Sisters grad to run in Boston Marathon

Nicole McKorkle. photo by Rongi Yost

Nicole McCorkle, a 1999 graduate of Sisters High School will run in the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 19.

Running has been a big part of McCorkle's life for the past eight years. She was involved in cross country all four years at Sisters High School. She went to college at Western Oregon University and was a member of both the cross country and track teams.

Last November McCorkle ran in the Seattle Marathon. The 26.2 mile race started and ended at the Space Needle. McCorkle completed the race in a time of 3:36.49 and came in 48th out of 843 women.

McCorkle only had about three weeks to prepare for the Seattle Marathon because she was still running the 10K (6 miles) at WOU. The longest run she was able to get in was 16 miles.

Running in Seattle wasn't easy.

"It was so hard," said McCorkle. "I couldn't walk for the next week! No joke."

To qualify for the Boston Marathon a runner must complete a marathon in a time of 3:40 or less. When McCorkle ran under the qualifying time in Seattle she knew she was headed to Boston.

Nicole is working hard in preparation for the big event and runs an average of two to three miles per day and plans to run 25 miles at least twice before she leaves for Boston.

McCorkle's goal is to not walk at all during the race.

"I had to walk up the last hill in Seattle and I don't want to do that in Boston," said Nicole.

Ed King, Nicole's running partner, will be attending the marathon with her.

"Ed works for the Forest Service here in Sisters and I met him last year at my summer job. He ran with me in Seattle and I'm glad he's coming with me to Boston," said McCorkle.

"I'm so excited that I'm going," said McCorkle. "It's been one of my lifelong goals just to go and so whatever I do I'll be happy."