Clower’s 4th
Hardin Valley resident, Farragut businesswoman runs a ‘decent time’ during famed Boston Marathon
While it was Clower’s 15th marathon in total, it was her fourth run in the prestigious event, logging a time of 3:25:23.
“It wasn’t my best time, but my best time at the moment, and I was pretty grateful to be out there with the best and run a decent time,” she said, noting her best time was 3:11:56 in the Marine Corps Marathon.
Clower, who owns The Little Scissor hair salon in Farragut, had to meet a “qualifying standard based on age/gender” to be able to run in the event. “It’s tough but if you have the discipline to put in the work it’s obtainable.”
She said many of the area Knox Coutians who also competed were “mostly from The Knoxville Endurance Group with Bobby Holcombe. We do a lot of track workouts together.”
Others who ran were from “The RunKnox Group with Scott Schmidt and others,” Clower added. “Knoxville has an amazingly large population of runners and a well-organized track club, so most of us know each other.”
She said as the group set out, “it was a drizzling, cool day. A few times the rain was coming down, but the coolness is an ideal condition for racing.”
Cheering them on were many spectators — “at least a million, wall-to-wall the entire race,” Clower observed — and a sign made by a local business was placed along the course.
“I still haven’t found the pic of it or who it was, but it was pretty cool to see,” she said.
People were on “both sides of the road, runner signs everywhere, kids and adults giving high fives — the screams from a half mile away and the girls (from) Wellesley College cheering and holding ‘free kiss’ signs.”
She said runners and others did stop here and there “for a peck.”
Clower noted other route milestones, including “Heartbreak Hill — the .54-mile longest hill in the marathon. Then passing Boston College and the famous “CITGO” sign close to the finish. Right on Hereford, left on Boylston — the last stretch to sprint to the finish.
“It’s such a surreal experience.”
Clower said she runs “because it makes me happy. For me, it’s not about competing with others, but myself. It’s a one-man sport, and all you need are a pair of tennis shoes.
“It feels mind freeing. You work out a whole situation in one run,” she added, also noting it’s every woman’s dream, “not to mention you can eat mostly whatever you want.”
