Almost nonchalantly, Theresa Martin mentions it took her one try to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Boston. In the running world, it takes on mythical proportions, with legendary course highlights like Heartbreak Hill, the screaming corridor of girls at Wellesley and a finish line near Fenway Park. It's The Marathon, nearly as old as Olympic marathon running itself.

The 110th Boston Marathon is just days away. On Monday, in estimated 20,000 runners will take over the city and the surrounding area, with thousands of spectators lining the 26 miles and 385 yards course.

Most participants are by no means novices. Qualifying times are set low to keep the field of runners fast and competitive. Some people spend years whittling down their marathon times in hopes of someday making it. 

Martin qualified after her first marathon. 

The Council Bluffs native (& St. Albert Grad) ran the Las Vegas Marathon on Dec. 4, 2005, with an incredible 3 hours and 34 minutes finish. That's no small feat.

How'd she do it?

"I've been running my whole life," said Martin.

That's the kind of background a runner needs to qualify for the Boston in one try. Martin (Fischer) had run high school track at St. Albert and has been running off and on ever since. The short distance races she ran with her sister across Iowa and the various 1/2 marathons and 10K races certainly helped her develop a solid foundation. Yet she went into the Las Vegas Marathon without any marathon experience.

"I just thought I'd do what I can," said Martin.

In preparation for her first marathon, Martin ran two to three days a week without any special speed workouts. For marathon training, putting in long-distance runs is more important than speed work, at least that is, when you're training for your first one.

She added speed work to her training after qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Now the busy single mother of two young children trains three days a week whenever she can fit it in. She does one long run. Then, on another day, she does a five- to six-mile run with about three miles of it at her 10K race speed, which is about a 7:15 mile pace. She rounds out her week with a third workout around a track. For example, Martin might run 12x400 timed and then also time her rest periods to keep her on track.

At her peak, Martin ran perhaps 50 miles a week. Her average mileage is usually more around 35 to 40 miles a week. Her running pace averages somewhere between 8-minute miles to about 8:30.

Getting in the runs isn't always easy, though. Running has to fit around dropping her kids Garrett, 6, and Gabrielle, 4, off at school and working as a realtor at NPDodge. Since her job allows flexible hours, Martin will run in the morning on some days and on others, she hopes to get a run in the afternoon. She uses the verb "hopes," because life isn't predictable and some days, she might get a call to show a house during her planned running time. Since running is her hobby, it takes the backseat to more pressing matters.

As for race day strategies, Martin plans on taking a noncompetitive approach. There will be no personal best times set on Monday. She'll save time goals for other races. This one's all about enjoying the camaraderie found amongst runners.

"I'm just going to go and enjoy the people," said Martin. "I want to enjoy the whole atmosphere."

But the 2007 Boston Marathon is another story. Next time, she plans on qualifying for the Boston Marathon by running a 3 hour and 15 minute marathon.

Martin's raising the bar in order to say she qualified by making the men's time cut-off for her age bracket. Since marathons were officially a men-only sporting event until 1971, it seems like a good way for Martin to even the playing field amongst her competitors, both men and women.

110th Boston Marathon

SWI participants

Richard Carspecken of Atlantic, 62

Christine Fanslau of Underwood, 42

Steve Gorman of Council Bluffs, 44

Theresa Martin of Council Bluffs, 35

Qualifying time for women ages 35-39: 3 hrs 45 min.

Qualifying time for women ages 40-44: 3 hrs 50 min.

Qualifying time for men ages 40-44: 3 hrs 20 min.

Qualifying time for men ages 60-64: 4 hrs.

Iowa has 131 athletes officially slated to run the Boston Marathon.

MARATHON FACTS:

Date - Monday, April 17

Distance - 26 miles, 385 yards

Field size limit - 20,000

Course records

Men - Cosmas Ndeti (Kenya), 2:07:15, 1994

Women - Margaret Okayo (Kenya), 2:20:43, 2002

Men's wheelchair - Ernst Van Dyk (South Africa), 1:18:27, 2004

Women's wheelchair - Jean Driscoll (U.S.), 1:34:22, 1994

Kim Bousquet - Daily Nonpareil - 04.15.06