MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

Bellevue woman shares joys of running, memories from Boston

Sheri Trusty

BELLEVUE Vicki Schoen gained a new gratitude for living in the relatively small town of Bellevue after her passion for running led her on a trek to the Boston Marathon.

It was an untimely venture, because she was there in April 2013, when the race was devastated by bombings. The experience made her appreciate her hometown even more.

Her journey there began back in Bellevue, where she had been a runner since high school. Schoen said she did not really learn to appreciate the sport until she was in her 20s and became involved with area running groups, including the Fremont Elite Running Club.

“I realized then that there is so much more to running than throwing on your shoes and going out to run,” she said. It was the runners who opened her eyes to the importance of the sport. For many of them, running is not just a way to exercise, but it is also a way to make a difference.

“All of the organizations race for good causes,” she explained. “The people are so great. It doesn’t matter what skill level you are or what your body image is. You have really big people trying to get healthier, and skinny people that are just fast.”

At the events, the camaraderie runs deep.

“You’ll see people in their best running outfits and people wearing worn-out basketball clothes. They’re just out there doing something they love to do,” she said.

Each year, Schoen volunteers at about 30 different races, and she organizes a few of them, including the Dr. D. Ross Irons Memorial Run/Walk that will take place on Oct. 3 and the SSG Jon Martin Memorial 5K and 10K that is held every Memorial Day weekend.

Martin was a Bellevue native who was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq. He lived next-door to Schoen, babysat her children, and was, as she said, “my running buddy.”

Since its inception, that race has raised more than $100,000 for the Wounded Soldiers Fund and a local scholarship. It attracts about 800 runners every year.

“It’s still one of the largest races around,” Schoen said. “It’s amazing to see how many soldiers will show up in full gear to run.”

Schoen still appreciates the generosity of runners. She has many friends who run for causes. Holly Bollenbacher and John and Jen Hartman of Bellevue run to support Dravet syndrome. Scott Smith of Fremont runs to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Fund. Glen Bowen raises funds to help stop human trafficking, and Marc Glotzbecker has raised thousands of dollars for the American Liver Foundation.

“I just love our running community,” the Bellevue woman said. “I’ve been running races for over 35 years, and I can honestly say the people are the biggest draw.”

Although Schoen had been running since high school, she never ran a marathon until she was 50.

“When I turned 50, I decided to run a marathon to cross it off my bucket list,” she said. “I signed up for a marathon in Charleston with the goal of just not dying.” She surprised herself by qualifying for the Boston Marathon. It promised to be a highlight of her life.

Schoen had just crossed the finish line when the first blast went off. At the time, it felt like a gas explosion, because she could feel the push of air. The end of the course was lined with tall fencing, so she could not see what had happened or how serious the attack was. “I’m so thankful. That would have done me in,” she said.

Schoen walked a little farther, was given her medal and was placing it over her head when the second explosion went off – near a Jumbotron where her husband, Scott, had planned to meet her after the race. She tried to get to him but was forced back by security.

Fortunately, Scott had left the area just prior to the explosion in an effort to find her near the finish line. Later that day, he watched TV footage of a man being carried out of that same area on a stretcher.

“He told me, ‘I was just talking to that guy. He was the coolest man. He was telling everyone good job,’” Schoen said. “That’s how close Scott was, if he hadn’t walked away.”

People have often asked Schoen how she did at the Boston Marathon.

“I say, ‘Who cares?’ People were killed and injured and some didn’t get to finish the race,” she said. “I’m just glad to be back in old, boring Bellevue.”

Bellevue resident Vicki Schoen volunteers or helps organize about 30 races a year. She will be volunteering at the Noemi’s 5K Run/Walk at the Norwalk Reservoir on Aug. 15. The event will raise money for a local woman battling a rare form of cancer. For more information, contact Ashley Schoen at asmitt1024@gmail.com.