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April 23, 2007

Miller to make OKC Marathon for children

EDMOND — Hometown hero Shannon Miller, the most decorated gymnast in Olympic history, will again serve as honorary chairwoman of the Kids’ Marathon at the Seventh Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon April 29.

She’s looking forward to her return engagement, and she said last year’s experience even inspired her to try long-distance running.

“I am so not a runner,” she said in a recent telephone interview. “But when you see those kids’ faces and how happy they are, it makes you want to do it. You say, ‘I want to have fun, too.’”

As a result, a friend challenged Miller to complete a marathon before her 30th birthday.

“So about eight weeks before the New York City marathon, it just clicked. I said, ‘If I have to run a marathon before I turn 30, this is the time to do it.’ So I went through intensive training, and I did it. It was one of the best experiences of my life.”

Miller, who now is 30, recently started the Shannon Miller Foundation, organized to combat childhood obesity and encourage good nutritional choices and healthy lifestyles.

“This marathon is just great for that,” she said. “It gets people interested in having a healthy lifestyle. It’s your chance to cross that finish line and say, ‘Hey, I did it.’”

But as a native Oklahoman, Miller recognizes the solemnity of the annual Memorial Marathon as well.

“First of all, it’s a time for all of us to take a breath and remember the victims and their families. It reminds each of us to be thankful for all the things we have, especially in light of things going on right now.”

Miller said she’s keeping busy, finishing up a degree from the Boston College School of Law and preparing to take the helm of her foundation.

She hosts a cable television show called “Gymnastics USA with Shannon Miller,” which features coverage of Men’s and Women’s International Elite, NCAA and Junior Olympic gymnastics.

The show airs on CN8, The Comcast Network, and reaches about 9-10 million homes on the East Coast.

Miller also has partnered with Olympian Peter Kormann to establish the Texas Sports Ranch in Houston, a resort-style gymnastics camp for boys and girls age 7-17.

The Edmond native said she’s looking forward to seeing the young runners again on marathon day.

Children participating in the marathon already have worked toward their goal by running the first 25 miles in increments. On race morning, they will run the final 1.2 miles.

“Having Shannon Miller be part of this event for a second consecutive year is huge,” said Chet Collier, marathon race director.

“This is a major commitment from Shannon to come home for this. We are blessed to have her join our team.”

Numerous Edmond runners are preparing to take part in the adult-level marathon events. David Bernstein, a financial adviser with UBS Financial Services, plans to run the half-marathon this year after running the full 26.2 miles last year.

“The marathon means a lot to the folks here,” he said. “Each race is a unique experience, but the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon has something extra-special about it. It’s a nice way to honor the folks who were impacted by that event in Oklahoma City.”

Miller and Bernstein agree the annual race symbolizes the resiliency of Oklahomans’ spirits.

“It is a kind of celebration of life,” Bernstein said.

“To run a marathon is something extraordinary we can do to honor those people.”

(Alice Collinsworth may be reached via e-mail at acollinsworth@edmondsun.com.)

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