Rexburg woman completes Boston Marathon for the fourth time - East Idaho News
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Rexburg woman completes Boston Marathon for the fourth time

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REXBURG – Natalie Macbeth of Rexburg is celebrating her victory after participating in the Boston Marathon over the weekend.

She crossed the finish line on Saturday after 4 hours and 19 minutes.

“My quads were a little sore (Monday), but I’m actually feeling really good today,” Macbeth tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Macbeth is one of 15,000 people nationwide who participated in the race. The results are still being tallied so Macbeth isn’t sure how she ranked with the other participants.

The marathon was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each participant was required to complete a 26-mile route in their hometown. An app allowed them to keep track of their time.

“The whole intent was to run the marathon in our hometown so we could social distance and not gather together in Boston,” says Macbeth.

Macbeth completed the race with her friend, Stephanie Morley and Stephanie’s dad, Gary Goaslind, who lives in Kaysville, Utah.

Several weeks prior, they spent time mapping out a course throughout the community. They crossed the finish line around 11:30 a.m. at Smith Park and had a celebration with family members.

“Stephanie and I had our families in their vehicles supporting us along the entire route,” Macbeth says. “We’d hear them (ring) cowbells and cheer us on as they passed. It was quite enjoyable to be here locally and have our family be a part of it.”

Goaslind is 77, and out of 40 contestants in his age bracket, he placed third, according to Macbeth.

“That was special,” she says. “It was fun to be there to help him finish it and do well.”

Macbeth is an avid long-distance runner and has now participated in the Boston Marathon four times. She also participated in the Pocatello marathon last year.

Running a marathon requires eight to 12 months of training, Macbeth says, and it doesn’t get any easier.

“Injuries are always the biggest concern when you’re running because you’re out there for such a long time on the road,” she says. “I have those deep reserves to push through when it gets challenging.”

Macbeth was looking forward to running the Boston Marathon again in April, but there’s a chance it may not happen. If it’s canceled, Macbeth says she’ll have to requalify for the race.

She’d also like to run in the Ogden Marathon or the St. George Marathon next year.

The final tally is expected to be complete late Tuesday night. Felix Kandie of Kenya is one of the highest-ranking runners as of 9:15 p.m. Monday, who ran the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 19 minutes.

Boston finsh line
The trio crossing the finish line at Smith Park. | Courtesy Natalie Macbeth

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