Grit. Determination. Drive. There are many adjectives that can be used when discussing Poplar Bluff’s Walker Venable.
The Sikeston High School graduate, aged 23 years now, recently ran in the 2023 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend in December, finishing the 26.2-mile test of endurance in 4 hours, 44 minutes.
Approximately, 20,000 runners took part in the fundraiser — one in which he raised approximately $300.
For the former Sikeston pole vaulter, this marked his second marathon.
“I have this buddy who, about two months ago, told me he wanted to run in this marathon. I agreed; told him I would do it,” said Venable. “I have been running for a while. It’s just a lot of fun. When we got down there [Memphis], we realized it was a lot more than what we were expecting. There was a huge crowd of people down there and a lot of sponsors. It was a big deal!”
Venable said he really didn’t have any expectations for Memphis relative to the size of the crowd, as his first marathon was much — much — lower in scale.
“I knew there was going to be a lot of people, but not nearly to the extent of the crowds that were down there,” he said. “We got there at 5 in the morning, and Beale Street was flooding with people. It was challenging.”
While the passion for running is there now, that was not always the case.
“When I was in high school, I was on the track team,” he said. “I never had any interest in running distance. What got me into it was I joined the National Guard, say, five years ago.”
Those in Memphis witnessed the mind-over-matter result, but the dedication,endurance and mindset were pre-requisites nearly three months ago in training. Fans never saw the intangibles it took to conquer such a daunting goal.
“The training, there is a lot of dedication. It takes a lot of time,” Venable said. “It’s setting these goals, these steps to the race. I was three months out and I was like, ‘Going to run two more miles than the prior week.’”
Distance is not all about speed but rather pacing.
“Starting off, I was very nervous,” he said. “Once we started going, you got comfortable. My pace was a lot faster than I thought it would be. It was a good race. The cramps just came with it. You have to tough through it.”
St. Jude Children’s research Hospital carries weight. Venable said for all the positive services the hospital produces for kids and their families, he wanted to give a little something back in return.
“Obviously, a great organization,” said Venable. “I knew that before I got down there, but I would do it again for St. Jude for the fact that all of the people I talked to, I didn’t hear one negative thing about the organization. All these people talking about how it is the only organization they will continue to donate to because they know it is going to a great cause.”
When asked about running in future St. Jude marathons, Venable didn’t mince words.
“Yeah, I think so. If you would have asked me that right after the race, I would have said, ‘No. Absolutely not.’ Looking back on it, it was a lot of fun.”
For information on St. Jude and how to donate, visit stjude.org.