Meridian woman sets new record in Inca Trail Marathon
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A Meridian woman set a new course record in the Inca Trail Marathon in July of 2019.
Jodine Steemers, 27, set the ladies all-time best time of 7:36:10, according to the ITM official blog.
The course has an elevation gain of 10,400 feet with two mountain passes and steep rocky descents through the Andes Mountains of Peru. The course ends at the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
The race is so difficult organizers recommend only experienced trail runners – those who can handle a 50-mile trail run in a single clip – give the Inca marathon a shot.
Steemers said she didn’t think about setting a world record when she tackled the Inca Trail Marathon. The race was so mentally grueling at one point she laid down and stared up at the sky, wondering if she could go on.
She still finished the race as the fastest runner in that race. The second-fastest time was a male runner, who came in 18 minutes behind her.
“I couldn’t believe it. It was so nice to be done. I was just so happy to lay on the ground and eat a sandwich,” Steemers said.
Steemers accomplished this while working full time on her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at ISU-Meridian and holding a part-time job in the outpatient pharmacy clinic at St. Luke's in Boise.
“I know it sounds like a cliché, but I want to experience as much of life as possible and not be confined to just one journey,” said Steemers, explaining why she took on the marathon adventure while in pharmacy school.
Steemers is a former collegiate track star and experienced marathoner. She spent a year training for the marathon with her fiancé, according to ISU.
They trained by running in the foothills of Boise, logging many hours on treadmills and stair climbers to replicate the elevation changes of the Peruvian course. They hit the gym several times a week, lifting weights to strengthen legs, hips, core and thigh muscles.
Steemers will graduate in the spring of 2021. She's a member of Rho Chi Society - the national honor society for student pharmacists. She recently spoke a mindfulness seminar at ISU, acknowledging the pressures of school, work, and life.
“I think it’s so important to have that balance,” she said.
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