Kota Reichert and Liza Hitchner are set to be married in two months. The lead up to their wedding day is like most. They’re planning the food. They have to set seating arrangements and coordinate colors. But they also had one thing to do that most couples don’t have before getting married: running the Eugene Marathon.
And for Hitchner, it was only her first marathon.
With a time of 2 hours, 26 minutes and 50 seconds, Reichert took second place in the men’s division of the 2015 Eugene Marathon, about five minutes behind winner Craig Leon. The physical therapist said he wished he had performed better in the race.
“I wanted to run slightly faster,” said Reichert, who was competing in his ninth marathon. “But considering everything, I’m happy with my performance.”
Reichert attended the University of Puget Sound and ran distance for the Loggers. His time of 8:53.79 in the 3,000-meter race is still seventh all-time in school history. His 5,000-meter time of 15:33.27 is second in school history.
Hitchner finished 12th in the women’s marathon with a time of 2:59:28. Her primary goal for the day was to make the Olympic B Standard time. She missed that, but despite struggling during the race, Hitchner was able to push through and finish under three hours.
Hitchner ran the 5,000, 3,000 and 1,500 meter races for UC Santa Barbara from 2005 to 2008.
As a physical therapist, Reichert is able to help Hitchner stay healthy. “He has good ideas of what to do and what not to do,” Hitchner said.
Hitchner plans to focus on the half-marathon for the next six months and see how she feels going forward.
Outside of competing in marathons, Reichert has been a pace-setter. In fact, his first experience in the marathon was as a pace-setter. Usually, Reichert paces for women going after the trial standard time. In 2008, he pace-set for a woman who went on to qualify for the Boston trials, she was the last to qualify that year.
Reichert said that pace-setting has helped his running by allowing him to get a different perspective on running. “When I race the marathon, I always tend to fade in the end. When I’m pacing it, it gives me the sense of how I should feel. To actually close and not feel like I’m dying.”
Both Reichert and Hitchner run for the Asics Aggies under coach Joe Rubio. They are also looking forward to competing in the cross country national championships, which will be held in their hometown of San Francisco this December.
“That’s right where we live,” Reichert said. “We’re looking forward to having everyone in our hometown.”
Remember that you yourself are the best secretary of your task, the most efficient propagandist of your ideals, the clearest demonstration of your principles, the highest standard of higher education that your spirit embraces and the living message of the high notions that you pass it on to others. Do not forget, also, that the greatest enemy of your noblest achievements, the complete or incomplete denial of the sublime idealism that you proclaim, the discordant note of the symphony of good you intend to perform, the architect of your afflictions and the destroyer of your lifting opportunities – it’s you.
Who takes care of the home decoration of Reichert and Hitchner’s house when they are traveling to run their marathons?
Are they planning the food with tips of Jojo Recipes? There I found the best healthy recipes for athletes and marathoners.