Flushing’s Mark Bauman to Run 43rd Consecutive Boston Marathon
Richard Nixon was still President when Mark Bauman ran his first Boston Marathon. The 62-year old from Flushing will toe the starting line in Hopkinton, Massachusetts for the 43rd time on Monday, April 16th. Bauman ran his first Boston marathon in 1970 as a 20-year old college student.
Bauman, the owner of Bauman's Running & Walking Shop in Grand Blanc will go into this race with the second-longest active Boston Marathon streak. Neil Weygandt, of Pennsylvania had run the last 45 Boston marathons, but has announced that he is putting an end to the longest streak in the 116-year history of the race. Bennett Beach, 62 of Bethesda, Maryland will be starting his 45th this year.
Bauman's fastest time came in the 1975 race, when he cross the finish line on Boylston Street in just over two hours and 30 minutes. Bauman will probably take over four hours to finish this year's race, but will enjoy every moment.
He is also among the shrinking group of runners to have finished every Crim. www.crim.org
To be able to run 26.2 miles every year at one of the world's most prestigious races is a testament to smart training, good health and good luck.
Bauman is one of 15 Flint-area runners in the field in the Boston Marathon.