FHS Librarian Rebecca Webster ran the 2024 Boston Marathon on Apr. 15, a rite of passage for many advanced runners like Webster.
To qualify for the Boston Marathon, Webster needed a 3:40:00 Marathon time to run the race. On top of this, due to a surplus in registrations for the Boston Marathon, runners had to run 5:29 under the qualifying time in order to be allowed to race. “I qualified last March at One City Marathon in Newport News with a time of 3:28:44,” said Webster.
Webster has had a long history with running. “I started running a lot during college. I started with different race distances, and after I completed a half marathon, it was a natural progression to want to try a marathon. I ran my first marathon In Richmond without really following a training plan and not really knowing what I was doing. I had a lot of fun, so I wanted to try to get better and try another one… I qualified for Boston with one of my best friends who is my training partner, and we went to Boston together,” said Webster.
With any marathon, and especially one as difficult as that of the Boston Marathon, a runner must stay on top of their lifestyle. “To prepare, I followed a 20-week Boston-specific training plan. I did most of my runs at 4am before work and long runs on the weekends. I also had to focus on strength training and nutrition to make sure I was ready.” This proved to be successful for Webster, when she successfully finished one of the hardest marathons in the world.
