In 2014, Maria Hernandez turned 50 and ran the Monument Half Marathon in 2 hours and 2 minutes. She has a family history of heart disease and early death. In 2007 she had a mild heart attack and determined she would commit to being active so she could live longer. She dances and does Jazzercise, but the native Filipino says, "Running is my passion."
After her success in the 2014 marathon, Hernandez was involved in a serious car accident. She broke her ankle, clavicle, and some ribs.
Yet she was determined to return to run the 2018 half marathon in a time that at least matched her 2014 time. On race
day, Hernandez made it about 10 miles into the half marathon before trouble started. At that point
her leg cramped severely. "The medical crew was there to check on me," she said. "I got going again and made it about ten minutes before I collapsed a second time.
They worried I might need to go to the ER." Once the bike marshals and medical personnel
knew Hernandezwasn't having a more serious medical condition, they encouraged her to walk the rest
of the race. "The team of volunteers were there with me all the way," she said. "I finished in a little over three hours, but I finished."
Hernandez isn't the only one giving credit to the volunteers. Hod Kosman, Director and CEO of Platte Valley Companies stated, "We hear it year in and year out that this race rocks. It all works so well, and that doesn't just happen. It takes a lot of work and commitment and planning by a lot of people."
"It's not often that you find so many good things together in a single event - we
are able to showcase the natural beauty of our region, we showcase the sincere friendliness
of our volunteers and communities as a whole, and we are able to bring people in from all over the country and different places in
the world to see our area and enjoy our area," Kosman said. "Our volunteers that help the runners are caring people that stay with the runners
to the very end. We hear that time and time again: This is just the best place."
Platte Valley Companies has been the title sponsor of the Monument Marathon for all eight years. "We are so proud to be part of this," Kosman said. "We are proud to be volunteers, proud to be sponsors, and we look forward to many,
many years of this great marathon. We appreciate all who participate and those who
sponsor and volunteer. We just couldn't do it without them."
Sandberg Implement is in its fourth year as a sponsor of the Platte Valley Companies Monument Marathon. Tyler
Sandberg stated, "We are happy to be able to support the marathon. It's a hallmark
event for the community. We happen to be located right on the race course, so it's a perfect opportunity for
us to get involved in a great community event."
In 2018, Sandberg was not only a sponsor of the marathon, but a runner as well. "This was an opportunity to give myself a goal to train for," he said. "It is really fun to see it from both sides - both supporting as a volunteer in past
years and to take advantage of the support as a runner this past year. What all the
runners say about how friendly everyone is, is absolutely true. It's fantastic to
be on that race course and be encouraged that way. I had a great time, and I'm considering
running again."
Monument Marathon sponsors are recognized for their support on monumentmarathon.com, through social media and marketing, and also with discounted race registrations for their employees. Many levels of sponsorship and
in-kind donations are available, and businesses that are interested in sponsorship
can contact the Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) Foundation by calling 308-630-6550.
The Platte Valley Companies Monument Marathon is the largest annual fundraiser for
the WNCC Foundation which supports students, programs, and facilities at WNCC. To
date, the Monument Marathon has helped raise nearly $350,000 for scholarships and
the support of WNCC students.
This year the marathon is partnering with the Scotts Bluff National Monument, as the Monument is celebrating 100 years as a national park. Kayla Gasker, park ranger and
centennial coordinator for Scotts Bluff National Monument, discussed the route that runners with take on race day. "Both the full and half marathon
go through sections of the park that we call the badlands," she said. "Runners get a unique view of the bluff. They go through Mitchell Pass just as the pioneers did, then they go through the badlands for a full 360-degree view of the bluff." The National Park Service is a key partner that offers access
and opportunities for participants and their families to enjoy all aspects of Scotts
Bluff National Monument.
Once again, the Monument Marathon features a full marathon (26.1 miles), half marathon
(13.1 miles), and 5K (3.11 miles) to offer a unique experience to both runners and
walkers.
Last year, 480 runners and walkers from around the United States, Canada, and even Europe enjoyed a successful Platte Valley Companies Monument Marathon and Half Marathon. The event continues to draw participants from all over the world for a first-class, small-town friendly race experience.
In her second year as race director, WNCC Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Reisig expressed excitement about partnering with Scotts Bluff National Monument to celebrate the history of our region. "The Monument is our namesake and we are eager to put some additional focus on it and its important history in helping settle our area," she said.
"In addition to the beauty and history of our race, our runners experience incredible
support on race day from our nearly 300 volunteers, which include medical personnel, CERT, law enforcement, course marshals, water aid stations, bike
marshals, race crew, steering committee, and cheer stations along the course." Reisig said. "They all help make the safety
and health of our runners our top priority."
Like runners and walkers, volunteers can also sign up for the event at the Platte
Valley Companies Monument Marathon website, monumentmarathon.com. Runners are encouraged to register now, as registration prices increase June 1.
The Platte Valley Companies Monument Marathon and Half Marathon are sanctioned and
certified by the USA Track and Field Association. Registration information, caps,
course videos, FAQs, and more is available online. Participants can also follow marathon
announcements and other activity on Facebook at facebook.com/monumentmarathon.
In addition to Platte Valley Companies, major sponsors include Regional West as the
finish line sponsor, Kelley Bean as the timing sponsor, Box Butte General Hospital
as the full starting line sponsor, City of Gering Keno Committee as the half starting
line sponsor, BNSF as the 5K sponsor, the Nebraska Chiropractic Association as the
health care sponsor, Scotts Bluff Area Visitors Bureau as the regional marketing sponsor, and Flyover Brewing
Company as the After Party Sponsor.
In conjunction with the marathon, organizers are hosting a health expo on September
27 at the Gering Civic Center. With the help of local vendors, the expo showcases
some of the great products available in our Wyobraska region.
"I have a feeling 2019 is going to be monumental," Gasker said.