Comet's Carry-On
Mom's First Marathon
By Julia "Comet" Weatherby

When a person grows beyond their previous limits and does something new for the first time, it is often a memorable and life-changing experience. Whether the experience is your first walking steps, your first day of school or the first time you rode your bike on your own, it is so significant, it often changes who you are. On October 3, 2004, my mom did something for the first time. She walked one, two, three, four. eight, nine. twelve, thirteen. eighteen, nineteen. twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty-six point two miles! My mom was now a marathoner!

Becoming a marathoner is not something that just happens to you, like the first time you fall and scrape your knee. It usually requires a lot of change. in lifestyle as well as mental attitude, too! Back when my mom was in grade school, she'd run in the annual year end races. She said she'd be last every year. One year, she came in second to last, but only because the last place finisher tripped. She didn't believe that her body was built for running or for going long distances.

My mom grew up living a pretty sedentary lifestyle (except when chasing after us five kids, that is!). Two and a half years ago, her doctor told her it was time she lost some weight and became more active, so she considered walking. One day, a coworker showed up at work wearing a t-shirt featuring a walk, and my mom expressed interest in it. Her coworker said, "We are walking tomorrow at 6:00. Meet us there!" So, Mom and Dad went for their first 10K walk. Mom described her first 10K experience as "Two and a half hours of walking followed by two and a half hours of sleeping."

At her second 10K walk, the local newspaper showed up to interview and take pictures of a fellow walker, someone who had walked a marathon. To walk an entire marathon seemed inconceivable to her. My parents both kept walking. They joined a local walking club, which was part of the American Volkssport Association, and started getting credit for completing organized walks. My parents enjoyed these walks, as they were often in fun places to visit or part of festivals. In my mom's first year of walking for sport, she finished 25 10K's. (She has now completed over 70 organized walks!)

As time passed, Mom considered walking a marathon. Three of us children had completed at least one marathon, and so she began training for one, too. She set her sights on the 2004 Portland Marathon because it was friendly to walkers. She gathered information on training for marathons and listened to the advice of club members. Mom began doing two 10K walks in a day, or even three. (If you think preparing to race the marathon cuts into your free time, imagine the training time necessary to walk the marathon.) Mom participated in international walks, once walking a half marathon Saturday followed by a half marathon on Sunday. She participated in the Portland-to-Coast walk relay, and figured if she could walk 21 miles over a day and a half without feeling sore or getting blisters, she could do a marathon.

When the day arrived, Mom was trained, excited and definitely ready for her first marathon. Like some enthusiastic athletes, she even had a marathon theme! She made the analogy of being just like a bride, and in celebration of this life-changing event, she had something old (her running shoes), something new (her technical running shirt), something borrowed (water belt) and something blue (her race bib). Mom also had a great crew of family and friends to cheer her on. Not long after the marathon started, my sister Judy and I ran the Portland 5 Miler which used the same start and finish lines as the marathon. As we were running part of the marathon course in reverse, we kept an eye out for our mom and we saw her! We even turned around and joined her for a minute, wishing her a great race. Mom was ecstatic and incredulous to be participating in a marathon.

Mom had a great race. She was proud to finish smiling and without blisters. However, it wasn't an easy race by any means. All marathoners whose finish times are after 7 hours had to move off the street and onto the sidewalks for the last 5 miles. At that point in the race, it was very challenging for her to step onto and off of all the curbs and the concrete was hot. She persevered though, and finished in 8:05!

Now Mom is hooked, too. She wants to do a marathon next year and better her time. She's hoping that maybe Dad or one of her other daughters, marathoner or not, will join her. Whether we join her in her next marathon adventure or not, we're all proud of our Marathon Mom!

Julia Weatherby is one fortunate daughter of an awesome Marathon Mom and supportive Dad and has four fabulous sisters, Judy (3 time marathoner), Mary, Catherine (1 time marathoner) and Jenny.


Is Mom smiling because she sees Dad, or the mile 14 marker?


After finishing the marathon, Mom is awarded her medal.

This article originally appeared in Running Austin, a bi-monthly publication of the Austin Runners Club.