Marathon Newbie Pulls Surprise Win At Marine Corps Marathon
Twenty-eight year old Kristen Henehan just wanted to finish her very first marathon when she lined up with several other runners last Sunday, the twenty-eight of October 2007, for the Marine Corps Marathon held in the US Nation's Capital. Henehan, who is currently a resident of Silver Spring and works as a lobbyist for the Evans Capitol group, had expected to have the time of her life without the pressures of having to win.
But win she did. With a time of two hours, fifty-one minutes and nine seconds, Henehan quickly moved past the other race participants to take the women's title of the Marine Corps Marathon. She finished some twenty-seven seconds before the second-placer, thirty-one year old Lisa Thomas from Alexandria.
Having been a rather distinguished athlete herself back when she was in school Kristen Henehan (under her maiden name, Kristen Gordon) became a track All-American three times back when she was running for the Georgetown Hoyas, and had even won the Foot Locker national cross-country championship back in 1996 Henehan was quite thrilled to have won. Even after the race, the runner was full of energy as she fielded questions, posed for pictures and generally basked in the aftermath of her amazing performance.
However, Henehan isn't letting the win get to her head, claiming that the Marine Corps Marathon had been more of an experience than a competition for her. It never felt like we were racing, the woman mused over the first eighteen miles of her run with both second place winner Thomas and fellow runner Alicia Pease. We just kept encouraging each other. I think that's what helped me stay relaxed the whole time. Henehan was also quoted to say I ran very competitively in college, so when I signed up for this I just wanted to do it for fun because it was something I always wanted to do.
Kristen Henehan started to train for the Marine Corps Marathon three months ago, in July. One of her training runs in the three month period leading up to the race was an impressive distance of twenty-two miles. Henehan had also participated in the Virginia Beach Rock n' Roll half marathon held back in September 2007, presumably as a preamble to the Marine Corps Marathon. She finished seventeenth in that race, with a time of one hour, twenty-three minutes a fourteen seconds.
When asked whether or not she plans to run any more marathons, seeing as she had proved that she could in fact win them, Henehan flashed a grin and said I may just have to. With her enthusiastic personality, coupled with a competitive spirit that is seemingly undaunted by even her own low expectations, Kristen Henehan just may be one of the women to keep an eye out for in future marathons.
