BUY LOCAL. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

reaching the peak of the hill at mile 22. Some crumbled. Some vomited. But the bulk of them kept moving to the finish line.

Despite the fanfare, long-distance racing can be a brutal experience for the contestant — (“worse than childbirth”, one female runner says) sowhyisitthatdrovesof runnerswillreturntothescene Sunday, Dec. 13, to run the White Rock Marathon again?

“Thefactthatitwasmiserable and I had my worst marathon ever makesmewanttodoitagain,” ChrisStrattonsaysaboutlast year’s race.

“Partially because I know it won’t be as bad, and partially because I want to learn from my mistakes and overcome setbacks.”

He’s not just in this for himself, though. Stratton is training coordinator for the Dallas Running Club, a group 4,000 strong (the third largest in the United States) that saw its membership blossom from about 600 members after launching halfmarathonandmarathontraining programs in 2007.

Fromhisvolunteerposition,he shares hard-won wisdom with hundreds of runners looking to him for advice. On a long-distance training run,hemightanswerdozensof questionsregardinginjuries,diet, cross-training or overcoming rough patches, all while keeping pace for a group and tracking the miles and turns.

“We get two schools of people — one type comes out simply because they want to accomplish something they never thought they could. They use the group to motivate and keep them accountable,” Stratton says.

“Another type comes out because theylikerunning,buttheylike doing it in a social group even more. The latter isn’t as concerned with times as they are with having a fun, healthy habitandmaking friends.”

DallasRunning Club’sPatMetcalf (a woman with an “amazing personality”, Stratton says) leadsStratton’s 9:30- to 10-minute milers’ halfmarathonpace group.Onany given training day, Metcalf can be heard miles away cheering her group.

“Come on! Swing those arms,” she shouts, even as she is pushing herself up the hill.

Just a fewyearsago,Metcalf weighed nearly 350 pounds.

Following gastric bypass surgery, she needed exercise. A friend talked her into joining the club’s half marathon training program.

“I hated it for four months,” she says. “I am a goal-oriented person, so I thought I would stick it out throughthathalfmarathonand stop running after that.”

Butafterthosefirstmonths, Metcalfsaysshebeganenjoying herself. Fellow club members had muchtodowiththechangeof heart, she says. You suffer and celebrate with people when you train with a group, she says, and that builds bonds.

Metcalfsaysthecamaraderie keeps her inspired. In fact, after tackling that first half marathon, she went on to complete a full marathon.Now,likeStratton,she’s helping others reach their goals.

“The idea of leading scared me a little at first. I wasn’t sure I knew enough about running — but I did believe I could ‘rah rah’ people.”

Forex-militarymanGregHall, running is like a religion, he says.

When Hall became president of theclublastyear,hemade a few changes. At the first monthly club race under his direction last winter, he made 400 chilly, sparingly dressed runners wait at the start line as he spent a few minutesrememberingtheAmerican troops,pastandpresent. He requested a moment of silenceandthenplayed the National Anthem over the PA system.

“I think while we are all together, we should take a momenttohonorour country, think about peace, ending hunger or whatever needs to be done in order to make the world a better place,” Hall says.

“I’mnotreligious,but I guess you might say I’m spiritual.”

Like many runners, he’s ritualistic.Club participants expect every race to begin the same way, with a moment of silence and the National Anthem, followed by three words Hall has made the unofficial club motto — “Today, we run.”

Duringhisterm,Hallhas increasedtheclub’snumberof volunteerboardmembers,and emphasized the importance of volunteerism and community service. The club is involved with Special Olympics,anditsmajorraces, including the DRC Half Marathon each November, benefit a scholarship fund for DISD students.

Noble ideals might add magic to the sport, but when the runners lineupatthemarathonstart, know that most of them have put in miles of sweat, grit and discipline preparing for the day.

“Quitefrankly,itrequires a lifestylechange,”Strattonsays.

“Running a great marathon takes a four-orfive-montheffortand focusonrunning,eatingwell, sleeping well, and taking care of nagginginjuries.Theoneswho drop out are always the ones who don’t realize this.”

Those who finish strong will walk a way with a sense that they can take on the world, and the ones who falter will know there’s always tomorrow, Stratton says.

“You can’t ever quit on running or the marathon. The only thing worsethanhaving a badrace isnever g ivingyourselfanother chance.”