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Meet Rock Star Frances EscheverriaYou are here > Home > 2008 Heavy Medal Series > Heavy Medal Rock Stars! > Meet Rock Star Frances Escheverria
In 2004, my best friend Devonne and I had run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon San Diego together. We’d always joked about how awesome it would be if we had the time and money to do the whole Rock ‘n’ Roll Event series and get the coveted Rock Star medal. We met working at a rock ‘n’ roll radio station and as it is our job and music preference, we found it fitting to attempt this Rock ‘n’ Roll achievement. 
Late last year, we decided to run the Los Angeles Marathon. Little did we know that within a month of registering for the LA Marathon, we’d decide on a whim to drive to Arizona for the first full marathon of the year at the P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon. To kick off the excitement of the series, Devonne and her boyfriend got engaged the night before we headed out on our 10-hour drive to Arizona. Her fiance and my husband both cheered their hearts out for us despite the abnormally cold morning of the race. The next day, we were back at work hobbling around the 2-story building, but wearing our hard earned medals and shirts. 
Similar events followed for each race, we’d leave for the weekend to do a run, flying to Nashville for the Country Music Marathon and Virginia Beach for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, or driving to the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon San Diego and Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, San Jose for no more than 48 hours, many of those spent on foot running. The next day, hobbling around the office with medals and shirts in tow. Our friends and people we met along the way said we were insane for running all of these Rock ‘n’ Roll series events. Quite the contrary, we saw this as an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and the ultimate test of our endurance and friendship… the question was why NOT do it while we could? Neither Devonne nor I claim to be fast, and as the year went on, we got slower… but we definitely had more fun “at the back of the pack.” Devonne ran Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon San Diego with a sprained ankle from a soccer accident that occurred 3 weeks before the race. I found out I was pregnant with my first baby the day before we left on our flight to Virginia Beach… morning sickness doesn’t go well with running. Nonetheless, it never crossed our minds to split up. The week before our final run in San Jose, Devonne and Steve got married.
Across every finish line, we are raising our arms in unison, in victory over the 26.2 or 13.1 miles we’d just conquered. We’ve crisscrossed the nation, running through an engagement, a pregnancy, a wedding and about 2 pairs of shoes each. Some friends meet over coffee, or lunch… we’d meet while we were still half asleep to do our training runs before work. We never expected anyone to understand why we did it, but I think that’s the beauty of every person who’s earned their Rock Star status—they know it’s hard, it’s a little bit crazy, but you do it anyways. |
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