This past October, 2015 Crestwood High School graduate Jeremiah Fitzgerald took first place in the Cleveland Marathon. This was no small feat (no pun intended), even for someone who began his running career with the CMS and CHS Track and Cross Country teams. Fitzgerald continued running at the University of Akron, where he earned a degree in engineering while competing at the collegiate level.
Like his peers, the University of Akron 2020 graduate completed his last semester online and had his graduation ceremony postponed. He turned the loss of his final running season into an opportunity to go after another goal — training for a marathon — something he’d always considered doing. So in the midst of shutdowns and disappointments, Fitzgerald focused on opportunities to excel, creating a training plan that led him to log countless miles each week working towards his next dream.
His first opportunity to compete in an in-person event took place in May 2021, at the Choose Your Own Path Adventure Marathon, fittingly along the same path he had trained on while at the University of Akron. The race, which started with 25 runners in each wave, was a good introduction to marathon running. “It was different from high school and college training, where I ran 50 miles per week,” the athlete explained. He finished his first marathon in two hours and 38 minutes, earning first place overall, and in his gender and his division. In this new race, Fitzgerald felt himself struggling during the second half, and decided to adjust his training for the next race.
To prepare for his next goal — the Cleveland Marathon, he increased his weekly miles to 70, while working fulltime during the week, as well part-time on weekends (at Fleet Feet running store). “It’s kind of a grind, waking at 5 am to run,” the athlete admits, “but hard work pays off.” That proved to be true, since Fitzgerald earned the top spot out of 518 runners at the Cleveland Marathon in late October. He also achieved the goal to improve his time from the spring race; Fitzgerald succeeded, finishing in two hours and 25 minutes.
He crossed the finish line six minutes ahead of the competition, and noted that from the first mile, he was alone on the course. He knew he had a big cheering section including his parents, (who, he noted, have never missed a race), as well as his brother, girlfriend, and a group of runner friends from Lakewood, at the finish line. He noted several friends biked by the course to hand him water and cheer him on mid-race, as well. He noted that close proximity to the bicyclist who led runners through the course helped to buoy his spirits through the many miles over the course of the race.
He enjoyed a few weeks off, and then began training for his next goal, to complete another spring marathon. His long-term plans include running at the 2024 Olympic trials, which will require a time of 2 hours and 18 minutes. He’s increased his training to 100 miles per week to meet this challenging goal. “In my 12-13 years of competitive running, there’s been plenty of ups and downs, but I’ve stuck with it, and I’m still making improvements.”
“It takes perseverance and discipline,” he explained, “to run just one more mile, and then the next.” He credits this approach as key to breaking down any challenge in life, and encourages others to do the same. “Running is a fun sport to be a part of,” Fitzgerald added. “It makes you a better person.”
Photos provided by Jeremiah Fitzgerald
