Around The Island: Longtime Island Visitor Completes 50 Mile Trek Around Nantucket

Matt Sposito has been a seasonal visitor of Nantucket for many years, and at one point in time worked as a lifeguard during the summers. He had participated in portions of the Rock Run in years past while on lifeguard duty, but always had a goal of wanting to do the entire thing. 

Sposito, who now resides in Brooklyn, New York, continues to visit the island at least once per summer and in his visit this past weekend, decided it was now or never to act on that desire to complete the relay and make his way around the island.

“My wife and I are expecting twins in December so I was like now is a great time to do it before things get too hectic,” he said. “If not now, it will never happen.”

Sposito began by swimming across the harbor in the morning to Coatue, which amounted to about a 1,500-yard swim before proceeding to run the entire island loop. He completed his trek at Jetties Beach on Friday and Sposito estimated that it took him approximately nine and a half hours (when factoring in the swim) to complete the relay.

"It was fun because some of my friend's, my wife, and some other family friends were at the finish line with some champagne, did a champagne spray, and then we went to Jetties to get some drinks, and then went out to dinner,” he said. “I actually felt really good. I was definitely tired and my knees hurt a little but for the most part I felt really good.”

“I knew it was going to suck the entire time, but it was a test and a good challenge,” he continued. “I’m just happy I was able to pull it off.”

The Rock Run began in 1988 when a Nantucket Lifeguard trained to be the first to run around the entire island. The relay was approximately a 50-mile course.

Some more photos from the day, shared by Sposito with the Current, are below.