MEET DRC 1ST-TIME MARATHONERS, CLASS OF 2015 By Ian Pierce

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1 MEET DRC 1ST-TIME MARATHONERS, CLASS OF 2015 By Ian Pierce A sign held by a cheering spectator along the Dallas Marathon course said it all: "Why 26.2 miles? Because 26.3 would be crazy." Do you have to be nuts to run a marathon? Do you have to be crazy to: give it your all for 26 miles, then give even more to sprint across the finish line? David Arvelo and Ivonne Garcia choose the road less travelled be stopped in your tracks with an injury at mile 19, remember your training and keep running for seven more miles to the finish line? run your first marathon to follow in the footsteps of your dad, who showed by example it could be done? Nope, marathoners aren't crazy. We think they're smart, motivated and pretty dang cool. When you ask the DRC First-time Marathoners Class of 2015 about their experiences running the full distance for the first time, they tell you it was worth every sore muscle and 6 a.m. training run and the time required for a commitment that few people will, or can, make. These first-timers all ran, and finished, the 45th Annual Dallas Marathon, a scenic course covering 26.2 miles through historic Dallas neighborhoods that was held on December 13. They ran different paces, but they all had one thing in common - they were part of the 2015 DRC Full Marathon Training Program, which attracted around 240 participants this year.

2 First-timer Melinda Stone sums up her post-marathon sentiments nicely. "It was so great. The rain at the beginning got my shoes wet, so I got a blister on the bottom of my foot about five miles in. It was unexpected, but my training and the support from my amazing Melinda Stone pace leaders and friends kept me going. I genuinely had so much fun. " Melinda credits the months of full-marathon training for giving her a 26.2-mile experience she can actually call fun. "I couldn't have done it without the DRC training. All of our Saturday runs in the heat, the pace group breakfasts, and the support throughout the marathon are memories I will cherish. I think most memorable is all of the support and encouragement our pace leaders provided throughout the season. Training with DRC has been an amazing experience that I will always remember. " First-time marathoner Ismael Gomez, like Melinda, encountered issues along the course, but that did not discourage him. "I have to say that I did great. I felt very confident throughout the whole race, and I knew that I was going to get to the finish line. I felt great Ismael Gomez at the finish line with Race Guard Angelia Finnegan and Rosalia Navarro Baker, who were pace leaders for the 4:30 Full Marathon Group. On the right is DRC s the Kate Gabriele, course, who volunteered at the finish line. for the first 19 miles, and then I pulled my calf, to the point that I ended up on the ground. But hurting and all, I trusted my training (just like my two pace leaders said) and keep moving forward." Ismael notes that crossing the finish line was "definitely the best feeling ever." He credits the DRC training program for the confidence he felt along even with an injury. "The support that I got during our training and throughout the whole race, by my DRC group and friends, was incredible. The fact that both of my pace leaders from our 4:30 pace group were right there at the finish line,

3 and one of them gave me my medal - that's something I will never forget. I doubt that anybody can find any other place where you get so much support and friendship from coaches and peers." Only one problem lingers for Ismael; he caught the marathon bug. "This was my first marathon, but definitely not my last." First-time marathoner David Arvelo calls himself a "late bloomer" who not so long ago saw even a half marathon as a huge obstacle. But with the help of family and several DRC training programs, including the half marathon training, Fast Track and, this past year, the full marathon training, he sprinted across the finish line of his first mile run. At the Dallas Marathon finish line with their medals, l-r, Ivonne Garcia, a first-time marathoner who also was a pace leader for the 5:00 R/W Full Marathon group; first-time marathoner David Arvelo; Ian Pierce; Jamie Rae Walker; and Aparna Pillay. They all trained together through DRC, and they all finished the full Dallas Marathon! He credits DRC training with helping him finish the 26.2-mile course, despite rain, cold and injury. "I certainly could not have finished a marathon without the training. My DRC friends (and my spouse who ran with me) made it more fun. In the end, their friendship and support carried me through the last miles." David didn't finish with the time he trained for, but he finished happy. "I trained with DRC in the 5:00 run/walk pace group. I wish I had finished near that time, but considering my late start with running, this being my first marathon, and dealing with posterior tibial tendonitis, I am happy with my 6:20 finish time. " Like any first-time marathoner, David will never forget crossing the finish line and receiving the heavy medal signifying his achievement. But his best memories are of the

4 training itself. "I have many memorable moments while training. One was when one of the members of my DRC training pace group told me that they would have dropped out of the training program had it not been for me and my spouse. We knew about DRC and the areas of Dallas we ran through, and we shared the information freely. The most memorable moments involved a lot of laughs, getting lost, finding our way, and always supporting each other." Marti Lowe says that, when she crossed the finish line of a marathon for the first time, "The sense of accomplishment at the end was amazing!" She had a lot of encouragement along the course. "My dad, who has run many marathons in his time, was chasing me around with my husband all morning," Marti says. "To see my dad's excitement for me to finish First-time marathoner Marti Lowe and her dad, Joe Lowe, at the finish line. my first marathon was the coolest part of all." Marti can't speak highly enough about her DRC training group. "DRC training and support was the best! Their advice, story telling and camaraderie during training can't be beat!" First-time marathoner Ivonne Garcia didn't finish within her goal time (she was in the 5:00 run/walk pace group), but she finished! "I am happy with my first marathon because I completed the distance and was able to experience how it feels to run a marathon," she says. "I will First-time marathoner Ivonne Garcia proudly wears her finisher s medal. continue to run marathons in the future and will improve my pace to reach my goal time."

5 For Ivonne, training with a group proved to be a big plus. "When I slowed down and felt fatigue, the repetition from the training helped me to push to the finish. Also, I received a lot of support from DRC friends who I ran with for part of the race, and also from DRC spectators who gave me motivation to finish," Ivonne says. "The most memorable part of the marathon was seeing the finish line, crossing it and a volunteer placing the finisher's medal around my neck. I was so happy I started to cry tears of joy." First-timer marathoner Amber Creamer found that advice she'd gotten from a seasoned runner actually proved true for her: "Someone told me that you should take your best half time, double it and add thirty minutes for expectations of full. I was amazed that it was true for me. I completed my first marathon in 4:50:21. I was very pleased to finish under 5 hours!" Amber also credits her DRC training for her successful run. During the marathon,she was happy to realize the course took her along many routes she'd already run with her pace group during DRC training. "I remembered conversations we had during those training times. It was mental," she says. "I didn't realize during training runs, First-timer marathoner Amber Creamer is all smiles as she crosses the finish line at the Dallas Marathon. and those long Saturday runs, I was preparing mentally for the race. In the sense that, my surroundings would be familiar, and even though I wasn't with my group, there was a familiarity that gave me a core confidence." Amber also experienced the well-known elation of crossing the starting line, and then crossing the finish line, of a first marathon. When asked what part was most memorable, she says, "The beginning and the end! Courage to begin, resolve to finish."