Francine Inman Hopes to Set a Personal Record at Boston Marathon

Francine Inman began running at age 37 and has never looked back. She ran her first Boston Marathon as a tribute to her sister who beat leukemia and is poised to add a fifth to a quickly growing list. Patch chatted with Inman about her running and the ten marathons she has racked up in a short period of time.

What is your previous running experience? I think I was 37 when I took it up. And I loved it because it was actually the same feeling that I was getting from spinning. And then...my sister was sick from leukemia, and you know she made it out of everything fine, she had a bone marrow transplant, and I just decided I wanted to run the Boston Marathon in her honor. And I trained for it, and I did it, and ever since then I’ve been hooked.

How many marathons have you run? I’ve run ten marathons and this will be my fifth Boston. I usually run a spring marathon, which will be Boston, and then I do a fall marathon. So I do two a year. Basically I just keep in shape. I never stop running. So I don’t have to really do intense training, I just maintain the training.

What are your training habits? I'm a weather snob when it comes to training.  The majority of my training is done year yound on the treadmill at Boston Sports Clubs, mostly because I like to incorporate yoga and weight training in as well.  Running at the gym allows me to fit all that in.  I do enjoy running outside in the spring and fall though and on warm summer nights.   I refuse to run outside when it's hot and sunny or very cold and snowy, it just doesn't appeal to me.  Believe it or not, I do all my training alone.  That's one of the things I cherish the most about running - an hour a day (or two or three during marathon season) to escape every day stresses, listen to my music and think.  Running is very therapeutic.

What do you like about racing marathons? It’s all a mind game. It’s more mental than physical. You definitely put the training in, but it’s mind over matter come the end, like the last few miles. Your mind takes over. It’s a great accomplishment.

It’s commitment, dedication. It’s commitment every day.

Do you have any goals for the marathon in April? This year I'm hoping to break my personal best and run Boston in under 3:45. Hopefully I will be able.  The BAA has tightened the qualifying times making it harder to qualify.

What’s been tough for you about preparing for this marathon? I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to run this year because I had the start of a stress fracture in my femur…The last couple weekends I’ve taken long runs and it’s been OK so I’m going to give it a shot.

For most people the challenges were the weather and the snow and all that, but the majority of my runs were done on the treadmill at the gym. I actually enjoy treadmill running.

I don’t enjoy running in the cold either, or the elements, that’s why it works for me.

Do you have any pre-race rituals? No. The only thing I do is maybe eat more carbs a couple days before. It’s hard for me because I don’t even like pasta much. I just try to eat bagels and pretzels.

I tend to drink a lot more water, just to go into it hydrated.

How have you felt crossing the finish line in the past? It’s just incredible. The crowds that cheer you on, little kids, everybody just rooting for you. The atmosphere...it’s like you’re a celebrity for the day. That’s what it’s like, it’s great.

All the months of training, the accomplishment, it’s just so nice, that’s what it’s all about, completing another goal. You see so many caring people out there. You’re at your worst and people will say “Come on, you’re doing great. Keep it up.” And that makes you want to cry. They’re just pushing for you.