Brasfield Has Run Over 6,000 Miles In Four Years
Four years ago, Marty Brasfield took a close look at himself and his family and decided to run – lengthy distances if he wanted to live a long life.
If a race has a lot of miles, there’s a good chance Brasfield’s run in it – or may have it in his future plans.
“My journey began in July of 2018. I was 235 pounds and on the verge of some health problems. At the time, my wife and I had 4-year-old triplets. I made the decision that if I was going to see them into adulthood, I had to get my act together,” the Midlothian runner recalled.
“My older son had recently left for the Navy, and he inspired me as well. In the first three months, I lost roughly 50 pounds and eventually arrived at 175 pounds, my desired weight.”
Brasfield, 52, has run 13 marathons (26.2 miles), one 50-kilometer (31 miles) race, a 100K (62.1 miles), a half ironman triathlon (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, 13.1-mile run), two triathlons (same three events, distances can vary) and countless half marathons (13.1 miles).
He’s run over 6,000 miles, biked 3,000-plus and swam more than 50 miles in four years.
Twice he’s bested the qualifying time for the famed Boston Marathon with times of 3 hours, 13 minutes, 23 seconds and 3:15:23, and he ran in the world’s most famous marathon in 2021 – every distance runner’s dream.
Along with Boston, other major marathons in which he’s participated include the San Antonio Rock-n-Roll and the Dallas Marathon. He plans to run Chicago and New York in the future.
Fitness Is A Bonus
Aside from improving his life physically, Brasfield loves the social aspect of being a distance runner, he said.
“I run mostly for the fellowship as I have made some dear friends along my journey. The fitness is simply a plus,” he said.
Though Brasfield runs many miles in any given week, when training for a marathon the distance goes up.
“When training for a marathon, I generally run 40-50 miles a week which also includes interval training and speed work,” he noted.
Brasfield does not come from a running family. However, he was a runner as a youth. But, as life will do, it took him in other directions until he rekindled his love of the sport a few years ago.
“I started running at 10 years old and ran races, cross country, and track in high school,” he recollected.
Brasfield said he understands that undertaking a venture such as he has can be intimidating. Fact is that the majority of people can’t do what he does. But for those interested in doing so, he has some advice.
“The number one thing I can say is don’t measure yourself against others,” Brasfield said. “Run your race, enjoy yourself, but always set a goal.”
