Two years ago, Mary Brann was not a runner. After Friday, it’d be hard to say she’s anything but. Brann, a Vinings mother of three, completed a remarkable circuit of races by finishing The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. The Peachtree was her 50th race run in 50 states in the past two years. She turned 50 Wednesday.
“It was great,” Brann said. “This is an unbelievable event.”
Seeking a mental and physical challenge, Brann chose the goal after dropping off her youngest child at college in Aug. 2012. She trained on a treadmill and tried to find races once a month, often knocking out two races in two states in one weekend. In June, she ran a 5-kilometer race in Portland, Ore., on a Thursday, another in Fairbanks, Alaska, on a Saturday, then flew a red-eye to Seattle for a Sunday race.
She ran a 5K (the first 49 races were at that distance) in Vail, Colo., in show shoes. She tried to find races that raised money for charity and was able to run races with her three children, 10 of her 12 nieces and nephews and five of six siblings. Friday, family members wore special t-shirts commemorating the feat.
Brann isn’t sure if she’ll keep entering races, but she knows this much after her travels. She’ll probably only run races in Atlanta.
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