Marathon a family affair

“It’s the best way to keep the family tight,” he said.

Regner is one of five Marine Corps generals running Sunday, four of whom are running with their children. The five represent the largest contingent of general officers to run the marathon. They’ll be running in Washington, while in Iraq more than 150 deployed members of the U.S. military will run the first Marine Corps Marathon in that country in 80-degree temperatures.

Regner, 52, has completed about eight marathons around the world — in Paris, Rome, Honolulu — but the Marine Corps Marathon is his favorite because it’s interesting, scenic and he can run with his friends. The run starts with a howitzer blast from the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) and runs through Georgetown, Rock Creek Park, the National Mall and past the national memorials.

Regner wasn’t crazy about running another marathon, but his daughter, Julia Regner, 24, a D.C. event coordinator who lives in Alexandria, convinced him to attempt the race again.

He and Julia run together once or twice a week. They started with 30-minute jogs, and pushed it to a three-hour, 18- and 20-mile runs. On Saturdays, the general wakes Julia up around 7:30 a.m. to train. Sometimes, Regner’s wife and Julia’s mom, Mary, bikes along.

“For three to four hours, you get to hear all about what’s happening in their lives,” Regner said.

This weekend, Regner will run with Julia, his nephew, Brennan Regner, and Brig. Gens. John Davis, George Flynn, Ray Fox and Dick Lake. The general’s running team coach, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Bob Magnus, had been training for Sunday but broke his leg three weeks ago. Magnus will be there on the sidelines before returning to Iraq.

“When you were young, you used to run for time; now you run to complete it,” Regner said. “This is ‘The People’s Run,’ a fun run. The operative word is marathon.”

[email protected]