Danny Fisher won the inaugural Mill Race Marathon in 2013, but after 2014, his interest in running took a little downturn.
So Fisher began cross-training and doing duathlons and triathlons. He became good enough at the sport of triathlon to win the sprint distance at last year’s Columbus Challenge Triathlon.
“I ran two marathons in 2014 and was within 15 seconds of breaking 2:30, and it just kind of broke my heart twice in one year,” Fisher said. “I was just burned out on running at the moment. So I kind of set back and took some time off and tried some new things.”
Fisher is one of a growing number of long distance runners who use the other triathlon disciplines — swimming and biking — to cross train.
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On the other hand are triathletes who have become so proficient at running that they end up running in marathons. One local athlete who fits that billing, Laura Gilbert, has qualified to run in next year’s Boston Marathon.
“I always thought that it would be a challenge, so the first year I did a marathon, it was the inaugural Columbus marathon, and I didn’t train as much as I should have. I thought, ‘This will be no big deal,’ but it was really tough. Then Blair (Kuethe) talked me into running another one and training, and we did better. I think a lot of it has to do with your social network and what other people are doing. We just like to get out and torture ourselves a little bit.”
Gilbert, a Columbus North graduate, and Kuethe, a Tampa, Florida, native, both are former collegiate swimmers. Gilbert swam at Toledo, while Kuethe competed for Kentucky.
Earlier this year, they ran the Minneapolis Marathon together and qualified for Boston.
“It’s very similar to swimming in a sense that you’re out doing a repetitive thing over and over for a long time,” Gilbert said. “The biggest thing with going to running is getting your body used to the pounding. Throughout the running process, I’ve definitely dealt with a lot of injuries.”
Like Gilbert and Kuethe, Chase McQueen started as a swimmer, then became a triathlete. McQueen, a North graduate, ran cross-country and track at Arizona the past two years, but has transferred to Arizona State to be part of its brand new Project Podium squad.
Project Podium is designed to develop top American young male triathletes to achieve medal performances in major international competition and ultimately, the Olympics. McQueen, who has Olympic aspirations in the triathlon, began running cross-country as a junior at North since that was his weakest part of the triathlon.
“It’s just becoming an all-around athlete,” McQueen said. “It increases your fitness. It increases your endurance. It just helps you build strength. Over the years, I’ve noticed that being a competitive swimmer has helped my running, and being a competitive runner has helped my swimming. It’s nice to mix it up with a little bit of cross-training.”
Leslie Weaver, meanwhile, started out as a runner. The former Columbus East girls cross-country coach is now back as an assistant at North, her alma mater.
Weaver picked up triathlons several years ago after meeting her husband Ben.
“Ben had been doing triathlons, so I did my first one with him, and I just really liked it,” Leslie said. “As I’ve gotten older, the cross-training part of it is that not running every day is much easier on my body. Cycling gives you some nice, strong legs, so it’s good.”
Fisher, who is the North boys cross-country coach and also is an endurance coach, said the aerobic development that runners can get on a bike is helpful since it saves the pounding on the legs that running generates.
Since taking over as North coach last year, Fisher has stopped doing triathlons and is back to just running — although not as much as in the past.
“It’s come full circle for me,” Fisher said. “I’m doing a lot of coaching and less actual training. Now, life takes over with your kids and career. Family and coaching come first now for me.”
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The Sixth Annual Mill Race Marathon, half marathon and 5K will be Sept. 22. The races begin and end on Washington Street just north of downtown Columbus.
Fees are $80 for the marathon, $65 for the half marathon and $25 for the 5K through Aug. 31. From Sept. 1 through Sept. 20, the prices increase to $95 for the marathon, $80 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K. At packet pickup on Sept. 21 and 22, it’s $110 for the marathon, $95 for the half marathon and $35 for the 5K.
Registration and other info is available at millracemarathon.com
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