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DRIVE | TEXAS TICKET
Running
Wild
Qualify for Boston at this
marathon in MarathonBy John T. DavisA
t fun runs across the coun-
try, it’s not uncommon
to see participants goof-
ily dressed in animal cos-
tumes for effect, but at Marathon 2
Marathon, a race occurring each Oc-
tober in West Texas, it’s the spectators
who assume the role of the beast. In
this case, though, the antelopes, rattle-
snakes, javelinas, roadrunners, coy-
otes, and jackrabbits are real.
Exotic wildlife, a big sky, and an ex-
panse of high-desert landscape are
integral components of M2M, the Bos-
ton Marathon-qualifying run held
in Marathon, named after the city in
Greece that inspired the modern-day
race. Last year’s event, the 16th an-
nual, more than tripled the size of the
town, considered an entry point for Big
Bend National Park. The community
of around 420 souls welcomed nearly
540 registrants, along with family
and friends. Part Trans-Pecos Mardi
Gras, part fundraiser and community-
builder, M2M steers runners throughthe beautiful, windswept prairie along
US 385 and into downtown Marathon.
“It is the biggest event that Mara-
thon has, and everyone is touched in
some way by M2M,” says Marci Rob-
erts, the race director and a Mara-
thon resident. “Since 2011, the race has
given $60,000 to local organizations,
including the school, the volunteer fire
department, the library, and the clinic.
That may not sound like much for a big
city, but for us it is huge.”