Three South Plains women are recovering from an international marathon that took them from Michigan to Canada, completing a race they had spent the year preparing for together. Angela Temple, Monica Kidder and Gina Collins each reached the finish line of the Detroit Free Press International Marathon and are already working toward another marathon.
A few years ago, the three women were not runners and did not know one another. Since then, they have formed a friendship around running, training alongside one another and offering support as they pursue their goals. They registered for the Detroit race in January and worked with a marathon coach throughout the year.
Their shared preparation still allowed room for individual needs. Collins said each woman follows a training plan suited to her own progress. Meeting in the mornings, getting coffee afterward and traveling to different places to enter races together have all become part of an experience she values.
In Detroit, the women crossed the finish line at different times, but they waited for one another so everyone could take part in the celebration. Temple said she spotted Kidder soon after completing the race and began to cry, moved by the chance to share the accomplishment with her. When Collins finished, the three embraced.
For Kidder and Collins, the message to anyone considering running is to begin, even if that means moving slowly. Their encouragement reflects the approach they have shared through training: making progress at an individual pace while having others alongside them for support.
The women, who are all in their 50s, now have Boston qualification among their ambitions. Temple said they would each like to qualify someday and noted that the marathon qualifying times become longer as runners get older. Their hopes extend beyond their next race to goals they want to reach over the coming years.
Temple has set a personal target of qualifying for Boston after turning 60, which she said is about four years away. She said all three hope to achieve qualification at some point within the next five to six years.
They intend to continue running together for as long as their bodies allow. Temple said there is less dream chasing at their age, but the women have discovered something they feel passionate about. They plan to keep pursuing it and celebrating their experiences together.
