Everyone understands the difficulty of running a single mile. Your muscles ache the first few minutes in, and it becomes harder and harder to catch a single breath. A star cross country runner and our Athlete of the Month is senior Will Waddell. On October 30, he ran the 41st Marine Corps Marathon. The marathon was a monumental moment for Waddell as it was his first marathon and he ran it to raise funds for a non-profit organization focused on Autism research. In 2005, Waddell was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Waddell can be described as an outgoing, funny and optimistic individual. He is not only an inspirational student having conquering 26 miles, but also through his passion for fundraising towards a good cause.

Q: When did you first get begin running?

A: I started cross country freshman year. I ran the Marine Corps 10k in 2013 and 2014.

Q: What is your favorite part of running?

A: It is usually figuring which way to go or figuring out which directions I always go. I usually run in my neighborhoods or on the weekends with my dad.

Q: Do you run on the Potomac Trail?

A: Yes, down by the river and close to the airport.

Q: Do you listen to music while you run?

A: My dad and I usually run with music. He normally finds whatever song he likes on his phones. He usually listens to his station 100.3.

Q: How did you prepare to run a marathon?

A: It was by running every Sunday. It was not hard for me, piece of cake. It was easy.

Q: How many miles did you start at and what did you build to in your training?

A: We started out with 10 miles basically. I remember one of the training was almost 20 miles.

Q: What’s the best part of a typical race? The end?

A: I normally say, “Let’s do this for God and for victory! For all my airlines! Finish strong.” So yes, I say it at the end.

Q: Where was the course of the Marine Corps marathon?

A: Near Rosslyn and Washington DC where we could see many airplanes flying over.

Q: How much money did you fundraise?

A: My parents usually fundraise for OAR which stands for Organization for Autism Research. My dad said he raised $14,000.

Q: Who was on your team, Team Will?

A: Dad, mom, Rachel, Shaun, Paul and Carlos. So I guess you could say a lot of people.

Q: Were you the first to finish on your team?

A: Yes, I always finish first. I often refer to myself as “number one.”

Q: What was your time for the marathon?

A: Seven hours and nineteen minutes.

Q: What was the best part of the marathon?

A: I like seeing all the signs and bells. I got a medal, it was a nice gift.