Running community remembers longtime friend

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The running community of Rochester is remembering a longtime friend. Kelly Lanzafame died of cancer earlier this week.

"We always joked with Kelly, when we asked her what her favorite color was she would always say camo, and we would say camo isn’t exactly a color but that’s ok, we’ll go with it!", Barb Boutillier told News10NBC.

Kelly Lanzafame, was known as a running rock star in Rochester. She’s remembered for her ability to help anyone achieve goals on their feet. She was a member of Fleet Feet Rochester, a running group for about 8 years. Kelly was also a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, and ran multiple marathons.

"She means the absolute world to us,” Boutillier added.

In 2013 Kelly helped start a running group for moms of Rochester called "Moms Run This Town" (MRTT), a free club that has 400 chapters nationwide. Kelly was diagnosed with colon cancer last May. Members of Fleet Feet say things appeared to be going in the right direction until recently Kelly’s health declined rapidly. She passed away at home with her three kids, her husband Tony, and her mother by her side.

"It’s significant to remind us of how important Kelly was to us and how many people she supported and worked with through the years to help them develop into better runners, walkers and people,” Rosemary Ball told us, one of the runners.

Saturday morning, runners traveled in small groups. They all had one destination, which was Kelly’s home. Everyone had a candle to light or flowers that they put on her lawn.

"She loved this organization, she loved to be able to run, she was a very huge part of this community,” Ball added.

Funeral services for Kelly will be held Sunday afternoon at the Anthony funeral home on Monroe Avenue in Brighton.