From Chicago to Hawaii, this Honolulu Marathon runner shares his journey to the finish line
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - For many, the Honolulu Marathon isn’t about time, it’s about just completing the grueling 26.2 miles.
Hawaii News Now caught up with Andy Sloan before he caught a flight to Oahu.
He was the very last runner to finish last year and he’s coming back.
Sloan is flying 4,200 miles from Chicago participate in the 2024 Honolulu Marathon, which is known as the fourth largest marathon in the United States.
“I picked the Honolulu Marathon because when I first started training, I was 436 pounds and I was in a pretty bad place health-wise, and I, you know, had some starts and stops and this was in about 2017, that I decided it was time to make a change,” Sloan explained.
“I was at a football game for my dad’s birthday and we have parking pretty much right in front of the stadium we were at and I needed a cane to get in, I couldn’t walk in. And I just felt like, for my family, for my friends, for myself, it was time to make a change.”
When Sloan first started training, he said he could barely walk a quarter of a block. He eventually ran some 5K’s and then decided to participate in a full marathon.
“I came out last year and just felt incredible support from the, the running community out there and everyone out there, I can’t describe the feeling. It’s just so much support and, and it was one of the best experiences of my life, decided, hey, you know, I wanna do it again this year and really show that I can do it and, and try to cut a little time off as well,” he said.
When asked what went through his mind while doing the marathon, he answered, “I just kept the thought in my mind of, just take that first step, and every step counts.”
“I think at around (mile) 13.1 I did start to cry,” he recalled. “I, I got a little emotional because I had always thought during my training, if I can get halfway, I can finish. And that was my moment of, of just kind of feeling the emotions and we can do this, we can do this.”
“And at that moment, someone drove by and, and shouted some great words of encouragement and support and just looked at me and that was the whole course. I mean, when I got towards the finish, there are some people kind of came and walked to the end with me and then jogged that last kind of quarter mile.”
“This marathon gonna be even more special,” he said.
Sloan’s parents are also flying out to support him and see him at the finish line.
“They said we wanna be there for you this year and we’re really proud of you... I don’t wanna get emotional, but you know, they saw me on my, on my lowest points, so they know like how far I’ve come. I’m really excited to have them and it just, it means the world to me to have them, be able to, to be out there and, and knowing that they’re a large part of why I did this just to have them there and know that I get to hug them at the finish.”
Tens of thousands of runners are expected to hit the pavement on Sunday, Dec. 8.
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