Watson is a true marathon man

OREM — Some people have a lifetime goal of completing a marathon. But for Chris Watson, an Orem police detective, just one was all it took to get him hooked.

While he still remembers the way he felt the morning after his first marathon 10 years ago, the pain wasn't enough to keep him from running more. On Saturday in St. George, Watson will be competing in his 50th marathon, which is something that even amazes him.

"When I look back at it, I see them one after another and I am proud of every one," Watson said. "To be honest, I didn't realize I was doing that many until I was somewhere in the 40s and then I knew it was a big thing to do 50. So I am proud I have been able to get to this point."

Watson, 43, started running in 1998 with simple goals of losing a couple of pounds and to stay in shape so that he could perform his job at the police department. But as he continued to train, he grew to love the challenge of running as well as the satisfaction of improving.

It hasn't all been easy for Watson, though. As he began running marathons more often, he has also had to overcome several injuries. In 2006, Watson made the U.S. Snickers Energy Bar Marathon Team, but just after being named to the team, he slipped on an icy road and ended up with a shoulder injury that required surgery. Three months after surgery, though, Watson was back on the road running another marathon.

In the 2007 St. George Marathon, Watson tore his hamstring around mile 15 but still toughed out the last 11.2 miles with the leg injury. This weekend, Watson will have to deal with plantar fasciitis in both feet, but he doesn't think it should slow him down too much.

"He is so mentally tough," Watson's wife, Jennifer, said. "I have never met anyone who is as mentally driven as he is. He could probably not train at all and go out and run a good marathon. It's amazing."

Watson credits Jennifer for helping to keep him motivated during the injuries. She began running after having their youngest child and, as she ran more competitively, she lost 44 pounds in the process. Saturday's race will be Jennifer's 11th marathon. As part of recent training for this year's St. George Marathon, Chris and Jennifer have run two full and two half-marathons together.

"Having her run with me is what has kept me going through the injuries," Watson said. "When I ran the Salt Lake Marathon, my shoulder was just out of surgery, and having her with me was the difference."

Compiling 50 marathons has led Watson to races all over the country. And he said the most enjoyable part, besides crossing the finish line, is just being in the melting pot that is a marathon.

"When you run a marathon, your inspiration is other people," Watson said. "You see older people, younger people, heavier people and thinner people. Runners come in all shapes and sizes. You see people challenge themselves and think, 'If they can do it, I can do it.' You are running with thousands of other people, and that is inspiration in and of itself."

St. George Marathon

Saturday

26.2-mile course

Bus loading begins at 4 a.m.

Race begins at 6:40 a.m. (wheelchairs)

and 6:45 a.m. (runners)

7,000 runners from 49 states and 10 foreign countries

---

E-mail: ethomas@desnews.com