Wasilla runner conquers Boston Marathon for the second time

May 15, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Finishing 3,567th in a race may not seem like an impressive feat. But it is when you consider the finish is among a field of 22,500, and that race is the Boston Marathon.

For the second consecutive year, Wasilla's David Johnston entered and finished the 26-mile Boston Marathon, a race recognized as the premiere event of its kind in the United States.

Johnston, 37, finished the April 16 marathon in 3 hours, 20 minutes and 55 seconds - 19 minutes faster than his 2006 time. He was 10 minutes shy of his goal, but happy he was able to set a personal best in the marathon, despite traitorous race day conditions.

&#8220With the wind and all, I was pushing as hard as I wanted to push,” Johnston said. &#8220I definitely wanted to finish. You don't want to gamble in that race - push too hard and not finish.”

Winds blew and rain and sleet blanketed the historic Massachusetts city on and before rain day.

In the hours before the start, Johnston was among thousands of marathon runners covered with plastic garbage bags to keep the rain off.

In the average year, on a dry race more than 20,000 runners commune on football-field sized lawns awaiting the start of the annual event. But Johnston described a scene of mass of marathoners running for cover.

&#8220You had 20,000 people trying to scamper under little tents,” Johnston said. &#8220Jammed in, trying to get your warm up gear off and your running gear on. It's pretty wild.”

Johnston endured the crazy Boston weather, but as one of 39 Alaska runners in the event, he has become accustomed to training in less than ideal conditions.

The avid runner worked throughout the winter to prepare for his second appearance in the Boston Marathon. Last year, he'd spent much of his time doing laps on the indoor track of the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex. But this year, he bought the gear and the spiked running shoes, and decided to take his training outside. He found a trailhead next the sports complex, and a path along Lucille Creek that stretches all the way to Big Lake.

&#8220It's amazing. It's like a runway,” Johnston said. &#8220It's 10 miles to Big Lake so you can get 20-mile runs in. And nobody uses it. I probably did 20 mile runs out there every other week, and would maybe see one snowmachiner.”

Johnston said there are a few things that separate his first and second run in Boston, but there is one thing that sticks out.

&#8220I was better prepared,” Johnston said. &#8220I didn't hurt nearly as bad. Coming down the last quarter-mile, there was a smile on my face. It felt a whole lot better in general.”

Johnston has already set goals for future runs in the Boston Marathon, and is determined to make participating an annual event.

&#8220I'm going to go back every year,” he said.

Johnston's long-term goal is to finish in the top-1000.

&#8220I'm not going to be satisfied with Boston until I finish in the top-1000,” Johnston said.

In order to do that, Johnston said he must average a time of 6:50 per mile, for 26 miles.

&#8220I need to knock off at least 15 seconds per mile,” Johnston said.

Right now, Johnston said he's averaging about 7:15 per mile, and has started to run track workouts to cut the extra time off.

&#8220It's different running quarter-miles around the track,” Johnston said. &#8220It's just different muscles.”

Johnston has not only started a personal tradition with the marathon, he has included his 5-year-old son David, Jr.

Johnston took his son to Boston for the second time. The father and son toured the city, found the Paul Revere statue, took a tour on the water taxi and rode the swan boats in Boston Commons.

Johnston and his son also participated in the Freedom Run, a 2.5-mile open race staged the day before the Boston Marathon.

&#8220(David Jr.) was one of the smallest guys out there,” Johnston said.

Throughout his efforts to pursue his dream of being an annual participant in the Boston Marathon, Johnston said his wife and family have been very supportive. But he also noted the support of his employer, Geneva Woods.

Johnston said Geneva Woods gave him a generous donation to help fund his trip, and Johnston wore a company T-shirt during the race.

Johnston, who formed a love of running as a young boy growing up in North Carolina, has a passion that's driven him to compete in races across the country.

In October, Johnston participated in the Portland Marathon in October and hit the Philadelphia Marathon in November.

That's in addition to the races he hits in Alaska every year.

&#8220You're not supposed to run that many marathons,” Johnston said. &#8220You're supposed to do two a year. I think I did six.”

At the Portland race, Johnston entered in the ‘Clydesdale' class, something he'd never done before.

The Clydesdale class is aimed for bigger runners - those over 185 pounds. Johnston, who hovers around the 185-190 pound mark, decided to give the division a try. The twist is, runners have to bench press 210 pounds before setting off on the 26-mile marathon.

Johnston ended up finishing third in the event.

Johnston has also set his sites on the ultra-marathons. He competed in the Susitna 50-K for the first time this year.

In the Susitna 50-K, a race that starts and ends in the Valley, athletes can also ski, bike or run in the event.

Johnston finished third among the participants who ran the race.

&#8220It was the first time I'd run a step over 26 miles,” Johnston said.

Johnston is even toying with the idea of running in the Susitna 50-K's big brother, the Susitna 100 - a 100-mile race.

&#8220I'd like to try the 100-miler. That'd be my ultimate goal, to run 100 miles,” Johnston said.

To prepare for that, Johnston has signed up for two 50-mile races this summer - the Resurrection Pass Trail Race and the JFK 50.

The JFK 50 ultra-marathon was founded by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

Johnston said he loves running, but he also loves to continue setting goals for himself.

&#8220It's easy for me to get lazy,” Johnston said with a laugh. &#8220If I keep signing up for races and having goals, I'll keep doing it.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.