Officer completes first marathon
By Brett Turner
Skywrighter Staff, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Editor's Note: The following is the fifth and final story in a series of articles following the training of a first-time runner in the Air Force Marathon . Skywrighter has followed her progress leading to the Sept. 17 race, and this installment will cover the race and afterwards.
It takes months of training and lots of sacrifice in preparing for a 26.2-mile marathon.
Yet that final stretch coming across the finish line makes all the pain and sweat worth it, according to many first-time runners.
First Lt. Lisa Heitman, an acquisition intelligence analyst for the Air Force Materiel Command Intelligence Division, said she almost cried tears of joy as she came over the line Sept. 17 after five hours 40 minutes and 25 seconds on the course. And she said she's glad for every second and blister she suffered for it.
"I'm so happy - what a great feeling," said Heitman.
Heitman has overcome knee problems, heat, work leave and other obstacles, but never faltered from her commitment to run the marathon. She admitted, in the back of her mind, a few doubts still rattled, yet Heitman said they disappeared the morning of Sept. 17.
She said the parking and logistics made getting to the event and ready for the race easy.
After it began at 7:35 a.m., she began the race running with her friend Dan Kenan, a fellow lieutenant, at a faster pace than she thought and admitted she needed to scale back a little. The first big hill didn't bother her as she'd trained on it, but Kaufman Avenue leading out of the base had other surprises.
"I wish I'd have trained on it," said Heitman.
Beyond that point, she said the entire race went great. The aid stations offering drinks and especially gel packs helped, she said.
"The gel packs were like spinach to Popeye for me," said Heitman said. "They worked for me either mentally or physically; I'm not sure which."
She said around the halfway point she thought she'd tire, but felt fine. By mile 16 though, she said she developed a blister on her little toe from pounding on the ground and her constricting shoes.
Then at mile 18, Heitman said her other little toe got a blister in addition to feeling tightness in her legs. She kept on though, Heitman said, mixing jogging and walking, finding other runners to talk to, which helped her take her focus off the pain.
The hills in the last few miles of the course also offered challenges. Heitman said she did shorter training runs on hills and longer ones on flat courses; in the future, she said she'd do the opposite training.
Coming back to Area B from the top of the hill, Heitman said the finish line looked so far away it didn't look like fun. But the feeling was quickly forgotten when she turned the corner near the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force into the runners' chute and saw the people and the planes.
Her friends, Kenan, and fellow lieutenant Kristy Rochon and Tim Schneider, who was her running mentor, greeted her at the finish line. Heitman said seeing familiar people all along the marathon course also aided in getting her through.
After finishing, she got medical attention for her blisters, some food and a photo with her friends while she marveled at getting through the marathon.
Heitman said her post-race recovery period wasn't bad. She said she was sore the next day and going up stairs and walking her dog weren't fun.
Stretching and Yoga helped her get better three days later, but she said she hasn't returned to running yet.
Having completed the Air Force Marathon has worked on several levels for Heitman.
She said her family, including several siblings who were cross country runners in high school, was impressed.
"I was the band geek in school, so they were surprised," she said, laughing. "My parents thought I was nuts because they would never do (a marathon), but I think I may have motivated my sister to run a marathon."
And she said the experience has helped with her recent "fitness kick." Heitman is working toward a certification as an aerobics instructor, so this complimented her training well.
As far as another marathon, Heitman said she hasn't committed herself yet. Her husband, Andy, who was deployed during her training and the marathon, hinted at the possibility of doing one in the future, but nothing solid.
Heitman said she's content for now to look at the finishers' medallion she earned.
"This is a step toward my being a fitness fanatic, and fitness is a huge part of my life," she said. "I hope this story makes other people want to run and get more fit."