Katie McNeil All Set for the Boston Marathon

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — The Boston Marathon takes place in one week and a Muskingum County resident will be competing in the iconic race.

Katie McNeil completed her last run before the big event today. She said her running mates showed up with her first thing this morning for an approximate seven-mile run.

“This week is actually ‘taper week’ for me, so it’s really exciting. My mileage was cut from last week, basically I did three 20-mile runs and then I cut it in half the last two weeks before the big race. Of course I have a little bit of the normal running wear-and-tear at this point-in-time. My legs are getting anxious to just go and get it over with, but I’ll be in Boston here in less than a week,” said McNeil.

McNeil added that while she will “taper” this week, she will continue to do some activities in her normal daily routine such as teaching her spinning classes and making a few short runs. Most importantly though, she will be focused on making sure she consumes a lot of carbs– her favorite being her homemade pizzas.

Even though she is not originally from Muskingum County, McNeil says her friends have become her family and she is overwhelmed by the support she receives in the community, whether it be at the grocery store, the rec center, work, or just out-and-about.

“This whole community has really just been so supportive. Especially, I’m not from here, so I have a lot of people who are like family and these people have come on the long runs with me, and they’ve provided the encouragement and the positive support to help me get to this point and stay determined,” added McNeil.

A couple of McNeil’s closest friends and family will be joining her in Boston to show their support. They plan to spend time together enjoying the Easter holiday in the days before the race. After the race, she says they plan to attend the “Mile 27” after-party in Fenway Park.

McNeil’s heat will start at approximately 10:30AM on Monday the 17th. Her goal is to complete the race in under three hours and forty-five minutes.

Lastly, after completing the Boston Marathon, McNeil says she intends to take some time to simply rest, and relish the experience of running in the nation’s most iconic competition.