One-hundred-and-two members of the Brownsville Believers running club will take part in Sunday’s Brownsville Chief of Police Inaugural Marathon and Half Marathon, excited to be able to run in their hometown marathon.
Brownsville Believers start training in January, steadily working up from 5K runs to 10K, half marathon and marathon distances as the year progresses into the fall.
For years they have pointed toward the Rock ‘N’ Roll San Antonio marathon and half marathon, which is run in December and attracts runners from all over Texas.
“I’m excited we’re finally staying home. We don’t have to go anywhere for the race, because we usually would go to San Antonio for the Rock ‘N’ Roll,” said Anisa Ramirez, who directs wellness programs including the Brownsville Believers for the Brownsville Independent School District.
The Believers is a group of BISD employees who train together and feed off each other’s positive energy to achieve their mutual fitness goals, Ramirez said.
On Monday the group gathered for an aspirational dinner in the BISD Wellness Gym and to kick off members’ participation in the race.
“I like that we’re promoting our city and helping our police department, and I’m hoping that it’s successful and becomes a yearly event. We do want to stay home with our families and accomplish these goals,” Ramirez said.
Sunday’s full and half marathon is hosted by the Brownsville Police Department “to promote health and wellness while showcasing a few of Brownsville’s beautiful landmarks. It is Chief Felix Sauceda’s aspiration to support and instill healthier habits and a better lifestyle throughout the community. Proceeds will go to the Community Youth Fund,” the department says on the race website.
As of Thursday afternoon 124 runners had registered for the marathon and 357 for the half marathon. Registration was to remain open through Saturday.
Ramirez said the Believers are able to achieve better results by supporting each other in their running goals and feeding off the camaraderie and friendships made. They train four days a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
“(As you go farther) I guess your mind tells you you can’t, but because there’s a group of people doing it and cheering you on, it lets your body know that you can still keep going. We motivate each other,” she said.
Many members join to lose weight, but others are motivated by health concerns.
Consider Gilda Jo Pena, the principal at Martin Elementary.
“In terms of my health, I have been able to get off most of my diabetes medicine in terms of my insulin. I was taking insulin twice day, very large doses of it, and have come down to one very low dose of insulin due to all this walking,” she said.
“Power walking is what I do. I’m going to do the half marathon, which is 13.1 miles. Walking. My first one ever,” said Pena.
“When I started this I wasn’t walking, not being able to talk and walk, and so now the joke is we’re walkin’ and talkin’ like nobody’s business. Oh my God. I can do it now. It’s an amazing transformation.”
Pena said the change she felt came about mainly through the exercise.
“So a couple of pounds lost but the main thing is the insides. That’s the important part that got better for me. It’s a whole lot of exercise, not a whole lot of diet,” she said.
“Absolutely,” Pena added when asked if she would be able to keep it up.
“I am recruiting people at school just because they can see the difference in me, from when I started to the now. They want that feeling, but more than anything it’s the camaraderie. It’s a feeling that’s amazing. Believers,” she said.
Maria Guadalupe Cisneros, a kindergarten teacher at Champion Elementary, did a half marathon a year ago and will run a full marathon on Sunday.
“I started in 2020 and I’ve been at it since then. I started with the 5K, then 10K. I did the half marathon a year ago and now I’m doing the full marathon,” she said.
“As far as my health I’ve lost 35 pounds since I started and my diet, I haven’t eliminated any foods, all I did is cut back. Everything is just smaller portions. That’s what they tell us to do. So I went from wearing an extra large shirt to now I can wear a small shirt. My pants I used to wear a 16 now I’m wearing 8 and 10, and all of this because of this program. As far as my health, I was obese. Now I’m not as obese as I was before. I feel that I’m stronger I’m able to do more. I used to get tired climbing the stairs or just walking a block. Now I’m able to do 26 miles running.”
Isabel Salinas, the librarian at Pullam Elementary, said she joined because she had seen the transformation in one of her coworkers.
“I said I need to do something about my weight. I have lost a little bit over 20 pounds. I started at the end of January to now. I needed to do something because as we get older we gain the pounds a lot faster. I asked my sister, Michelle Cortez, also a believer, and we said let’s do it. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be attempting a half marathon.
“I said I’m just going to do the 5K and then the 10K. but she said let’s keep going. I’m so excited about this whole thing, the friendships that I’ve made through the Believers. It’s been amazing.”
