BABY ON BOARD

Heather Hilscher did something pretty spectacular last fall.

She didn’t just complete her first ever half marathon at the Eye Q Two Cities Marathon, but she did it while four months pregnant.

“It was a goal I had already set and I really wanted to finish it out and achieve it,” Hilscher said.

Hilscher had no prior running experience before she began training in June of 2008. Originally, she just began running as part of a weight loss program, but seeing her sister Mindy run she became encouraged to run longer distances before she finally committed to run Two Cities.

Slowly but surely, she started increasing her mileage with the constant encouragement of her sister.

“My sister had been running and I really admired what she was doing,” Hilscher said.

It wasn’t until August that she found out she was pregnant with her fourth child, and already focused on doing the half marathon Hilscher continued the training.

“I really wanted to do it,” Hilscher said. “Of course I got the blessing of my doctor first but we talked about everything and it worked out.”

With three kids already, Hilscher said her mornings were already pretty early and there weren’t many Saturdays she was getting to sleep in, so running seemed to fit into her schedule well.

So, with the support and guidance of her sister and the MASH running group, Hilscher was in the best running shape of her life when it reached time for the race. She was able to finish the 13.2 mile race in two hours and 39 minutes. She averaged 12 minute miles something admirable for any runner but ever more so for a pregnant woman of four months.

“The challenge of having the half marathon set out before me and not knowing if I could push myself that far was really exciting for me,” Hilscher said.

Hilscher wanted to continue running but had to stop shortly after she finished the half-marathon because running was causing her to have early contractions.

So, she took nearly five months off and gave birth to Camden in April. After a doctor recommended six weeks Hilscher has picked right back up where she left off in her training.

Prior to giving birth, Hilscher signed up for a few races in hopes it would keep her dedicated to getting back into her training routine.
Last weekend she competed in the Nike Women’s half marathon in San Francisco.

“I’ve been really excited about this race,” Hilscher said. “I had to sign up before my pregnancy based on faith. But I did it so I would stay committed to running and have something to work for.”

The Nike race has only helped to prepare her even more so for her second stint at the Eye-Q race in Fresno November 13th.

Hilscher will be running the half marathon again this year; however, she doesn’t see her future in running reaching the point of doing full marathons.

“Honestly I am not that motivated to do a full,” Hilscher said. “The half for me is a good amount and plenty of a challenge.”

For more information about the Two Cities Marathon, check out their website: www.runfresno.com.

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MORE THAN A MARATHON

If there is one person that could serve as the poster child for the Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon and Half, it’s Kelly Irwin.

Irwin arrived when the race first kicked off in 2002 and has witnessed the event develop as Eye-Q Vision Care will help get things going again November sixth.

The spunky 46-year-old is a running enthusiast filled with positive energy and as a result of her own running success is now a mentor for beginning runners.

“I love when somebody thinks they can never do something like run a marathon and then they accomplish it,” Irwin said. “It is the best thing in the world.”

As a mentor, she is responsible for helping to create training to get newcomers and even some returnees into marathon shape, while also providing constant encouragement and support along the way.

Irwin is part of a running group called MASH, which stands for Medical Aid Supplying Hope. The group was created to introduce the community to Medical Ministries International, a local non-profit organization that donates medical supplies and equipment to underprivileged clinics and hospitals.

The MASH Runners train and compete as a team to raise awareness and also provide an outlet for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

“We come together to encourage each other and at the same time get in shape,” Irwin said.

Irwin and the other mentors belonging to MASH work as one to prepare a training schedule for members of the group in hopes it will prepare them for the 26.3-mile race.

While nothing is mandatory, most members meet every Saturday to do the longer workouts. Most recently the group collected themselves in Northeast Fresno to do a 20-mile run.

But more than just the physical training is the mental preparation key to any runners success. This is where Irwin plays a vital role in the development of so many runners.

“It’s just so neat to watch someone finish something they could never have imagined doing a year prior,” Irwin said.

Acting as a motivator is a huge role of any mentor, but for Irwin the role is to be a leader that also helps runners who may get injured along the way.

Whether it comes in the form of assisting an individual through in cross-training workouts or simply providing an ear to listen, she is the go-to person.

And while in many ways beginners look to her for words of encouragement, her own journey to becoming a marathon runner serves as an inspiration because she developed the passion later than most.

Close to 17 years ago did Irwin begin to go on small runs with a neighbor. After years of recreational running she found herself preparing to run the first Eye Q Two Cities Marathon in 2000.

“Every year I think the race has improved so much,” Irwin said. “They have added expos and entertainment along the course. It is as good as any race I’ve run out of town.”

As a result of the race’s developing success Irwin and her group have participated in the marathon or half every year it’s been in Fresno except one.

And while the race has grown leaps and bounds, so has Irwin’s running career as she has jumped from being a recreational runner to a fierce competitor.

She has competed in races such as the Nike Women’s, the San Diego Rock and Roll, Surf City, and Long Beach marathons.

“I love to run, but I’m not a great runner,” Irwin said. “I can run long not very fast, but I enjoy it so much.”

Right now, Irwin’s best half marathon time is around two hours.

However, in order to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon she must maintain that pace for an entire marathon and run under four hours to qualify.

And although the time may seem unrealistic at times, it is still the ultimate goal and dream to make it.

“I would love to qualify for Boston,” Irwin said. “I’m going to try every time I go out there.”

Boston may be the dream, but more importantly does Irwin hope her running career is able to last the rest of her life.

Having been in the running environment for quite some time, she claims to see a different in attitude and overall quality of life for the people that maintain a high level of physical activity.

“I want to run as long as I possibly can,” Irwin said. “I see the people in their 70s and 80s out there and they just look so young, fit, vibrant, and so happy.”

For more information on the race, go to runfresno.com.

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MARZAN’S PERFECTION PASSED

Bullard High alum Marissa Marzan held the high school national record for the most perfect games for nearly eight years.

But a call from a columnist in Connecticut let her know that her once seemingly untouchable mark in the world of softball was finally broken.

“When the columnist asked if I thought my record would ever be broken I told him ‘Of course records are meant to be broken,’” said Marzan. “I just wish I was old and senile when it happened.”

Unfortunately for Marzan she is only 25-years-old, so her hopes of holding that record till she couldn’t even remember it have vanished.

All this is because of Rachelle Fico, a senior at Masuk High. The LSU-bound Fico pitched her 21st career perfect game to surpass Marzan’s mark at 20.

The 21 perfect games also pushed her career personal records to great highs as she pitched 21 strikeouts in the game as well. Fico extended her dominance in other categories as she improved her record to 87-2, has 41 no-hitters, 78 shutouts and 1,547 career strikeouts.

And while April 23 was a sad day for Marzan, she said that Fico “was a very deserving young lady.”

After talking to Fico’s father the day her record was broken, Marzan said that she found there to be many similarities in both Fico and her in terms of pitching mentality.

Marzan went into every game looking to pitch a perfect game and if that got disrupted she went for the no-hitter. If a no-hitter was ruined she then looked for a shutout and the least she would settle for was getting a win. But pitching to win for her team wasn’t her only focus back in 2001.

“When I was in high school more focused on getting a D-I scholarship,” said Marzan. “I wanted to go somewhere after high school.”

And she did just that after her stellar final year at Bullard where she set a record seven perfect games in a single season alongside 12 no-hitters, a 0.07 ERZ and 389 strikeouts.

Continued dominance landed her a spot at the University of Arizona, and she eventually transferred to Cal State-Fullerton.

Now that her playing days are coming to a near end, Marzan is focusing on her career and transferring her pitching knowledge to the youth of the community.

She recently received a promotion at Fowler Packing Company so her time to give private pitching lessons is limited.

“A lot of it when you go to a pitching coach is technique and form and everyone has special technique,” said Marzan. “A lot of it is teaching mental toughness and working with what you got.”

While competing in high school Marzan claimed her counter part to be Jamie Southern, a Clovis High standout that went on to make her own mark at Fresno State. Marzan said Southern had all the physical features of good pitcher with height and strength, but for herself at 5 foot 3 inches she had to play to her strength of mental toughness.

“When I was pitching my counterpart was Jamie Southern,” said Marzan. I kind of had to work to my strengths to be mentally strong and work towards my advantage and the batters disadvantage.”

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