Besides being an exceptional math teacher and girls’ varsity soccer coach, Tracy Deeter is also an avid marathon runner, having completed numerous marathons, half-marathons, and 10k races. Ms. Deeter wasn’t always so excited about running; in fact, she used to hate it. Growing up, she said she loved to play soccer, so she only ran a minimal amount to be fit and it was only after college that she became interested in running long-distance races. Ms. Deeter said she started slowly, but eventually began running half-marathons and marathons, all the while developing a love for running.
Although Ms. Deeter said she likes to run long distances, she does not like to run ultra-marathons like Mr. Baker. The races she runs usually are road races, not running through rugged terrain. Her favorite race last year was the Maine Coast race, a marathon in Maine running along the ocean coast, and other marathons she said she enjoyed include the New York Marathon and the Boston Marathon.
Ms. Deeter has participated in the Boston Marathon for the past eight years, including the 2013 Boston Marathon, when two homemade bombs detonated near the finish line, killing three people and injuring 264. “I had just finished the race and was in the family meetup area when we heard the bombs go off,” she vividly recalled. “I was there for about 40 minutes. It was complete chaos, terror, and confusion. My friend who was a detective told us we needed to get out of there.” Ms. Deeter said this made her become more committed to running the race again in the future, instead of backing off. This year, she placed 498th in the marathon among the women.
This is an especially impressive feat, seeing as the races Ms. Deeter runs are not races anyone can just show up unprepared for. They require signficant training and pre-registration. Ms. Deeter trains for each race, running miles and miles and preparing both physically and mentally for them. According to Ms. Deeter, the physical preparation is easier, since it is simply running, running, and running some more. The mental aspect, however, is more about being dedicated, not giving up, not stopping until she reaches the finish line.
Ms. Deeter said she plans to keep running as long as she can because, for her, it’s a way to relieve stress and clear the mind. She said she enjoys running and knows that although it isn’t for everyone, running is a great exercise and something she believes people should try at least once in their life before giving up on it.
