrenprojectnyc2014/fundraiser/janwright.

For more information on The Herren Project, visit www.theherrenproject.org.