Our 26.2 Miles of Payment series is about sharing the stories of San Antonio area runners who put in the hard work to qualify and participate in the upcoming Boston Marathon. If you are participating in the race this year or know of someone who is and want to share your/their story please email me at edgar@werunsa.com.
Enjoy!
With nearly 27,000 runners from all over the world, the Boston Marathon remains one of the most admired and sought after races in endurance sports. And anyone who has trained and run a marathon can testify that doing so is a life changing experience.
Runners push their bodies beyond previously known physiological and psychological boundaries. As a runner we often question ourselves why we constantly push ourselves the way we do. We field these questions from our non-runner friends and family as well. Sometimes we have a well thought out enlightened answer and at times we stare and wonder, “Why is it that I run? Why am I doing this to myself? I don't get paid to do this.” Below is one runner who is sharing the reasons why.
Janet Rocque will be running her first Boston Marathon this Monday. Her journey started out as a challenge to herself but makes note at the fact that somehow she felt that she would never actually achieve her goal. In fact, with only a few days left before the race she admits that she is still in denial over the whole thing.
Janet BQ'd on her second marathon in 2010. It was the Rock'n'Roll San Antonio Marathon and her age group requirement is a 4hr marathon. This would make her eligible to run Boston. For all you newbies it's important to note that you can't just qualify to run Boston. Because the field at Boston is limited and due to the recent running boom in the U.S. more and more people are qualifying. And this fact is causing the race to sell out not allowing people that met the standard to enter in the race. These individuals are also not allowed to transfer their “qualifying” entry to the following year. As a solution to this problem the BAA (Boston Athletic Association),which governs the event, is rewarding people that not just qualify but run faster then their qualifying time. The faster you run the earlier you can register for the race. If your age group is competitive that year and you barely meet your mark there is a chance that would not be able to participate. So, it's no longer just enough to qualify. The faster you run, the better the chance you have to actually get in.
Janet not only met her standard time but managed to run a 3:55:04. This gave her some room to work with. But it turns out, Janet ran 3 more marathons and was able to improve her time significantly at the Chosen: Marathon for Adoption in New Braunfels, TX last October. She set a new personal record of 3:46:16! This not only guaranteed a top seeding for the event this year but also meets the standard for the Boston Marathon in 2013.
Next weeks Boston Marathon will be her 6th Marathon. Janet has been on a running and racing streak since 2010. In addition to her road marathons
she has also participated on some off-road adventures with the Eisenhower Park 10k, Paesanos 16.04K, and the Prickly Pear 50k. Later this year she'll be toeing the line at Grandma's Marathon in my adopted state of Minnesota and the Pocatello Marathon in Idaho.
“One of the main reasons I run is, simply, because RUNNERS RULE….we have an upbeat positive attitude, we are fun to be around and we can eat and drink anything we want! I've made so many good friends through running….2 of my very best running buddies are coming with me to Boston to cheer me on! I am looking forward to soaking up all of the Boston experience! I have learned that it really is Mind over Miles……if you can convince your brain that something is achievable, nothing can stop you. “ – Janet Rocque
If you are participating in the Boston Marathon this coming week and want to share your story please email me at edgar@werunsa.com
| Area Women | Area Men< | ||||
| Bib | Name | City | Bib | Name | City |
| 16261 | Clifford, Courtney | San Antonio | 4836 | Abouzahr, Fadi | San Antonio |
| 3419 | Cuff, Rochelle A. | San Antonio | 12051 | Aguiar, Ricardo | San Antonio |
| 18386 | Diaz, Analisa C | San Antonio | 8324 | Barry, Mike | San Antonio |
| 17180 | Doyle, Linda | San Antonio | 25616 | Bley, Geoffrey A | San Antonio |
| 15444 | Duhem, Paola | San Antonio | 3677 | Bogisch, Steve | San Antonio |
| 16228 | Elder, Dawn | San Antonio | 6841 | Chappell, William J | San Antonio |
| 16157 | Fay, Kristin | San Antonio | 12534 | Jayaram, Kiran N. | San Antonio |
| 14613 | Frink, Laura | San Antonio | 2352 | Klein, John | San Antonio |
| 3912 | Fuehrer, Darcy | San Antonio | 6190 | Lilly, Mike | San Antonio |
| 15885 | Green, L. Michelle | San Antonio | 21748 | Macon, Laurence | San
Antonio |
| 15544 | Green, Lori A. | San Antonio | 762 | Mcginty, Michael | San Antonio |
| 11351 | Grubb, Laura E | San Antonio | 2278 | Merwarth, Michael | San Antonio |
| 15963 | Hargesheimer, Julia | San Antonio | 10521 | Moroney, Gary J. Sr. | San Antonio |
| 16275 | Johnson, Christine | San Antonio | 9291 | Nielson, David H. | San Antonio |
| 9491 | Johnson, Lesley | San Antonio | 10382 | Peacock, Scott | San Antonio |
| 18768 | Lucas, Kristi | San Antonio | 24589 | Peck, Michael A. | San Antonio |
| 21103 | McLerran, Carolyn | San Antonio | 10188 | Perez, Robert | San Antonio |
| 20252 | Mcmurtrie-Jayaram, Elzbieta | San Antonio | 9706 | Renninger, Mark A. | San Antonio |
| 20126 | Nielson, Katherine | San Antonio | 7064 | Rieth, Ted J | San Antonio |
| 17846 | Port, Michelle | San Antonio | 3208 | Sibila Vidal, Oriol | San Antonio |
| 13047 | Reasoner, Nadine A. | San Antonio | 9304 | Silva, Zeke | San Antonio |
| 9101 | Rieger, Samantha | San Antonio | 2662 | Slater, Geoffrey | San Antonio |
| 18514 | Rocque, Janet | San Antonio | 3164 | Snodgrass, Shelby | San Antonio |
| 17596 | Smith, Heidi | San Antonio | 8544 | Tammaro, Joe | San Antonio |
| 1754 | Staehly, Marnie | San Antonio | 1881 | Walker, Richard F | San Antonio |
| 18582 | Toland, Marissa | San Antonio | 12437 | Wilson, Robert | San Antonio |
| 18894 | Wen-Waldron, Ayon | San Antonio | 11550 | Zuniga, Jesus A | San Antonio |
| 16435 | Wicketts Lopez, Tara R. | San Antonio | 24348 | Coughlin, Joseph P. | New Braunfels |
| 13523 | Willis, Jennifer J. | San Antonio | 3023 | Yuchinski, Brad | New Braunfels |
| 19402 | Gorzell, Pamella | Helotes | 1051 | Mitchell, Ricky M | Schertz |
| 14962 | Halstead, Amy M. | Helotes | |||
| 8900 | Varela-Hein, Roberta K | Universal City | |||
| 10287 | Vetter, Angela S | Universal City | |||
