MARATHONING against the odds

POST FALLS - As Laurie Buckel was nearing the finish of the recent Coeur d'Alene Marathon, she did a double take.

Running beside the Seltice Elementary fifth-grade teacher was a youngster.

There was 13-year-old Hayden Price, a seventh-grader at Woodland Middle School, finishing up his sixth marathon.

"I didn't know him, but I thought, 'Hey, do you want to come speak to my class?'" Buckel recalls saying.

The two ran the last 3 miles together and Price took Buckel up on her offer.

When Hayden came to the school on Friday with his mother Connie, the trim boy, donning a Coeur d'Alene Marathon skull cap, was deluged with questions and comments from students just two years younger than him.

"Don't take offense, but you look like you're 17," one student said.

Student Melody Kempton, who placed first in the district's cross country meet last fall, said having Hayden come to the school was an encouragement.

"I'm really inspired," Kempton said. "When I grow up, I want to run marathons. It's something I totally want to try."

Marathons vary on their minimum age requirements. Coeur d'Alene doesn't have one, while Missoula's is 14 and Spokane, 16. Running 26 miles at such a young age - Hayden completed his first marathon when he was 10 - comes with a lot of warnings due to risk of injury.

Besides his age, Hayden's lack of training is unique.

And not recommended.

"I've done track, cross country, football and wrestling, but I've never trained for a marathon," Hayden said.

Connie added: "He just wakes up and does it."

But that's about to change.

Hayden, whose best marathon time is 5 hours, 17 minutes, has started working with trainer Shawn Burke to get further in marathon mode.

Until now, he's mostly been relying on doctors' advice to take it easy on the course to limit the risk of injuring his growth plate.

And eating oatmeal and drinking coffee with his mom in preparation for race day.

Hayden said his motivation for staying with running is the finish line.

"It's fun to finish, it's fun to socialize after the race and you get medals," he said,. "I also like improving."

Connie, 40, has her own marathon testimony.

She used to weigh 260 pounds and, after having gastric bypass surgery to shed weight five years ago, was told by doctors that she'd never be able to do a marathon.

But, around the first anniversary, she did it.

"I was very slow, but I did it," she said.

Connie, now about 140 pounds, has eight full marathons and five half-marathons under her belt.

She plans to compete in her third Coeur d'Alene Ironman this month.

"My story has reached out to several people and there are now five people in the world who have had a gastric bypass surgery and completed an Ironman," she said.

Connie's story opened Kempton's eyes.

"I thought that it was so cool how she was big and later did a marathon," Kempton said. "All odds were against her."

Buckel said having the Prices visit fifth-graders complemented the school's fitness programs.

"It all leads you to good health," she said.

Connie told students that they shouldn't give up on their dreams.

"Don't let anyone tell you guys that you can't do something," she said. "If you want it, go for it. But if it's not in your heart, don't do it."