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Most of us are not really thrilled to reach our 40th birthday. However, for Bronda Williams, our ERC featured runner , the additional, few qualifying minutes were another sign that Boston was a real possibility as she lined up for the OKC Marathon in 2010. At 40 years and 3 days, Bronda ran a 3:42 and finished the OKC Memorial Marathon with 8 minutes to spare.
Bronda described herself as an "awful" junior high basketballer in her home town of Talequah. However, a coach's suggestion of trying a sport "without hands" and competition with an older brother got her through the initial pain of competitive racing to the greater rewards that come with suffering for the duration of the event. Bronda does confess that 5Ks are still hard for her---marathons not as much, evidently.
Bronda's husband, Tyson, and their girls, Navy and Rhys, all support her running. Tyson knew that she needed to cut an hour off her first marathon to qualify but never doubted her eventual success. He was at four spots on the course keeping her time so Bronda could relax and find her pace. "At 23 miles I felt real safe and was able to celebrate the last couple of miles," she stated..
When asked about her Boston experience, her first comment was that "everything seemed expensive there." Bronda recalls that people were friendly and generally excited at the start. The weather was ideal in the 50's with low winds. She said that everyone tended to run at the same speed, and she didn't pass too much. She also seemed to run with the same people.(That's because everyone there is a good runner, Bronda!) And the Wellesley girls were indeed kissing everyone who ventured off to the left side. In a race where many runners ease off and enjoy their achievement, Boston Bronda sets a new PR with a 3:40 and qualified again!
In the search for new worlds to conquer, Bronda went back home to Talequah and tried the 50K Pumpkin Hollar Trail Race last October. "Brutal" was the defining word for this 30 mile venture on gravel roads and rocky trails with lots of hills thrown in for fun. She confessed that it's the 1st race she considered not finishing, but, of course, she did.
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