Sunday's Broad Street run attracts all kinds
When Margaret Vido and her husband, Mike, last ran competitively in Philadelphia, he had a different role than when the couple will compete in Sunday's Broad Street Run.
When Margaret Vido and her husband, Mike, last ran competitively in Philadelphia, he had a different role than when the couple will compete in Sunday's Broad Street Run.
Unlike the Philadelphia Marathon, in which they competed in November, both runners will be on their own for Sunday's 10-mile race that begins at 8 a.m.
In the marathon, Mike Vido ran as a pacer, staying back with his wife, who achieved her goal of qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. He wanted to make sure she kept a consistent pace during the grueling race.
"It was helpful to have somebody to cheer you on and run with you," Margaret said.
Her husband also enjoyed the experience.
"I got to hold back and run with the top women in the field," said Mike, a graduate of Springfield High School in Montgomery County.
Margaret Vido, who attended Nazareth (Pa.) High School, finished second in November's Philadelphia Marathon. Her time of 2 hours, 44 minutes, 40 seconds was well behind the time of winner Gisela Olade Granados, 2:40.06. But it still earned her a trip to the Olympic Trials.
During the trials, she had to drop out of the race due to illness, but qualifying was still a major accomplishment.
Now the couple will be competing on Broad Street, and Mike Vido won't be pacing.
"I hope to go between 54 and 55 minutes," he said.
That time wouldn't threaten to win if last year's winning time of 47:54 by Haile Mengesha is an indication of this year's field, but it is still an impressive pace.
Margaret, meanwhile, could be one of the contenders, although last year's champion, Tigist Jabore, remains the favorite.
The couple, both 25, met while attending the University Pennsylvania and running on the track teams. Each is a medical school student, with Margaret at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and Mike at Jefferson.
"We competed so rigorously in college that I look at running races like this more as fun," Mike said.
The Vidos both compete for the Philadelphia Runner Track Club, and each have participated before in the Broad Street Run, although they weren't among the leaders.
This year's race is expected to have 40,000 participants.
"The race is huge. It is a fast race, and the crowd support is really nice," Margaret said. "You are never alone in this race."
For this one, however, Margaret will be without her pacer.
@sjnard