Monday, May 10, 1999
UC student bursts onto marathon scene
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The story sounds familiar: A local woman, who played other sports in high school, decides to take up running in her 20s. She quickly starts winning races and quickly establishes herself as top-notch marathoner.
Meet Sommer Settell, the first women's winner in the Flying Pig Marathon, who seems to be following the Julie Isphording model to running success.
Settell won the Flying Pig Marathon on Sunday in 2:58:10. She was unchallenged after taking the lead between the 6- and 9-mile marks.
“I felt good all the way,” Settell said. “I kept holding back. I was a afraid to pass people because I didn't want to bonk at the end.”
Settell grew up in Symmes Township. (Her parents' home was damaged badly enough in the April tornado that they've been living in an apartment while it's repaired.)
Settell played basketball and field hockey at Summit Country Day. She also ran track, but only as sprinter. She started running as exercise when she started college the University of Cincinnati.
She ran the Thanksgiving Day Race with her father, Bruce, three years ago.
“I thought I could keep up with her,” he said. “She ended up beating me by five minutes.”
Five weeks before the Chicago Marathon in 1997, Settell decided she was going to run it. She finished in 3:10 to qualify for Boston.
Last year, at Chicago, she ran a personal-best 2:56.
Sunday's win wasn't quite as fast, but the fact that it came in her hometown made it sweeter.
Bruce and her mother, Angie, were there to greet her at the finish line. Sommer wished Angie, “Happy Mother's Day,” during a television interview.
“It's a been a great day,” Angie said.
Settell just began training with Cincinnati's elite runners, such as John Sence and T.J. Lentz.
“They've really pushed me,” she said.
Her goal is to go back to Chicago in October and try to qualify for the 2000 U.S. Olympics Trials.
“I've got a ways to go,” she said. “But I'm only 22.”
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