By Sara Rosner
Staff Writer
For many, the thought of running denotes apprehension as they recall the days of dreaded high school gym class.
For a few dedicated athletes in the Pepperdine Marathon Club, however, running is the pursuit of achievement and satisfaction.
“It’s one of those amazing experiences because of where you’re pushing your mind and your body,” senior Steve Wallace said. “We can do so much more than what we think we’re capable of.”
Wallace and the 17 other members of the club will be at the starting line for the Los Angeles Marathon on March 7, along with more than 21,000 runners, walkers and cyclists.
The L.A. Marathon, which is the standard 26.2 mile distance, has more entertainment per mile than any other race in the world with more than 25 bands, cheerleading squads and performers supporting participants along the way.
The club has been training for the race since September.
“Mentally, I am a much stronger individual,” Wallace said. “I feel more confident that I can get things done.”
The training regimen, which is based on the program designed by champion runner Jeff Galloway, consists of a combination of running and walking.
In addition to a weekly speed work out, members meet at the bottom of John Tyler Drive to participate in a distance run every Wednesday morning.
The long runs include a few courses in the 20-mile range and often commence before sunrise.
“One of the most difficult parts of the training is getting out of bed,” Coach Mike Andersen said.
Andersen, coordinator of physical education who graduated from Pepperdine in 1992, founded the Marathon Club in 2000.
“I wanted to teach a class for people who wanted to learn, for beginners,” Anderson said. “Students like to have goals to work for.”
After completing his first marathon in 1992, Anderson was hooked.
“I do them because I love doing them, not just the completion but the whole experience,” Anderson said.
Since the creation of the club, 60 people have completed the marathon. This year, runners include Pepperdine faculty as well as students.
For Courtenay Stallings, an administrative assistant in the Communication Division, running the marathon will be fulfilling a dream.
“I was a distance runner since high school and I’ve always wanted to do a marathon,” Stallings said. “I just couldn’t train for it alone.”
The pace groups, which are a cluster of runners who run together at the same speed, are one of the biggest advantages of training with the club.
“Having a group of people motivates you,” Stallings said. “You support each other and keep each other going when you’re tired.”
“Don’t look to do it alone,” Andersen said. “The completion is an individual accomplishment but the training is much more motivating in a group.”
One of the hardest periods of the training occurs over Christmas break, when the athletes must complete two 16 to 18 mile runs alone.
“Continuing on during the break is hard,” Andersen said. “Especially with a training program that supports dependence on each other in a pace group.”
Williams and Stallings observed additional challenges.
“There’s a lot of physical discomfort in the beginning,” Williams said. “I went through about a month where I was in pain, when sometimes I didn’t even want to walk to my car.”
Stallings had more to add about the type of people who join the club.
“There is a bit of a masochist in people who do this,” Stallings said. “You have to be a little bit crazy to do it. There is a lot of wear and tear on your body.”
The rewards, however, seem to help lift the runners over these hurdles
“It’ a metaphor because you have to overcome your pain to achieve your goals,” Stallings said. “You will always have obstacles in life and you must see beyond them.”
Submitted February 26, 2004