Longtime distance runner Austin Childree, freshman in aerospace engineering, decided to take part in the Silver Comet Marathon in Mableton, Georgia, on Oct. 27 and ended up outlasting the competition to place first overall.
When Childree decided to participate in the marathon, he also made the decision to go about the race casually and to simply enjoy himself.
“I just wanted to do it for fun,” Childree said. “I went down with a few friends and got an Airbnb for the weekend. My family also came down.”
A native of Woodlands, Texas, Childree’s running career began in seventh grade. He ran on a highly competitive team throughout middle and high school and has maintained his love for distance races since coming to Auburn.
In the weeks leading up to the race, Childree trained for the marathon with the same workouts he used during his high school cross country career.
Childree said he began the race slowly and eased into a steady pace, modestly increasing his speed as the race went on and he felt more comfortable.
“I started to notice that I was passing lots of people and got really excited,” Childree said.
Encouraged by his progress, Childree continued to increase his speed for the majority of the marathon. However, this acceleration made the final stretches of the race particularly challenging as exhaustion set in.
With only a few brief stops for a boost from Gatorade and chocolate milk, Childree finished the race with a final time of 2:55:40 — a time that earned him first place overall.
“I knew that I was capable of winning, but I certainly wasn’t expecting it,” Childree said.
During the award ceremony, Childree, along with the rest of the divisional winners, got swag bags as well as T-shirts and a medal. Childree will also receive a glass trophy for placing first overall. Representatives from the marathon offered to drive to Auburn and hand-deliver the trophy as well, once all winners are solidified on paper.
Childree said having his family and friends at the event to support him helped make the victory even sweeter.
“After the race, I was exhausted,” Childree said. “My friends helped to carry me to the car, and everyone was so supportive. I’d probably say that the experience was one that was mostly enjoyable but very memorable.”
Childree plans to participate in another 10K race in March as well as other shorter runs to train for the 2020 Boston Marathon, which he has already qualified for.
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