Variety of motivators for Columbia Marathon runners | News

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS)- Runners took their marks at the starting line for the Columbia Marathon Saturday morning. The air was crisp but the attitude was upbeat as they laced up their sneakers, put on gloves to keep warm, and got ready to run.

In the crowd were Alexandra Rippy and Joy Welch who love feeling that natural high from running.

"Training adrenaline," said Rippy.  

"Love of running is an addiction," said Welch. "It makes me feel good and let's me eat whatever I want, too."

"It's very cathartic, therapeutic," said Rippy. "Especially if you love being outdoors you just zone out. It's just fun.

The 7:30 a.m. start time wasn't a big deal for most of them.

"I normally get up at 4:15 to run at five she normally gets up at 4:15 to run at 5," said Welch. "I have done that a couple of times."

But whether it was the full marathon or just the 5k, folks came out to test their endurance and cheer on their fellow runners who were feeling the burn by the end of the race.

Some live for it. Saturday was the 256th marathon for Robert Bishton.

"I wanted to lose weight and I'm one of those people who made a resolution around new year's to lose weight and I started walking five miles a day because I thought five miles a day that's impossible," he said. "I found it wasn't, so I changed my eating habits and starting walking everyday and it sort of morphed into walking and jogging and about eight months later I lost 60 pounds and I've been running ever since."

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THE COLUMBIA MARATHON HAS ATTRACTED ABOUT TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE TO CAPITAL CITY FOR THE LAST TWO LAST YEARS.

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