Most eighth graders aren’t training for marathons, let alone running one with a cause, but Durango’s Hattie Barrett stands out, just like she did at last year’s Steamworks Half Marathon.
Barrett, 13, finished first in the female 18-and-under division in last year’s Steamworks Half Marathon as the only runner in that category. This year, she plans to run in the Steamworks Half Marathon on Saturday as a warm-up for the Boulderthon in Boulder in September. Barrett will be running that marathon to support the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation (PERF).
“When I was younger, I did all these small 5Ks and little events with our community, where I lived,” Barrett said. “I did the Fourth of July runs with my mom. Then she would do big races ... and that influenced me to go running more. So then I started just going on runs, not for events, just doing it. Last summer I did the half marathon, and it gave me the goal to do a full marathon before high school.”
A member of the Miller Middle School track team, Barrett has used the Animas River Trail to train, and that training led to her being surprised at where she finished in last year’s half-marathon. She has grown up training with her mom, Denise, although Barrett runs at a little quicker pace these days. Denise is recovering from a broken toe, but plans to start the Boulderthon with her daughter.
Barrett is running for PERF in part because her uncle is a doctor at Cooks Children’s Medical Center in Forth Worth, Texas, and he’s on the board of directors for PERF. Barrett was looking all over for a marathon to complete her goal, but most marathons require that the participant is 18. At Boulderthon, Barrett can participate. She will be happy to finish, but she’s looking to finish in under five hours.
“I’m super proud of her,” Denise said. “She sacrifices spending the night out with friends because she doesn’t want to be too tired to get up and run. I love all the extra time we get together, even though we’re not running together, we’re planning where we’re going to get something fun to eat for lunch after ... If she’s ever in pain or not wanting to do it, I would never push her. As long as she’s having fun and enjoying it, I’m all for it.”
Anyone interested in donating to the cause can do so here.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
