craigdailypress.com

Some of America's favorite characters cheered Alyssa Macomber on as she completed her first marathon in January.

Macomber, 18, completed the 26.2-mile Disney World Marathon course in Orlando, Fla., on Jan. 7 with her sister and brother-in-law from Denver.

The 2006 Moffat County High School graduate said the race was difficult but worth the months of training.

"I thought it would be a neat experience," Macomber said. "It is something I can feel proud about."

Macomber was a member of the cross country and track teams during her four years as a Bulldog. She represented MCHS at the cross country state meet her senior year.

But Macomber considers being in the 12-minute range of the two-mile track race a career highlight.

"I wasn't the best runner, but I think I tried the hardest," she said.

Spending summers with her sister, Erica, in the Mile High City allowed Macomber to bond with her older sister and also compete in various fun runs in the region.

Although Macomber did the majority of her training alone for the Disney World Marathon, she said to train for it again, she would find a partner to increase her motivation.

"If you don't have someone, you are more likely to push it off," she said. "It was hard for me to train (in Craig). There was a lot of snow out there, and I didn't get to do long runs because of the weather."

She said she concentrated on running and training outside, but did resort to the treadmill at a local gym on occasion.

After training and living in Craig for 15 years, she said the 80-degree heat of Orlando was one of the worst aspects about her first trip to Disney World.

"Breathing-wise it was easier, but I swear it was 100 percent humidity," she said. "I think (Disney World) would be more fun as a 6-year-old, but it was still a great experience."

Macomber's parents, Tom and Jeanne of Craig, joined the crew for moral support. The family was awakened at 3 a.m. to fireworks and an assortment of Disney characters the morning of the race.

"There was music blasting, and it was waking everyone up," Alyssa Macomber said. "I don't think my family was too excited."

The 26.2-mile course took the marathon's runners and walkers through parts of the entertainment complex that are typically closed to the general public, she said.

Every finisher received a personalized bib with their name on it -- allowing the spectators to cheer them on -- a T-shirt and a Disney medal.

Macomber finished the race in 4 hours, 41 minutes, 15 seconds, and was 151st of 1,093 runners in the 18- to 24-year-old female division.

"I started crying when I saw the finish line," she said. "I was sore for the next five days, and I could really feel it upon getting off the four-hour flight back to Denver."

After taking two weeks off, she has since gotten back into the swing of things and has her sights set on either the Steamboat Marathon or the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego, both in June.

"I want to do a mini-marathon (approximately 15 miles) the first week of May with my sister in Fort Collins," Alyssa Macomber said.

She is nearing the end of her Associate of Arts degree at Colorado Northwestern Community College and is planning to transfer to Colorado State University in the fall.

"I would like to get my degree in biomedical sciences, and I want to be in their pre-dental program," she said.

Macomber hopes to someday become an orthodontist.

Drew Turner can be reached at 824-7031, ext. 211, or aturner@craigdailypress.com.