Before the 44th annual Marine Corps Marathon, 草莓传媒鈥檚 John Domen featured six runners and their stories. Here鈥檚 how they finished.
Marine Corps Marathon 2019 runners: How did they do?
1/6
Jorge Garcia keeps a picture of his mother under the bill of his hat as motivation.
(Courtesy Jorge Garcia)
Runner: Jorge Garcia
Time: 03:36:11
Garcia joined the Marines after a traumatic childhood where he lost his mother, and went in and out of foster care. 鈥淚 guess you could say sometimes I鈥檓 running from my problems, but it gives me that opportunity to spend time with my mom and my thoughts 鈥� and my solitude. It gives me time to reflect on my past,鈥� he told 草莓传媒. Read his full profile.
2/6
Marathons 鈥� and the day after 鈥� are getting pretty tough for Eric Bernard. But he runs for T.J. Barbieri.
(草莓传媒/John Domen)
Runner: Eric Bernard
Time: 06:30:41
Bernard ran the Marine Corps Marathon to honor T.J. Barbieri, a volunteer firefighter and soldier who was killed in action at the age of 23. 鈥淚t鈥檚 all about remembering T.J. Barbieri,” Bernard told 草莓传媒. Read his full profile.
3/6
Phil Pinti poses with his wife Jennifer.
(Courtesy Phil Pinti)
Runner: Phil Pinti
Time: 05:00:47
Pinti used running as a way to cope after losing his wife, Jennifer, to cancer in 2016. 鈥淎ny time I get myself prepared for this race I just know that she鈥檚 looking down and she realizes what it means to me,鈥� said Pinti. Read his full profile.
4/6
This marathon was Gaddy’s 21st.
(Courtesy Todd Gaddy)
Runner: Todd Gaddy
Time: 05:27:40
Gaddy ran the Marine Corps Marathon despite his multiple sclerosis diagnosis. 鈥淢S affects my pace but I can run farther than it,鈥� he told 草莓传媒 in his profile.
5/6
When you run a lot of marathons, you get a lot of medals. Renee Brooks, of Silver Spring, has run 22 Marine Corps Marathons in a row.
(Courtesy Renee Brooks)
Runner: Renee Brooks
Time: 5:32:47
This year’s Marine Corps Marathon was Brooks’ 23rd in a row. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my destiny,鈥� Brooks told 草莓传媒 in her profile.
6/6
Sid Busch, a retired chief petty officer from South Carolina, has run more than 200 marathons honoring service members who have been killed in action.
(草莓传媒/John Domen)
Runner: Sid Busch
Time: Unavailable
Sid Busch said he hurt his knee as he was heading to the event. So, he couldn’t run this year, and he was really disappointed. He said he plans to run it next year instead, if his body lets him, of course.
Busch has run more than 200 marathons honoring service members who were killed in action. 鈥淚 have running shoes twice as old as these kids,鈥� Busch told 草莓传媒. Read his full profile.
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