nWoman’ By Mike Nichols
unners to capture the gold in the grueling 26-mile Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. “It probably will be the last time I’ll ever win it,” said Tracy, who already had two second place finishes in the Oklahoma City Memorial on her resume. The marathon commemorates the 168 people killed in the 1995 federal building bombing. It starts next to the memorial for the 168 people who died in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. Runner’s World magazine has called the Oklahoma City event one of 12 “must run” marathons in the world, with running expert Bart Yasso pegging it the nation’s “Most Memorable” running event. “We are much more than a race. We are truly becoming the ‘Run to Remember’,” said Thomas Hill, president of the Memorial Marathon. “The fact that the most respected publication in the running community would recognize our marathon as the Most Memorable indicates that we are achieving our stated goal, to honor their memory, celebrate life, and reach for the future.” “I will do it again. I’ll do it just for the whole purpose of it,” said Tracy of the Oklahoma City Memorial.
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he has participated in 10 marathons, and qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon several times. But Tracy ran there only once, in 2000. “One time is good enough. It was fun, but it was cold.” Tracy began her running career about 10 years ago after a couple of her friends “talked me into it.” After getting started, she said she “really liked it.” “It’s a love-hate thing. You feel like you’ve accomplished something when you’re done,” which she said helps counteract the pain and anguish of the long-distance races. “My daughter,” said Tracy, “thinks I’m crazy.” Even when she’s not training for a race, Tracy logs 8 or 9 miles a day and “longer on the weekends.” She does take one day off from running per week, however. Her race training typically starts about two months out from the day of the race. “If you go out any further, you get worn out from the training.” Tracy also lifts weights and cross trains on bicycles, and even manages to teach a “spinning” exercise class on bicycles each Saturday in Woodward. “I finally won one,” she said, minutes before resuming her duties of checking hail-damaged roofs. ”I just got lucky.”
Woodward District Claims adjuster Tracy Evans is Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s “Marathon Woman.”
Oklahoma Country • Summer 2004 • 19