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Many women in their mid-40s think about turning back the clock. Yolande Miracle-Colburn doesnt sweat it. In fact, the 49-year-old Norwalk runner embraces her age. One of the reasons she will run her fifth straight Boston Marathon is because shes, well, older.
To enter the Boston Marathon, runners need to achieve a standard based on age. Women from 40-44 need to run 3:50:00, while women between ages 45-49 need to run 4:00:00. At 44, Miracle-Colburn ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 3:58:45, about eight minutes behind the Boston qualifying standard. The next year, she ran the Chicago Marathon in 3:57:54 and qualified. She ran her first Boston in 2006.
It never crossed my mind that I could get there, Yolande says. I just never conceived I could run Boston because its so hard for everybody. The additional time for her division has helped, but Miracle-Colburn has gotten faster as well. She ran 3:51:07 in a marathon in the Royal Victoria Marathon in Canada in October 2008. Her fastest Boston was that year as well, in 3:59:27. She ran 3:59:59 in Boston last year.
Miracle-Colburns Boston journey began in college, when she began running for weight control. She competed in some half marathons, but began to train more seriously about seven years ago. Now she runs two marathons a year and has competed in about 15. She has crisscrossed the country in the process, competing in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Shell tackle the Longford Marathon in Ireland in August. Boston remains one of her favorites.
Its just kind of the Holy Grail, Yolande says. Last year, I passed (four-time Boston winner) Bill Rodgers. Its an amazing event, even though the hills suck.
Miracle-Colburn doesnt know when her marathon ride will end, but shes enjoying it. Ill do it for a while longer, until my body says no mas, she says. Boston is the pinnacle. Its fun to do.
One in a series of local runners competing in the Boston Marathon.
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