Never say never
Michelle Brenton is coming home to run her first marathon on Sunday
Michelle Brenton grew up involved in a number of sports.
She took swimming lessons and did synchronized swimming at the YMCA in Charlottetown and got involved in field hockey and basketball. She was named Sport P.E.I.’s all-around female athlete of the year in 1983, competed in field hockey at the 1985 Canada Games in Saint John, N.B., and was a second-team all-Canadian while playing field hockey at UNB.
But ever think of running 42.195 kilometres?
“Nope. Never,” she said Thursday night.
“I always said I don't like running that much. I don't want to run that long, but the seed got planted and here I am three days out. So never say never.” Brenton, a month away from turning 53, will run her first marathon Sunday as the P.E.I. Marathon begins at the Brackley entrance to P.E.I. National Park and winds its way into downtown Charlottetown.
The Charlottetown native now lives in Hampton, N.B., and teaches physical education at Dr. A. T. Leatherbarrow Primary School, a kindergarten to Grade 2 school in Hampton, located about a marathon run away from Saint John, N.B.
Brenton got involved in multi-sport events later in life after having her family. She was introduced to triathlon in 2010 and completed her first Island race, the Dalvay duathlon, the following year.
“I know part of the marathon race route goes along that Dalvay shore. That is going to be emotion for me,” she said.
Brenton began training with Nicky Scott about four years ago and the duo is now looking at doing an ironman, a combination of a 3.86-kilometre swim, 180.25 kilometres on a bike and a 42.195-kilometre marathon.
“She has committed for sure for 2020.
“I’m still on the fence,” Brenton said of the ironman. “We decided in June of this year that we needed to do a marathon just to mentally prepare our minds that, yes, our bodies could cover that distance.”
They decided to do a fall marathon after their triathlon season was completed.
“I said P.E.I. was the one for me because I did my first half marathon in 2014. This is my fifth anniversary and I’m returning to tackle the full,” Brenton said.
She said 2014 was special, running past landmarks and seeing familiar faces – both runners and volunteers – along the route.
There are many different reasons people get involved in the marathon weekend.
Race director Myrtle JenkinsSmith has heard a number of stories. Some people want to improve their physical or mental health while others are doing it in memory of loved ones.
It can make for emotional moments as participants cross the finish line.
“You see a lot of tears shed and tears for many different reasons,” Jenkins-Smith said. “We encourage all Islanders to come out and cheer these folks on.”
There were times during the past few months when doubt crept into Brenton’s mind.
She remembers thinking what had she signed up for during a 30-kilometre run early in their training.
But having Scott there helped her persevere.
“We talk each other to the top of the hill and over the crest,” she said, noting the importance of a supportive family.
Scott and Brenton haven’t set time targets for Sunday but know one thing – it will be the same.
“The goal is we’re starting together, we’re running together, we’re finishing together,” Brenton said.