28th Marine
Corps Marathon
Growing up, I was never an athlete, and I never considered running to be fun. I began to run in my second year of college to stay in shape, but by the spring semester, my thoughts had changed. I realized running didn’t have to be a chore, and together with my friend Jen, I began to train for races. I first ran in Bita’s Run, a 5K charity race in my hometown of Olney, Md. Next, I completed the Pike's Peak 10K Run in Rockville, Md. By then, running had me hooked, and I began preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon.
| I knew I wouldn’t have the discipline to train for the marathon by myself. Even with Jen alongside me in the process, I needed help along the way. I entered the AIDS Marathon training program, a nationwide program that prepares amateur runners for marathons in exchange for fundraising to help fight AIDS. The program began in May 2003 with a three-mile weekend run, and each weekend, the program increased the mileage. By October, I had run 23 miles, and I was ready for the full 26.2 miles on race day. |
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| Runners gear up for the 26.2 miles at the start of the race. Photo courtesy of the Davis Family |
On Oct. 26, 2003, I ran in the Marine Corps Marathon. I finished the race in five hours, 29 minutes and 47 seconds—12,768 out of the nearly 18,000 participants. After nine months of training on my own, I was elated to finally finish the training, but I do not regret a second of the process.
My friends and family keep asking me if I plan on running a marathon again. I can’t imagine putting myself though the pain any time soon, but maybe some day I’ll go for another 26.2.