A real frontrunner Dilliner woman in running for Olympic marathon team
Clara Santucci of Dilliner won the 2014 Pittsburgh Marathon in a time of 2:32.23.
Clara Santucci was the first American woman to cross the finish line in the 2013 Chicago Marathon.
Overcoming moments when the body signals the mind to stop, or fighting doubts about pushing past walls and finishing, distinguish the small percentage of runners capable of completing a marathon.
It’s a test of endurance, strength and mental toughness that only those who’ve finished the 26.2 miles can understand.
Clara Santucci certainly understands. The 27-year-old resident of Dilliner, a small community nestled on the banks of the Monongahela River in Greene County, doesn’t just finish marathons, she wins them.
And her mental toughness, cultivated while growing up in rural West Virginia, made Santucci a national-class marathoner with Olympic aspirations.
“When you look at me or talk to me or are around me, I don’t seem intense. I’m laid-back,” Santucci said. “When it comes to running, I’m hard-nosed. I’m just a tough runner. It’s how I got where I am.”
Where Santucci is going, eventually, is Los Angeles for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which take place Feb. 13, 2016, and will be televised by NBC. Before then, Santucci will run the U.S. Half Marathon Championships Jan. 18 in Houston, a few shorter races and an upcoming marathon yet to be determined.
It’s a hectic schedule, but not an overbearing one for a runner who enjoys the scenery around Bobtown and trails along the Mon – perfect settings to envision herself representing the United States.
“When I was a kid, the first thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a clown,” Santucci said, an employee of HealthWorks in Morgantown. “Then, I wanted to be an astronaut. Then, I wanted to make the Olympics.”
Though the first two careers choices didn’t work out for the former West Virginia University standout, the latter is a realistic goal despite a growing field of outstanding runners on the women’s side.
“Women’s marathon in this country has never, ever been at this level,” said Sean Cleary, Santucci’s coach and her cross country coach at WVU. “There are numerous women running a 2:27 or better. She’s still an underdog, but the goal is to break through. She’s still minutes way from her best time.”
That time (2:29.54) came in her first marathon – the 115th running of the Boston Marathon in 2011. Her 16th-place finish opened eyes.
“To start out on the biggest stage was really neat,” Santucci said. “I trained hard for it. I prepared myself physically, mentally. Warming up, you see all the big names you’ve read about, but I told myself ‘Go out there and enjoy this day.’ I wanted to run well.”
Though her times haven’t dropped, Santucci’s success continued. She won the 2014 Pittsburgh Marathon in a time of 2:32.23. The victory earned Santucci $15,000 in prize money. She was the first American woman to cross the finish line at the 2013 Chicago Marathon, finishing ninth overall in a time of 2:31.39.
It’s an extraordinary amount of success in a relatively short window of time, but it’s of little surprise to those who’ve known Santucci for years, like Cleary. He became familiar with Santucci when she joined the WVU Flyers, a club for high school and junior high runners. Santucci, who took to running after lapping the competition during a Presidential Physical Fitness test in middle school, stood out almost immediately.
“I remember watching her run at Mylan Park (in Morgantown), and it’s about 95 degrees and humid,” Cleary said. “She distinguished herself there. Her confidence grew.”
Something else stood out about Santucci – her mental toughness.
Born in Illinois, she moved with her family to Doddridge County, W.Va., where they lived in a one-room schoolhouse. Her father, Tom, converted the schoolhouse into a living space for Clara and her five siblings.
“I grew up in the boonies with limited resources. I was outside every day. That’s just how our family grew up,” Santucci said. “We chopped firewood, things like that. I definitely think it’s helped me. Working hard, it’s so built into me.”
Those familiar with Santucci, the people who watched her during record-setting high school and collegiate careers, can’t help but compare her training methods and unusual durability to Rocky Balboa, the fictional boxer made famous by Sylvester Stallone.
“If you’ve seen Rocky IV, then you know about Rocky and Drago,” Cleary said. “She’s definitely the Rocky. Clara’s different. You can put her in a cabin for three weeks, and she’ll come out tougher and in better shape than she went into it.”
Rocky Balboa rose to the top of a fictional boxing world. Santucci hopes to follow a similar path in marathons.
“This is all a dream come true. Ever since I started running in competition, I dreamed of being an international-class runner,” Santucci said. “I feel very blessed. This isn’t easy. but if you’re passionate, it’s the best kind of job.”