The runners of San Quentin’s 1000 Mile Club took another step — or more accurately, many steps — towards their goal of running a marathon when they ran the club’s half-marathon race on July 21.
The 13.1 mile race was 52 laps around the Lower Yard, a crucial benchmark as the runners train for the full 26.2 miles marathon in November.
The club’s current star runner, Jose Fajardo, glided to another first place finish, leading from wire to wire.
His time of 1:27:19 even impressed Markelle “The Gazelle” Taylor, the club’s all-time best runner, who attended as an outside volunteer.
“Whatever he did was good,” Taylor said, who has gone on to find success on the national running scene since he paroled in 2018.
“Every time I ran it was dedicated to my victims and to anyone facing obstacles, which pushed me to run harder,” Taylor said. “I just want to cheer you [runners] on, support you — it’s part of the healing process. That’s why I don’t give up supporting people who are incarcerated.”
While all the club’s members share a love of running, the reasons why they run vary as much as the runners themselves do.
“I’m running to trim off these honey buns,” joked Steve Warren, one of the 46 runners who started the race. “And to find freedom. I just want to make it to the end.”
Wallace Jackson said he runs because it’s good for one’s health and because of the mental benefits. “It’s therapeutic, believe me,” said the veteran.
David Richard agreed, saying that he runs more for the mental stability than for the fitness. “It keeps me focused and out of depression — I just love running,” he said.
For others, running is about accomplishing something difficult. “I run to see if I can push myself to do something never done before,” said Steve Matla. “Like running a half marathon for the first time.”
AnnaLisa, an outside volunteer, said, “I love sharing running with other people and introducing them to something that changed my life and can change their life too.”
When the dust settled, Fajardo had come up a bit short of breaking Taylor’s SQ record of 1:17:47 at a half marathon. However, Farajdo averaged 6:40 minutes per mile and made it look easy.
“Jose’s running was really impressive,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, one of the club’s outside coaches.
“He looked relaxed and smooth, didn’t look like he was running hard. He looked happy, and that’s when people run their fastest.”
Rounding out the top five were Greg Stevens (1:43:54), Jaime Martinez (1:44:20), Fidelio Marin (1:44:48), and Mark Jorsik (1:45:54).
“Given the numbers of runners we had, it took a big effort for the lap counters. The volunteers and [Club President Tommy Wickerd] worked good together,” Fitzpatrick said.
He noted that the club’s beloved, longtime head coach, Frank Ruona, is going to retire at the end of season after 18 years of service. “So myself and Jim Maloney and Diana Fitzpatrick are learning as much as we can,” he said.
In the end, 27 runners finished the race, and Honey Bun craver Steve Warren was not one of them. After making it 9.5 miles, he cramped up and pulled out.
“The honey buns won,” he joked.
