Madison Zlomie conquers the OKC Half Marathon

Friday, June 19, 2015

Madison Zlomie went from running for pleasure to finishing the OKC Half Marathon just shy of her goal this year.

“I have been an on-and-off runner for quite sometime,” Zlomie said. “I’ve never run a race that was more than five miles. But I told myself I would run the half marathon before I was 21, and the OKC Half Marathon is 13.1 miles.”

Zlomie enrolled in Oklahoma State’s Run OSU class, which is designed to help all runners, whether they’re serious and trying to beat a personal record or beginners looking to compete in a 5K. When taking the class, she found herself immersed among those who shared her passion for running.

“I had been so caught up in school and not running as much as I’d wanted, so I decided it was time to do this for myself,” she said. “I started running the first day back from break in January and was ready for ROSU training in February. Having other people there was super helpful because I didn’t want to do this by myself.”

For the OKC Half, Zlomie set the goal to finish the race at 2:30:00 and finished the race at 2:30:56. This accomplishment allowed her to continue training for more marathons.

“More marathons? Absolutely,” she said. “I would love to try the Tulsa Route 66 in November, then train for April, when I can, hopefully, run the OKC Full Marathon at 26.2 miles.”

To prepare for the next two marathons, Zlomie will continue working out with ROSU, a program she believes provides the strength necessary to accomplish more.

“I recommend it to anyone,” she said. “I feel like even if you don’t run, you gradually build your mileage. It’s nice to be a part of a group that can help keep you accountable and make sure you’re doing what you need to do to succeed.”

Even though she runs with ROSU every Tuesday and Thursday, Zlomie runs on her own Mondays and Wednesdays. She enjoys getting up with the sun to go run and allowing her to clear her mind and relieve stress before the day begins.

“Training on your own helps you change your mindset and your lifestyle,” she said. “It will instill the confidence and insight into you and help you challenge yourself more.”

Zlomie, from Wilmington, Illinois, is a junior at OSU studying psychology with a pre-health option. She would like to pursue a Master’s Degree in occupational therapy after getting her bachelor’s. When she’s not running or studying, she enjoys taking fitness classes at the Colvin Center, hanging out with friends at Boomer Lake and drinking coffee. She also regularly attends LifeChurch.tv and volunteers with her group there.

“Coming to OSU is something I saw myself doing, and I absolutely love it,” she said. “And I am so grateful for the ROSU program. I love the challenge of a hard workout or long run, and, lastly, I love that I was able to push myself and make myself the person I wanted to be through ROSU.”

For more information about ROSU, visit wellness.okstate.edu/fitness/rosu-5k-10k. Information on the OKC Memorial Marathon can be found at okcmarathon.com.

Story by Matt Cohlmia

PHOTOS: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ostatenews/sets/72157653954941680