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| Marathon Memories |
Run On Students, Coaches Bring Determination to Big Apple
NYC Marathon
By Alice Robinson
When Jerri Kozikowski is 30,000 feet in the air heading to the New York Marathon, she'll
know she has a special good luck charm tucked away in her suitcase. "I have a little
beanie baby," Kozikowski said. His name is Runner and he is a weasel. He will travel
with Kozikowski in her suitcase on the way to the marathon Nov. 6, hopefully bringing her
good luck.
She will need it. Kozikowski plans to run a 50-kilometer race three weeks before. The race
is near Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle.
As for New York, Kozikowski hopes to break five hours on Nov. 6 at the ING New York City
Marathon. Marathons that she's run include Austin, White Rock, Grandma's Marathon in
Minnesota, and Grasslands in Decatur, Texas. Kozikowski's ultimate goal is to run a 100
mile race next April. "I'm going to be real aggressive this year."
Twelve Run On training program participants will be running the New York City Marathon in
a few months.
Scott Patrick, who is in the early marathon class, said he's not nervous about the New
York marathon. He said he wants to improve on his time but isn't overly concerned with
getting a certain time because New York in such a big race.
Patrick said it seemed like a long wait between applying for the New York marathon and
finding out he was actually going to go. "I applied several months before the cut off
so it was tedious waiting to find out if I got in. I don't train well without a goal race
in mind. It's too easy to take a day off if you don't have a goal."
But, Patrick said, something happened just in the nick of time. "I had already
started looking at alternative races in the October and November time frame just in case I
was not picked in the NY lottery. I checked the official race website on the day the
lottery results were announced and found out that I got in."
Patrick completed two marathons in 2004, Chicago and White Rock.
Sharon Hudspeth, a Run On coach, started talking about running New York with her friends
last year. She said she was lucky to be picked as one of this year's runners. "As
soon as we could go online and sign up, I did. It was just the luck of the draw that my
name got picked from the 85,000 entries."
Some who are running New York are still hoping to get more out of their training programs,
like Lisa Hogan, a Run On coach. "I still have to do a lot of training. But I have
three months."
After running 26.2 miles, Kozikowski, like most runners, plans to enjoy herself while in
New York. She said she and her friends plan to take in a show sometime after the marathon.
"We're going to see either The Odd Couple or Spamalot." |
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