Hillsboro native competes in marathon
Staff writer
When the running bug bit Hillsboro native Beth Schobert, it infected her with a passion for running.
And not just running for recreation, but running competitively.
Only seven months after competing in her first ever race, Beth attained what it takes many runners a lifetime to achieve — successfully completing a 26-mile marathon.
On April 25 — after only four months of intense training — Beth competed in the fourth annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon finishing the 26-miles in a time of four hours and 33 minutes.
The 25-year-old Marion Elementary School third-grade teacher said she started running while attending Tabor College "just for something to do.
"I always did my running on a treadmill until this summer. I needed a change and the treadmill got boring," she said. "I'd run 10 miles on Tuesday and Thursday, then run three to six miles other days and run five or six days a week."
Her first competitive run was this past September when she, her brother Matt, and her husband, Keith Schobert, participated in Marion's Old Settler's Day 5k run.
"That was really fun. I enjoyed it," she said with a laugh.
Beth enjoyed it so much she and another brother, Andy, ran a race in October in Tulsa.
"My other brother, Dan, had run a marathon in China and suggested we all do the Oklahoma City Marathon," Beth explained.
"We" included Beth and her brothers, Andy, Dan, and Matt Krebs. Andy lives in Sairland, Okla., while Dan is in Boston, and Matt resides in Hillsboro.
Unfortunately, neither Andy nor Dan were able to participate so Beth and Matt made the decision to train for the marathon.
Since both Beth and Matt were marathon novices, they found a web site for beginners.
"We'd run Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Have one day for cross training and take one day off," she explained.
The shortest run on the training schedule was three miles. The longest run was 20.
"Sometimes we'd be running in Hillsboro and wouldn't get anywhere because of the high wind," she said. "
"We had never run the full 26 miles until the day of the marathon."
A bonding experience for the siblings, Beth and Matt ran together every Saturday starting at 6 a.m.
"The coldest day we ran was in January," Beth said. "My husband drove us out two miles north of Durham and we ran back to Hillsboro 13 miles away. It was three degrees outside."
Although it was cold in January, Beth and Matt found the Oklahoma City Marathon to be a warming experience. Not just temperature-wise, but emotionally as well.
"The marathon was set up as a memorial race after the bombing," Beth explained.
Beth said the Oklahoma City marathon is ranked "most memorable run" in Runner's World magazine.
"The run takes place on a Sunday morning and starts at the bombing site," she said. "There are banners all along the marathon route."
While picking up their runners' packets, Beth said she and Matt saw a table where runners could sign up to run in memory of an individual who died in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.
As a teacher, Beth initially wanted to run in memory of a child who died in the day-care center of the federal building, but instead ended up with the name of a woman named Wanda Lee Howell.
"I took her name and my brother ran for a three-year-old named Dominic. Their names were put on the backs of our shirts," Beth said.
"I don't think getting Wanda Lee's name was a coincidence," Beth said quietly. "Later, I found out she was a teacher."
Beth said she felt the Lord was looking over both her and Matt in many ways that day. Not only in choosing the name of a teacher, but also in helping the siblings complete the race.
"My brother had lots of pain in his feet and my quad muscles started hurting during the third mile," she said. "Luckily, the pain was off-and-on so I was able to finish."
Beth said when she reached the 10-mile mark she felt like she had found her "groove." However, after the 20-mile mark things began to deteriorate.
"I saw quite a few people along the route who had dropped out," Beth said. "Most people hit a wall at mile 20, but for us it was mile 21. I told my family to please pray for us."
Although there were some hills on the route, Beth said they were "nothing terrible."
"I did learn it was easier to go up hills than down hills," she said. "Going down hill worked our legs backwards."
During the run, volunteers were stationed on the course handing out water and Power Aid to the runners along with a gel mixture called "Goo."
Goo is water, sugar, and salt. Some of it's flavored. "It's disgusting," Beth said making a face. "But it gives you the energy to help you finish."
Beth said finishing the marathon was one of the hardest things she has ever accomplished in her life.
"A couple times I wanted to give up but when I saw the finish line I saw my family — all 18 of them — and they were all crying," Beth recalled. "It was very emotional."
Novice marathon runners wear a different-colored number than experienced runners so when the brother-sister duo crossed the finish line, an announcer came forward to talk to the them.
"He came up holding a microphone and asked how we felt," Beth said laughing. "My brother said, 'Awesome!' All I could say was 'I'm glad it's over!'"
Beth and Matt received a medal and a finisher's T-shirt. Beth placed 34th out of 73 competitors in her age division while Matt, 35, placed 63rd out of the 95 runners in his age group.
"I think we did pretty good," Beth said.
Beth said she would never have been able to finish on her own and credits her brother and family for their support. And it will be some time before the siblings run another marathon together. Matt and his family soon will be leaving for Kosovo on a mission trip.
"It was a good bonding experience for both of us," Beth said.
Beth and Matt weren't the only Hillsboro residents to run during the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Also running were Randy Wiens, Tod Lehman, and Glen Kliewer.
"Tod qualified for the Boston Marathon," Beth said.
After completing the marathon, Beth said she felt like she "couldn't move her legs."
"And we live in an upstairs apartment," she said. "I took a personal day the Monday after the marathon since I couldn't move. It took me about a week to get back to normal."
Beth said she might be interested in running another marathon sometime — "but not right now."
However, she hasn't given up running. She participated in the 10K Wichita River Festival Run May 8 finishing in approximately 55 minutes.
"I'll be running in Hillsboro on Memorial Day and plan to run again here in Marion during Old Settler's Day at the park," Beth said. "And I will do the Tulsa run again."
Beth said her students at Marion Elementary are very supportive of her running and have watched video of her run.
"I have them write letters to next year's third graders telling them what to expect in this class," Beth said. "One of the letters talked about Mrs. Schobert and her running."
Beth said she hopes to get some type of running program established at Marion Elementary to get students interested in the sport.
When asked if she's ever had an embarrassing moment while running, Beth laughed and admitted she had.
"I fell off a treadmill in front of everybody at the Hillsboro fitness center. My feet just went right out from under me," she said with a laugh. "But I got right back on!"
