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CEDAR CITY — Have you ever wondered how long it would take you to walk a marathon around your college campus? How about walking a marathon around a small, indoor portion of your college campus?
On Nov. 13, Lindsey Wessling, a senior outdoor recreation major at Southern Utah University, completed what she's calling the "AFEC Marathon" by walking a marathon (173 laps) around the America First Event Center building. The challenge took her close to 9½ hours to complete.
"I've always seen the sign on campus in the AFEC building around the basketball stadium that says 6.6 laps is 1 mile," Wessling said. "Ever since I've seen that, I've always thought it would be so fun to do some kind of challenge with that."
Having grown up in Cedar City, I remember running around what we called "The Centrum." I even remember doing warm-up drills in those hallways as a high school athlete competing in the basketball stadium and as a former SUU cross country and track athlete. But, never in my wildest imagination did it occur to me to attempt to run, let alone, walk a marathon in those hallways.
Sure, there are drinking fountains that line the walls, and bathroom access on either side. If I remember right, there were vending machines within reach for quick snacking, not to mention a constant flow of cheerful students, teachers and community members. And of course, a "Hall of Fame" display filled with pictures of accomplished athletes to remind you to never give up (including one of my husband in all his 1999 Mountain West cross-country regionals glory).
On second thought, maybe the AFEC marathon is the perfect challenge, and I may need to try it.
Would you attempt the AFEC Marathon? Wessling says she'd do it again.
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