Published: August 04, 2008 09:38 am      

Woman to run marathon for charity

When the rain patters against the window or the humidity is so thick you can barely breathe, it’s easy to stay home. But Jessica Barton forces herself out of bed, into her running shoes and onto the track for early-morning training.

She has a strong motivation: All those people who signed up to sponsor her as a charity runner in the Chicago Marathon.

“I feel like this is a huge goal, but being a charity runner provides me with a lot of motivation,” said Barton, 25, a former Danville resident who now lives in Clinton, Ind.

Barton will run on behalf of the American Cancer Society in the marathon on Oct. 12.

Her father, Mark Beynon of Danville, is proud of Barton’s desire to help others, calling it “fantastic.”

“That puts more emphasis on setting a goal and reaching it,” he said.

Her mother is Nancy Naylor of Cayuga, Ind., a registered nurse at Provena United Samaritans Medical Center.

Barton ran cross country while attending North Vermillion High School. She graduated from there in 2001. Her coach was Don Corey, who was fun and encouraging, she said.

“I still have a lot of respect for him,” she said. “He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer during my high school years and showed a great deal of strength as he fought through it.”

After high school, her brother-in-law talked her into running the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in 2007, and she enjoyed running with 35,000 other people.

She also completed the Indy Mini this spring and bettered her time by about 7 minutes.

The idea of running a full marathon — her first — came to her while reading Runner’s World Magazine.

“I read about people of all ages and body types that were setting the goal of running a marathon and were succeeding,” she said.

Barton chose the Chicago Marathon because it has a flat, fast course and offers great views of the city, she said. About 45,000 runners compete.

While signing up, she realized she could be a charity runner for many organizations. She decided to raise funds for the American Cancer Society after reading some of the startling statistics: In the United States, men have slightly less than a 1-in-2 lifetime risk of developing cancer; for women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3.

The ACS goal is to raise $1.7 million through the charity runners.

“Unfortunately, many people know someone or have been affected by cancer themselves. Many of us would do anything we could to help this cause,” she said.

Besides her high school coach, Barton knows others battling the disease, as well — including her grandfather, Harlan Naylor, who has multiple myeloma.

Many of her family members and friends have signed up as sponsors.

“Each sponsor is one more motivating factor for each time I go outside in the heat and humidity to start a run,” Barton said.

“It’s one way to contribute to a good cause.”

She also started a blog on her Web site as another way to help keep herself accountable to her training. The journal details the successes and challenges of her training, which started June 16. She has completed 140 miles.

Barton runs three days during the week and a fourth long-endurance run on Saturdays.

Her husband, Craig, rides his bike along with her while she runs, and even makes her post-training pancakes.

“I couldn’t do this without him,” she said.

Barton also works full-time as a dental hygienist, while Craig is majoring in finance at Indiana State University. They have been married four years.

Her father said he is not only proud of Barton’s marathon goal, but added, “I’m proud of the way she’s running her life.”

He’s also proud of his other daughter, Sarah Lindley, a teacher in Anderson, Ind. Lindley ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon in spring along with her sister, but didn’t finish it as quickly.

Of his own athletic ability, he said, “I used to like to run, but not to this extent.”

Barton looks forward to the marathon. However, she added, “It makes me nervous to think about the actual day.

“The hardest part is making it to the starting line without getting injured.”

Barton was born in Danville, and the family moved when she was a child. However, they continued to attend the Ridgeview Baptist Church.

She also has another grandfather, Lloyd Beynon, in Danville.



TO HELP

-- To donate with a check: Make the check out to American Cancer Society and put Jessica Barton’s name in the memo line. Mail checks to: American Cancer Society, Charity Runner Program, Attn: Chicago Marathon, 225 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 1210, Chicago, IL 60601

-- You also may visit her Web site, http://craigjessbarton.blogspot.com. The site has a link to the ACS Charity Runner Web site.