Woodlands Resident Tackles Austin Marathon

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- If you have ever traveled just three hours west of The Woodlands, you have been able to witness the beauty the rolling hills of Austin bring to Texas. And if you have ever taken a stroll around the city, you know the toll all those hills can have on your legs as the surface below you rises and falls. Now, imagine if you can, running 26.2 miles throughout this challenging environment, tackling each climb at a run. Chance Schrutka, 21, a student at Texas A&M, ran the Austin Marathon Sunday and accomplished much more than just finishing the race.

According to YourAustinMarathon.com, the official Web site for the Austin Marathon, the average elevation in the city is 597 feet. The race begins bright and early at 7 a.m., and the brisk morning temperatures in Austin can only add to a runner’s mounting anxiety.

“I chose this particular [marathon] because it fell right around the time I wanted to do one and it was nice and close to College Station and the rest of my family in The Woodlands so they could come and share the experience,” Schrutka said.

For Schrutka, running a marathon was not always an option. His senior year of high school he battled his weight, coming in at 270 pounds. Schrutka was determined to get healthy and lose the weight.

“When I was a freshman, I made the goal that I wanted to run a marathon in my junior year, and here I am now with that goal accomplished,” Schrutka said.

Currently, Schrutka is a member of the special unit in the Corps of Cadets that prepares students to enter in the Special Warfare Community. He is a part of the U.S. Navy SEAL Program also known as Basic Underwater Demolition School, or BUDS. Along with the rigorous training of the Cadet program, he integrated a 16 week program of his own, running on average 40 to 50 miles a week.

In the end, his training and dedication paid off.

“During the marathon I felt great for the first 21 miles and then at about mile 22 to the finish began to feel the effects of continuously running for 3 hours,” Schrutka said. “However, I did not hit the infamous “wall” that is so widely talked about. I think this is due to my training and the fact that I drank about 2 gallons of water the day before.”

When Schrutka passed the finish line with a time of 3:45:10, he simultaneously achieved personal goals of running a marathon and finishing in less than four hours.

“I am really happy that I did this and will definitely be doing another one next year,” Schrutka said.