Runners set their goals, take their marks at 2026 Erie Marathon
· Yahoo Sports
Hundreds of runners took to Presque Isle State Park on Sunday morning for the Erie Marathon; each person with their own goals for crossing the finish line.
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For some, Sunday was about finishing their first marathon, while for others, it was another chance to see just how far they could push themselves.
Runners made their way around Presque Isle State Park Sunday morning for the annual Erie Marathon.
The flat course attracts runners looking for fast times, but organizers said the race is about much more than what shows up on the clock.
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Those goals look different for everyone, especially for runners taking on the 26.2-mile challenge for the very first time.
"I've always wanted to do a marathon. I ran at college; I ran at Walsh University. Swords up, North Canton, Ohio. Finished up the spring, wanted to do a marathon and this was the one," said Bailey Menegay, a first-time marathon runner.
"This is more people that come, bring more tourism to the U.S., rather Erie, and they get to enjoy our peninsula, so a sense of community, volunteerism, making people's dreams come true," Lawrence told us.
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"I would just say keep trying; everyone had a rough day, hot conditions, but everyone finished strong. Kinda just got to keep showing up, keep your head up and keep showing up for yourself. And honestly, the times will eventually come and the work will pay off. That's pretty much all I have to say," Chris Kramer, a multiple-time marathon runner, went on to say.
And after months of training, every trip across the finish line gave runners another goal accomplished, and perhaps another one to chase.
Lawrence said you have to run a 14-minute mile pace to potentially qualify for the Boston Marathon.
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