Lopez paces self in achieving marathon goals
Campus Times
April 16, 1999
Hundreds of people from around the world gathered together to run in
the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, March 14.
Laura Lopez, area coordinator of housing and residential life at the
University of La Verne, was one of those who participated in the large scale
run.
Months of physical training as well as mental preparation went into
running the 26.2 miles. "Running a marathon is 75 percent mental and
25 percent physical," said Lopez.
"The first five miles are the easiest to run because everyone is
excited and full of energy," said Lopez.
"After five miles, people start dispersing. I wanted to quit at
the 15 mile mark, that's when you start feeling the cement under your feet.
"At the 20 mile mark people usually 'hit the wall'. Your knees
lock, your feet burn, and your shoes rub against your toes. If you've gone
that far, you might as well finish the race.
"When you see the last mile ahead, you know it is going to be the
longest mile in your life. But when you see the finish line, there's a feeling
of accomplishment and it's worth every step," explained Lopez, who
has been running since the seventh grade.
Lopez was inspired to become a marathon runner during her first year
of graduate school at Azusa Pacific University.
"One of my professors had been running (marathons) for years,"
said Lopez. "He would recruit students to train with him."
The group would meet from October thru March on Saturdays to run anywhere
from five miles to 19 miles in preparation for the marathon.
Lopez now has her own workout that she follows to get ready for her
long run. While she suggests that the novice runner begin with two miles,
Lopez runs anywhere between five to 19 miles six days out of the week.
"This is my third year running and I improve every time,"
Lopez said. "I set a goal in my mind to accomplish for myself."
Lopez has high hopes for future races. She wants to get ULV students
and faculty involved the marathon as well.
People participate in the L.A. Marathon for different reasons. Some
run for the love of the sport, for others, they run to challenge their own
physical handicap. Many of the participants of the marathon were in wheelchairs
or running with artificial limbs.
"If they can do this and are inspired to finish a 26 mile run and
I have all of my functions in tact, I should finish it, too," she said.
