It happens almost every weekend in the Scenic City. Folks from far bigger and busier environs such as Nashville and Atlanta flock to Chattanooga for a couple of nights of relaxed sightseeing, shopping and dining.
Then there was the quartet of former University of Georgia track stars who came to town Saturday to run in Sunday’s Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon, or what most of us might view as 26.2 miles of muscular misery.
Making the grind even worse for Megan Malasarte, she had never previously entered a marathon despite owning mad skills as a UGA record holder and four-time All-American in the 800 meters before running professionally for the Atlanta Track Club and Mizuno Running. She recently retired to work for Boston Consulting Group.
“I really just wanted to finish,” Malasarte said after her time of 3 hours, 24 minutes, 13 seconds left her but 37 seconds behind women’s overall winner Audrey Schlutt’s 3:23.36.
“This is not my event. I felt great after eight miles, and then I started thinking, ‘I’ve still got 18 more miles to go.”