Grand Rapids Marathon attracts thousands

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM) - Thousands took the streets for the sixth-annual Grand Rapids Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 18, and the race was extra special for the women's champ, who hails from Michigan.

WZZM 13 News learned about the personal obstacles Hannah Norton had to overcome as well as the numbers the Grand Rapids Marathon attracted in 2009.

"We're four times as big as we were right now when we started back in 2004 (when) we had just over 900 runners," said Grand Rapids Marathon race director Don Kern. "We're over 3,700 (runners) this year. Things are going like crazy."

The Grand Rapids Marathon attracted runners from all over the country for several reasons.

"We're not one of the majors, like Boston or Chicago or something like that, but in the next tier down we are one of the best marathons in the world," said Kern. "We're also one of the top 10 Boston (Marathon) qualifiers. By percentage we have better than 20-percent of people qualify for the Boston Marathon."

Grand Rapids women's marathon champ, Hannah Norton, is no stranger to the Boston Marathon. After taking part in the 2008 Grand Rapids Marathon she earned her trip to Boston.

Sunday's victory was very significant for the Union City, Mich., resident.

"This win means a lot to me. I mean, I've said it before I had anorexia as a teenager and I hated my body; I wanted to die but, you know, God brought me out of that," said Norton. "And, I mean, not just by a little bit, I mean, I just won a marathon and it feels awesome."

While she's feeling awesome the road to victory hasn't been the smoothest ride.

"It's taken years. It's not like I suddenly ... you (don't just) snap out of it. You just kind of start, you know, training your mind to think differently and to stop, you know, obsessing about your weight," said Norton. "Life is more than food and more than your body."

Norton also says her next goal is to "qualify for the Olympic trials. It might not be in two years but maybe in six. You have to run a 2:47 (marathon time) for that. Got about 13 minutes to work on."

And as she works on it, Hannah Norton just won a race very close to home and did it in a city she calls "absolutely beautiful."

To see the full results of the marathon and half-marathon, click here.