Local marathon runner tops in Windsor-Essex County in Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon

Shannon Falconer finishes 19th out of over 19,000 participants

Posted By Ron Giofu/The Amherstburg Echo

Posted 1 month ago

Donna and Shannon Falconer stand at the finish line of the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon in downtown Detroit. Donna ran the half-marathon and Shannon the full marathon with Shannon's time being 19th out of all 19,326 runners.(Submitted photo)

AMHERSTBURG — A runner from Amherstburg was the best in the area and second amongst Canadians in the recent Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon.

The marathon started in Detroit, crossed into Windsor, then finished back in Detroit near Cobo Hall Oct. 18 and when it was all said and done, Amherstburg’s Shannon Falconer finished 19th overall out of a record field of 19,326 participants. Falconer’s time was 2:50:48.

Falconer explained that he usually competes in triathlons and in the past resisted urges from wife Donna to join her in marathon running. Donna’s goal was to qualify for the Boston Marathon and Shannon resisted running marathons with her until she finally did qualify in order to give her incentive to keep trying. Once Donna qualified for Boston, Shannon signed up for the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon shortly thereafter.

“This was my first marathon where I did no swimming or biking,” he said. “A lot of people were curious to see how I would do. I was curious myself.”

Shannon was the only runner from Windsor-Essex County to crack the three-hour barrier and finished second only to Graham Saunders from London amongst all Canadians that competed. There were roughly 23 runners from Amherstburg in the race.

However, the marathon wasn’t entirely smooth sailing for him. Around mile 16, his calves became very sore and his muscles began to tighten up to the point that when he reached the finish line, he essentially wobbled over due to the tightness.

“You think your legs are moving fast but they’re not,” he said. “After that, it becomes a mental game. You have to push your body.”

Shannon attributes the soreness and tightness to his pacing. He explained that in an Iron Man triathlon, athletes run more conservatively but in the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon, he went quicker than the pace he should have.

“I went out fast in the beginning,” he said. “I felt great but I paid for it in the end.”

Shannon said he trained for the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon for four months. Donna, usually a marathon runner, only did the half-marathon as Shannon is coaching her to compete in her first Iron Man Triathlon to be held in the coming weeks in Panama City, Florida.

“We kind of traded places,” said Donna. “I’m doing my first Iron Man and he did his first marathon.”

Shannon was pleased with his first marathon attempt.

“It’s pretty good when you can make the top 20 out of 19,000. I was pretty pleased with that,” he said.

Both Falconers have now qualified for the Boston Marathon and will be running next April. Shannon also will continue his quest to compete in the Iron Man World Championships in Hawaii as his last attempt left him a mere five minutes short of qualifying. Upcoming Iron Mans he will participate in are next summer in Lake Placid and Louisville.

“Hopefully with one of those two I can meet my goal and get to the World Championships in Hawaii,” he said.