Bell and Hazlehurst complete Boston Marathon

Thousands of cheering spectators lined the 26.2-mile course of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20. In Jackson, Tennessee, and on Union’s campus, many others joined in support of their own runners: Audrey Hazlehurst, first year pharmacy student, and Bailey Bell, junior economics major.

Bell finished the race number 3,024 overall with a time of 3:01. He said he didn’t get to train as much as he wanted to, but was pleased with his first time and experience.

“The first time I just wanted to soak it all in, live in the moment, experience everything that you get to experience with the marathon,” Bell said. “That took a lot of the pressure off of trying to perform at a certain time.”

Hazlehurst finished with a time of 3:11 and was number 4,876 overall. She said she is pleased with that time and is even more pleased to have run the race with her mother.

“It was incredible to be there with her,” Hazlehurst said. “It was just special and it’s special that we both share that hobby.”

Both runners said the Boston Marathon experience was more than they could have imagined. The city of Boston essentially shuts down for the race and the number of people who line up to watch and cheer is massive.

“People are lining the course right from the start, the whole 26.2 miles, cheering,” Hazlehurst said. “There are little kids holding out their hands and passing out candy and water. It’s really sweet, and they just go crazy if you clap their hand.”

The marathon course is not an easy one to run. Around mile 20 runners reach what is called “Heartbreak Hill.” Bell said this is where he felt like stopping to walk, but he knew everyone at home was supporting him and that is what kept him going.

“I felt like I wasn’t just running for myself but that I was running for everybody back [in Jackson],” Bell said.

As natives of Jackson, Bell and Hazlehurst had both the city and the Union community cheering them on. They are grateful for all the support and encouragement they received.

“It was awesome to hear how many texts and phone calls I got leading up to and after the race,” Bell said.

“I feel blessed to be from a town that is so involved in what everyone else is doing,” Hazlehurst said. “I feel like not everybody has that. It feels really good to know that people are cheering for you back home.”

The Boston Marathon brings in people from all over the globe to race in the world’s oldest annual marathon. While waiting in Athlete’s Village, Hazlehurst and Bell met runners from Berlin, Ireland and Australia to name a few.

“It’s amazing how running will bring you together,” Bell said. “It’s unique how you can connect with people and just share life with people through running.”

Bell and Hazlehurst both said they will run in the Boston Marathon again in the future. Hazlehurst said she wants to graduate from pharmacy school before she trains for the marathon again, but that she will begin training soon for a triathlon. Bell said he will take a short break from competitive running after he graduates in 2016. His goal is to run the marathon again in the next three years and many more times in his life.