This past Sunday, senior Natalie Alpan ran for a cause in the Chicago Marathon. The York-hi interviewed her to find out more about her success in this year’s race.

Q: Why did you decide to run a marathon?

A: My friend Emma Lindsey from Hinsdale Central has ran the Chicago Marathon for the past 2 years with team World Vision, but has never finished. I decided to run it for clean water in Africa through Team World Vision, and to help my friend cross the finish line. Although she never ended up signing up, I managed to  raise enough money to give 12 people clean water for life!

Q: What did you do to train for the marathon? Did you train with other people or alone?

A: I was on a marathon training plan for the last 18 weeks. I would run my long runs with my team, World Vision, through the Christ Church of Oak Brook on Saturdays, but besides that, I would run alone on the Prairie Path before school. Sometimes I would go running at 4AM depending on the distance; it was pretty intense,

but necessary.

Q: I saw you ran for a charity; can you tell me a little more about this and why you chose to do this? What does the charity mean to you?

A: I ran with Team World Vision. It is a charity designed to raise funds to build wells in Africa and to give clean water to people. I chose to run with them because my former middle school pastor’s father was one of the founders of the organization. I have been involved with it in the past. I’ve ran 6Ks for water for the past 2 years with family and friends to provide clean water for 1 child in Africa per runner. My first time running the 6K, I won for my age group. Last year, the race grew and I didn’t place, but it’s for a great cause. I love the organization.

Q: What are you long term goals in terms of running? Do you want to do more marathons?

A: I definitely want to run Chicago next year with the same charity. I also want to continue to run marathons in the future. In the long run, I hope to complete an ironman in my life. I have had that goal since the 3rd grade.

Q: What food did you eat the night before the race?

A: My grandma, grandpa, cousin, and friend came over, and my parents made a feast of salmon, rice, pasta, bread, broccoli, and edamame. I had a lot of carbs. I also worked the morning on the day before the marathon. I work at Nothing Bundt Cakes, so I got a little too carried away with eating cake. That probably was not the best choice, but oh well!

Q: Where was the best entertainment along the course, or what was the highlight of the race?

A: I loved all the local bands. They distracted me from the fact that I had to be running for a long time. My highlight was probably seeing my family and friends throughout the race. My family actually jogged across Chicago to see me more throughout the course. Another highlight was when my former high school pastor snuck up behind me with about 2 miles left. I was hitting a wall at that point, but he comforted me and talked me through it. He helped me regain my sanity to finish strong.

Q: What challenges did you face along the way?

A: During the race, I hit a wall at mile 17 and it lasted until mile 24. It was unexpectedly long and brutal. It slowed me down quite a lot but I got through it. I never walked or stopped once during the marathon–not even for water. Everything was a jog!

Q: Who was your biggest support along the way?

A: Probably my Dad. Running a marathon has been his dream for a while, and seeing me run one made him very proud. I’m glad I got to run one, and hopefully the next one will be with him. Overall, my family was there with me through all the training and the race. I feel that Peter, my boyfriend, had been a great support to me as well. He went on a few long runs earlier in training with me– including the 8-miler. He is a soccer player, not a runner, and it meant a lot how he struggled through that run with me. After I finished, he told me me was interested in running with me next year with TWV and that was very exciting to hear as well.