The Alexander City Outlook

Marathon Men

Three men, three marathons, three months.

Combined Steve Robinson, Joseph Moncrief and John Ferguson have completed 83 marathons, but the 3N3 Run for United Way is different because it allows them to combine their passion for running with supporting a local charity.

The men are asking people to pledge money per mile for one or more runners for one or more of the marathons. The money will support the Lake Martin Area United Way, which has yet to meet its fundraising goal for this year.

“Basically you pledge for the marathon and we’ve got to finish before you pay anything,” Robinson explained. “We’ve already seen some turn in their money.”

That’s because they’ve already completed the first race, the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville on Dec. 12. Next up is the First Light Marathon in Mobile on Jan. 10 and finally the Mercedes marathon on Feb. 14.

The men aren’t concerned about running so many miles in a short period of time. They are part of The Half-Fast Marathon Club, a group of runners that formed in the early 80s. They meet each Sunday for their long run, anywhere from 10 to 22 miles, and each run about five miles a day during the week.

Ferguson and Robinson have been with the group for years, but Moncrief joined in 2005 before taking a brief break. Good-natured ribbing and competition is common and, perhaps, expected between the men, who often run together.

”I remember the first marathon, I really wasn’t trained for it,” Moncrief said, recalling the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in Georgia. “I had about used all of my energy and Ferguson passed me and made me look bad. He hasn’t beat me since.”

With 24 marathons under his belt, Ferguson still has Moncrief’s three beat, but Robinson is clearly the champion when it comes to quantity.

He’s run 56 marathons and wants to double that number.

“If I’m able to hold up, I should reach 100 at age 57,” Robinson said.

Robinson completes seven marathons a year and even runs to his mother’s house for Thanksgiving lunch each year. The actual distance is about 24 miles, but he adds another 1.2 miles for accuracy.

”It’s called the Clay County marathon,” Robinson said. “I certainly have a good appetite when I finish.”

Robinson basically trains year round with the number of races he runs, but training is not always that easy.

“Anything after mile 20 you really can’t train for, I don’t think,” Moncrief said. “It’s just tricking your mind into finishing. The last five or six miles is torture.”

The men started running for different health-related reasons and grew to love it. They’ve run in marathons across the U.S., often together, and they plan to run many more, even when they’re done with the 3N3.

The best part of running a marathon?

According to Moncrief, it’s “the finish line.”