Niagara-on-the-Lake’s two prolific marathon runners have continued their exceptional exploits this fall.
Margot Devlin completed the New York City Marathon on Sunday for the 12th time, while John Bobrel ran the Berlin Marathon on Sept. 29, the fifth race in his quest to conquer to world’s top six marathons.
For Devlin, the latest New York race is part of the her goal to finish it at least 15 times.
“It was cold and windy and my bronchitis acted up, so I spent the last half coughing. But I made it,” the NOTL senior said on Monday.
“So number 12 down and I have already signed up for number 13.”
Because, “after 15, I join the New York Road Runners Streakers Club and enjoy the heated tent at the start on Staten Island,” she said.
That’s where all the elite runners and celebrities gather prior to the Big Apple run.
Earlier this year, Devlin, who always says she’s not fast, just slow and steady, ran her fifth London marathon. She’ll be back in England next April for her sixth.
Meanwhile, Bobrel, who finished the Berlin race in 4:05:21, placed 28,269 out of 54,280 total finishers.
“I was 141st out of 666 males aged 65-69. This was my fifth of the six world major marathons,” he told The Lake Report.
Bobrel is on a unique journey and hopes to join the exclusive club of runners who have completed the top six long-distance races in the world — each one 26.2 miles (42 kilometres).
It’s a rare feat.
With only one more race to go, if he is successful, he’ll be eligible for the Six Star Finisher Medal, which is considered one of the most exclusive athletic prizes in the world, according to Canadian Running magazine.
To become part of that club, a runner needs to complete the Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin and Tokyo marathons.
With September’s race in Berlin, Bobrel, who travels to the marathons with his wife Debbie Whitehouse, only needs to do the Tokyo race.
He’ll get his chance in just a few months.
“I have a bib and package to run Tokyo marathon on March 2, 2025,” he told The Lake Report.
“I have started training.”
Just this week the organizers of the Six Star Finisher program announced that Sydney, Australia, has been added to the list of eligible marathons.
As well, it’s been suggested that Cape Town and Chengdu, China, could soon be added.
It’s unclear how the addition of more races will affect the Six Star Finisher program, but organizers said it will remain intact and other awards might be introduced.
Bobrel noted that he is still in the running for a Six Star medal by completing the Tokyo Marathon.
Looking ahead, he hopes to run the Sydney race on Aug. 31, 2025.
“My wife wants to go to Australia,” he said.
“I have been, but it is a good reason to run Sydney in the future. I will apply for a package for 2025.”
