Running for personal goals; Bayne runs in marathon

History teacher Mr. Ryan Bayne has been pushing himself to new limits. On Sunday, November 18, Bayne completed a marathon for which he has been training for months.
“The experience was amazing. There were thousands of runners there and even more spectators along the course. I got to see over 26 miles of the city and go about something that I knew would be extremely physically and mentally challenging,” said the runner. This marathon is the second one the social studies teacher ran in the last 20 years. “The reason I chose to run this as my second marathon was because I did this same one 20 years earlier in 1998. Being able to see how I could run 20 years later was something I was looking forward to,” said Bayne.
His training for this event started back in June, and “from August through the end of October, I averaged approximately 50 miles per week.” During his training in October, Bayne had a severe case of bronchitis, which meant he couldn’t train for several weeks. “In order to get through it, I told myself that I had to have total clarity and confidence, however, I decided to run it. I knew that after missing three weeks of training, my body was either going to hold up at the end or it wasn’t; but however I decided to run, I had to be totally committed to, ” said Bayne.
After missing training time, the physical effects of this race put Bayne in a tough position, nearing the end of the race, he recalls, “I made it through just over 20 miles before my body began to break down, and the last few miles were a struggle to get through.” He hope his pace during this marathon would be enough for him to possibly have a chance to qualify to run in the Boston Marathon.
Bayne said his wife is his biggest support system. “I couldn’t have done this without the support of my wife. Having three young kids, I tried my best not to take time away from family.” Laure Bayne always made sure he wasn’t forgetting major components that went along with his training such as staying hydrated, getting enough rest, and stretching before training.
“After the race was over, the recovery was tough. The soreness was brutal, but I expected that. I actually had a very hard time being able to eat anything or drink anything. I think my body was not quite fully recovered from being sick, nor was it quite ready for that distance after missing much of the November training.” Although this experience left him in these conditions, he says this experience was completely worth it and a great opportunity for him. Lastly, Bayne says “crossing the finish line, I knew I had run one of the toughest races of my life, both physically and mentally, and had a lot to be proud of.”