Running has become second nature to Pat Singer, assistant professor of biology, and participating in marathons is a natural step for her to take to further her commitment to fitness.

Singer started seriously running after graduating college, and she is now preparing for her second marathon, a 26.2 mile race.

“I’ve been running for thirty years, I don’t know what it’s like not to run,” said Singer.

Part of Singer’s motivation to take on the first marathon was that it allowed her to raise money for a cause she supported.

The first marathon she ran in was at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in January of 2000. It was for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and she ran on behalf of Laurie Whitlach, a 2001 Simpson graduate who has leukemia.

Singer didn’t know exactly what to expect from the race itself and from herself personally. “We only ran through the actual Disney World part for about 20 minutes, the rest was trees. It was actually pretty boring,” describes Singer.

On Sept. 29, Singer will participate in her second marathon in the Twin Cities. The timeliness of the marathon makes it ideal for her to train. Singer says it is difficult for her to train during the school year because of exhaustion, so the late summer date will be helpful.

This marathon is self-fulfilling, not for a cause to raise money, Singer said. Because of it being her second time around, she has set some objectives for herself. Her goal is to finish, and in good time. Her time for the first marathon was 4 hours and 18 minutes, and she is looking to improve on that.

She recently found three students to train with her, and they will most likely ride their bikes while she runs. She already has a tentative training schedule set up for the upcoming marathon.

Singer said the training that works best for her is to run hard for two weeks and have a week of easy running. Two to three weeks before the race she will start to taper off to allow for rest before the marathon.

“I’m afraid I’m losing everything I’ve worked for, but I know physically I need to have a rest before the race,” said Singer.

“There are lots of reasons why I run.” The first is that it is good for your health. “I’m more mobile at my age than if I didn’t run,” Singer said.

Singer also uses running as a way to clear her head and to spend time outdoors.

“Running mellows me out and it’s a good time to think.” Singer said. “I like the feeling of air and I notice things more.”

If you would like information about this marathon or would like someone to train with, contact Singer.