Volte's 2017 Road To Boston: Michelle McGill

Next Monday's 121st running of the Boston Marathon will be Michelle McGill's 30th career marathon.

It is the most - along with our next profilee Derek Bailey - by any of our Volte team.

Number 21, though, almost never happened.

The Chicago Marathon, held on October 13, 2013, had a record 39,115 finishers cross a finish line in Grant Park that came after running 26.2 miles in ideal weather conditions.

Michelle was one of them.

It was a great day for her too as she finished in 3:39:05, a new personal record to that point in her short running history.

Michelle before the 2015 edition of the Boston Marathon:  Her second trip to venerable race.
(Photo courtesy of Michelle McGill)

Thirteen years earlier, Michelle's brothers and sisters needed a sixth runner to fill out a Beach To Bay Relay team in Corpus Christi.

"I had never run before - having done only step aerobic from time to time," she said.  "So they gave me the flattest and shortest leg.

"I twisted my ankle less than a mile into the run and couldn't finish."

She was chided for quite some time that she had done it on purpose.

Six years later, she found herself running three times a week and by then, family left her alone.  However, others talked her into joining Woodlands Fit in July 2006 to train for a marathon.

"I had never run a race, not even a 5K," said Michelle.  "To be honest, I didn't even really know anything about a marathon and had never heard of 'the Boston Marathon'.

"I learned quickly being around runners," she chuckled.

The first marathon came seven months later in Houston and she finished in 4:43:05.

"I had no goal except to finish," Michelle said.  "It was an amazing experience and I have been running marathons ever since."

She says the shorter distances are "painful".

Michelle leading a pack at the 10K mark of the 2016 Chevron Houston Marathon
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

If you bring Michelle's Athlinks.com profile up, she's credited with 49 races -- 27 of her 29 marathons are captured there in addition to eight Ten For Texas, nine various half marathons, two Run Thru The Woods and three miscellaneous races.

"Michelle is a pure distance runner," says her coach, Volte founder Bill Dwyer.  "She loves the sport, not for the results but for the process."

In 2010, the process started to include weight training.

"For the next few years, all I did was run (covering marathons 2-9)," she said.  "In about 2010, I started strength training three days a week to help with aches and pains and a way to stay healthy.

"It also works on balance, core and strengthening all over."

The first sub-4 - a 3:58:27 - came on November 14, 2010 at the Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon.

Three more out of her next five marathons were as well but Boston was still one of those races that "we would always joke and say we would qualify when we were '70'."

"I really never thought of Boston as a possibility," she said.  "When I started strength training my marathon times were getting faster.

"I was getting sub 4s and I was happy, but I know how even taking five minutes off is hard.

"So I would just run."

In fact, in 2011, Boston adjusted its qualifying times where she needed an additional five minutes.

The unknown possibility actually got a little bit more remote.

"I would have needed a 3:45 and I knew that wasn't going to happen," she said before she toed the line of the 2012 edition of the Chevron Houston Marathon.

Yet she ran and PR'd that day with a 3:54:15.

Seven-tenths of a mile from the finish of her PR - the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

"I was 44.  I was thrilled and had a great race," Michelle remarked.  "When I got home that night, I pulled up qualifying times - and read that the times are based on your age on the date of the Boston Marathon, so in April 2013, I would be 45.

"I called a friend and she confirmed that I did qualify by 45 seconds! I couldn't believe it."

She said it was actually better that way.

"I think it was probably best I didn't know during the race; too many things can go wrong." she added.  "I may have pushed to hard and not done as well."

Her seventh PR in 16 marathons came six weeks later at the inaugural The Woodlands Marathon with a time of 3:49:23.

"I was told that there was a chance I wouldn't get in because it could fill up before I registered, so I was excited to be able to register early," she said.  "I have been fortunate to have been able to qualify every year since."

Eleven of the 14 marathons to follow, Michelle has posted a Boston qualifying time.

"We have a few in our group that have training schedules that do not include track workouts," said Dwyer.  "Michelle is one of them.  She still gets the work done on the roads."

She admits that speed work challenges her.

"I really don't do a structured speed workout," she added.  "I kind of do my own. As I'm getting older, I'm worried about getting injured or (rather) I'm scared of it."

Probably because she doesn't want to miss out on all of the fun.

Part of her Volte running family at the start line of Espirit de She 5K in November 2016
Kristi Chen, Erica Coleman, Michelle and Tammy Grado
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

"I have met so many amazing people during my running journey," Michelle said.  "My family has been very supportive of my running.  Of course, I'm thankful for my coach, Bill Dwyer, for everything he does for us - and his positive attitude and encouragement."

Dwyer explains the sentiments in the group are pretty much mutual.

"She has a big heart for others," he says.  "I sometimes think she would rather go and support her friends than actually race. She's a wonderful, kind, amazing person."

Kristi Chen and Michelle wrapping up a long run in last year's grueling Texas summer.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Dwyer)

And most importantly, "She's a joy to coach," he added.

McGill came to Volte just weeks before marathon number 20, which was held on Monday, April 15, 2013.

"My first Boston was filled with every emotion possible,"  she said.  "The weather was perfect.  I had no goals.

"I had just started running with VoLTE and I remember Bill just telling me to enjoy every second, it was a celebration.  Again, no goal."

She had prepared well, starting 2013 off with marathon finishes of 3:47:36 and 3:48:55 at the Chevron Houston Marathon and The Woodlands Marathon, followed by an almost PR half marathon time of 1:49:18 at the ZOOMA Half Marathon three weeks before Boston.

"The race was perfect, negative split and I even pr'd by 5 minutes," she said, looking back at her 3:44:39 finish that day.  "I think I had angels around me that day as I finished about 20 minutes before the bombing."

And for a natural amount of time for her, Michelle, like so many, dealt with all of those emotions.

"After the bombing, I didn't think I would run another marathon, but I'm glad I decided to continue running," she said.

There are many within Volte - and The Woodlands running community - that is glad that she has.

She made it back in 2015, finishing in 3:53:40.

Her plans this year?

"My goal for this Boston Marathon?  Enjoy it," she said.  "I'm not really sure what my time goal will be, (rather) will see what race day brings."

After the race, though, she says that she'll enjoy recovery and get back to training.

"As long as I can run," she said.  "I will."

Call it #thewillofmcgill.