Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 17, 1993 TAG: 9308170121
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: Medium
Winfrey was among 5,011 entrants who ran the 13-mile, 192 1/2-yard America's Finest City Half-Marathon on Sunday. Her time of 2 hours, 16 minutes, 3 seconds was particularly impressive considering she began running only five months ago.
"People were saying, `Oprah's here,' " said Dora Haikal of Irvine, Calif., who ran a 2:03. "I didn't believe them. I didn't think that was possible.' But I went by her.
"I feel good somebody so outstanding was in the same race."
"That was fun," Winfrey declared after finishing the race - never slowing to walk once. "But that last mile [uphill] was tough."
Winfrey, 39, who took up running five months ago and has lost 50 pounds since - though she won't say what she weighs - said she made a decision to get fit by her 40th birthday, which is Jan. 29.
She hired Bob Greene, a fitness trainer she met in Colorado who relocated to Chicago, where she lives, and who ran with her through Sunday's race.
"She went faster than she thought she would," Greene said. "When you factor in how long it took to get to the start line, she ran under 10-minute miles."
Winfrey, who chatted engagingly with reporters and signed autographs for fellow runners, said she wanted her first race to be a 10K (6.2 miles) in San Diego because of its weather, but none was scheduled for this weekend, the five-month anniversary of starting her fitness training. Three weeks ago, she said, the decision was made to run the half-marathon. Race director Neil Finn obligingly kept her entry secret; the only media outlet Winfrey called was the local station that carries her television program.
Her next goal, she said, is the Chicago Marathon.
"It's flatter and it's in October," she said, "so you can count on the weather."
by CNB