For many people, running one marathon would be an amazing achievement.
But six women 鈥� all residents of White Rock and South Surrey 鈥� decided they wanted to run not only six marathons, but the six marathons: the six Abbot World Marathon Majors, to earn their much-deserved Six Star Medals in Tokyo, this past March.
The Six Star Medal honours runners around the world who complete all six Majors: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City and Tokyo. To date, more than 10,000 runners worldwide are Six-Star finishers after the March 2023 Tokyo marathon.
With 3,570 women worldwide having achieved this milestone, only 238 hail from Canada.
鈥淧retty amazing that six of us from the (Semiahmoo) Peninsula got it done in Tokyo this year,鈥� said Brenda Ferris, 59, one of the runners who earned the prestigious award.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty incredible to be part of such an elite group of women! To be honest, I was shocked there鈥檚 only been that many who have accomplished this. It鈥檚 hard to wrap my brain around.鈥�
Because many runners had to delay the Tokyo Major marathon due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the marathon achieved a Guinness World Record for the most people to earn a Six Star Medal at a single marathon event, meaning Ferris and the other five local runners 鈥� Christina Ego (62), Sally Wong (60), Gayle Robinson (75), Kristin Catroppa (43) and Laurel van Zanten, 68 鈥� also earned an additional medal at the historic event.
On average, they each go through four to five pairs of running shoes every year when they鈥檙e training for marathons, with some listening to podcasts or music while they run, and others preferring to take in the sights and sounds around them.
Some track their distance using their Apple watches or Garmins, others, like van Zanten, prefers to 鈥渞un it from water station to water station.鈥�
Each marathon presents its own challenges, they all agree 鈥� first, you have to run races to qualify, then there鈥檚 the entry fees, travel, hotel, and other expenses, as well as time zone differences and navigating your way around a strange city.
鈥淓ach marathon has its own personality. In Boston, there鈥檚 Heartbreak Hill, in New York it鈥檚 the Five Boroughs, Berlin had Brandenburg Gate, in London you鈥檙e running towards Buckingham Palace and Chicago is extremely flat,鈥� Robinson, who ran all the Majors with Catroppa, explained.
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All of the runners agree that the Tokyo marathon presented its own unique challenges 鈥� especially since they had all expected to run it earlier, but the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to those plans.
鈥淔ood is another challenge 鈥� finding food like boiled eggs, bagels and peanut butter in Tokyo was difficult,鈥� Wong, who usually runs with Ferris, Ego and van Zanten, shared.
鈥淭okyo was the most stressful due to the COVID protocol requirements; all runners had to start recording their temperatures Feb. 26 and record it on an app, then take two COVID tests two days in a row before the race and record it on the app,鈥� she said, noting the fear of testing positive after spending all the time training and all the money on travel and especially, after waiting three years to be able to do it, was high amongst the runners competing.
鈥淩ace day, you had to carry your phone, show the app with the temp checks and negative tests to get into your race corral.鈥�
Many of the women train for the 42-km (26.2 mile) races with Peninsula Runners, and Ferris even works there now.
鈥淓very race I鈥檝e done, I鈥檝e trained with their programs,鈥� she said, noting that she has never regretted a run, although some days can be tougher than others to get out there and do it.
鈥淭he best thing about my running 鈥榗areer鈥� is the people I鈥檝e met. My best friends I鈥檝e met through running. And we鈥檝e travelled all over the world because of running,鈥� she said.
鈥淩unning a marathon was a singular goal way back when, and it just morphed into completing the Majors. What I enjoy about a marathon is the extreme high when you鈥檙e done. It鈥檚 a big accomplishment.鈥�
Wong agreed.
鈥淭he best part of running a marathon is the finish line and that sense of achievement,鈥� she said.
鈥淢y motivation is the medal at the end,鈥� van Zanten echoed.
Ego, who dedicates every mile she runs to a family member during the race, also enthused about what a close-knit community runners are on the Peninsula.
鈥淩unning is my happy place! I never thought one foot in front of the other would take me to so many places,鈥� she said.
鈥淭he world majors were incredible, these large races, meeting and seeing people from all over the world. Crossing the finish line in Tokyo and getting the medal was surreal鈥� definitely bucket list!鈥� Ego said.
Catroppa, a mother of three who was determined to get her training in, said it was difficult to balance her and her kids鈥� busy sports schedules this time around.
鈥淚 quite often was up and out running by 3 or 4 a.m. in order to get my miles in before my son鈥檚 hockey or daughter鈥檚 volleyball,鈥� she noted.
鈥淐ompleting Tokyo and our sixth star was a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. I have so much gratitude that our health prevailed.鈥�
While they all have their own reasons for running, all of the Six-Star finishers agree the Semiahmoo Peninsula is a great place to run, no matter what your level.
鈥淚 love the running community out here. Whether you run 5K or marathons, there鈥檚 a lid for every pot!鈥� Ego said.
tricia.weel@peacearchnews.com
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