Fitness enthusiast Marcia Franklyn hits marathon milestone

While many are already gearing up to celebrate the holiday season by digging right into a festive feast, come Christmas Day, Marcia Franklyn is pursuing new milestones. When she wasn’t catching flights, the first-time runner completed not one but two races, a 7k and 10k, in one weekend.

“Running a 10k has always been on my bucket list of things to accomplish. But to be honest, it seemed unreachable. The thought of me doing a 10k gave me cold sweats,” the mother of two confessed to Lifestyle. But who could pass up on this opportunity of a lifetime?

This year was the 39th staging of the Run Barbados Marathon series, and the fitness enthusiast was excited to participate in such a historical event. What made the occasion even more significant was that she wasn’t alone. Patrice J. White, chief executive officer of The Dynamic Lifestyle, had chosen a member of her dynamo Instagram community to join her in this all-expenses-paid trip, courtesy of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Incorporated.

“When I was selected as the lucky dynamo for the run, I was very elated. Patrice is one of my motivators, and I’m so happy I finally get to meet her on such terms. Her encouraging words made the journey a smooth one,” Franklyn explained.

So what exactly was White’s strategy going into the significant weekend? Pace herself and run her own race. The 10k was up first, and true to form, she had a fabulous finish. After crossing the finish line, she returned to her fitness partner, Franklyn, and assisted her in crossing as well.

When that wasn’t motivating enough, the personal trainer came with added inspiration, keeping Franklyn’s eyes on the prize: the medal she would win for her valiant running efforts.

“Approaching the finish line with the cheers of support from others and my trainer made crossing the finish line a dream come true. I had pain after, but the accomplishment let that pain fade away without me even noticing,” she shared.

There was no time to waste as the following day, Franklyn was on her way to run a 7k. With the long run out of the way, this should’ve been a walk in the park. But the pain from the previous day’s activities began to catch up with her. But she stuck to her game plan, “Run for at least three to five minutes [and] do a brisk walk for one minute,” and that kept her going all the way to the finish line.

Grateful, she thanked White for the unforgettable experience and her family for their support. “I would also like to thank my family circle for believing in me, for sending encouraging texts and calls for both days and for reminding me that I’m not alone out there,” she added.

Are there any plans to run more marathons in the future? We will have to wait and see. Until then, Franklyn is happy that she could cross the finish lines and cross this experience off her bucket list.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com