Everybody has a list of goals they want to accomplish in their lifetime. For some, these goals might include writing a novel or visiting the Eiffel Tower. On Sunday, October 31, Langley senior Rick Harwood accomplished one of his goals by running the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. “I wanted to be able to say that I did it!” he said.
To prepare for the marathon, Harwood kept up an intense training regimen throughout the summer and beginning of the school year, running anywhere from 5-15 miles each day. His parents supported him by keeping the fridge stocked with sports drinks, bananas, and pasta.
When the day of the race finally arrived after much anticipation, the weather was in the mid 60’s, a perfect temperature for a run. “The entire event was such a celebration. Rick was so happy to be there after running all summer and fall,” said his parents, who Metroed around DC during the race so they could cheer Rick on.
Running the marathon was an uphill battle – literally. “The race ended uphill, which wasn’t fun at all,” laughed Harwood. He managed to run the entire time, never stopping to walk or take a break. He kept himself motivated throughout the long 26.2 mile race with energizing rap and rock music.
He added that the 21st mile was the hardest for him, because his legs began cramping at that point. “I didn’t pace myself right. I ran the first 15 miles at about 8 minutes each, which was a bit too fast,” he said. However, that didn’t stop him from finishing the race in a remarkable 3 hours 58 minutes, beating last year’s Marine Corps Marathon average of 4 hours and 41 minutes by nearly an hour.
Harwood plans to continue his training. “I’d like to be able to run a couple more marathons. And my next goal is to do a triathlon, but I’ll have to train for several more years before I’m ready for that!” A triathlon consists of a 2 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, followed by a 26.2 mile run.
Congratulations to Rick on his incredible accomplishment!