×

Leslie Molinaro-Craven returns to Half

Leslie Molinaro-Craven prepares for a training session for the News and Sentinel Half Marathon. Molinaro-Crave, 41, returns to the race for the first time since 2010 on Aug. 17. RON JOHNSTON, The Marietta Times

PARKERSBURG — Leslie Molinaro-Craven is constantly on the go.

If the 41-year-old runner isn’t helping her husband Shawn at Anytime Fitness in Vienna, she’s transporting her 14- and 10-year-old sons to baseball games and being a soccer mom to her 7-year-old daughter.

“I’m very busy — here, there and everywhere,” smiled Molinaro-Craven before starting out on a River City Runners and Walkers Club-guided 9-mile training run at 5:30 p.m. Monday (June 24) at City Park.

When Molinaro-Craven laces up her running shoes, and goes out for a training run, it’s almost like a break from all of the other activities she’s involved in during the week.

“It’s good to run with other people on Monday,” Molinaro-Craven said. “It keeps me going, and plus there are water stops along the route.”

Molinaro-Craven said she also has trained solo and competed in local road races.

“I try to run four or five days a week,” she said. “And, I just ran the Chick-Fil-A 10K and before that I did the Vienna 5-miler. I’m trying to get back on the running circuit.”

And, on the circuit, of course, is The Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon on Aug. 17.

“Last year, I said that this year was my year, and I’m going to do it,” Molinaro-Craven said.

Actually, Molinaro-Craven is no stranger to the Half. She’s run in several of them but not since 2010 when she covered the 13.1-mile distance in 2 hours, 15.16 minutes.

“I’ve actually run it in 1:40,” she said. “But I can’t do that now.

“Hey, I’m just getting back into it. I’m not pushing for any goals. I used to be competitive, but now I just want to finish.”

A 1996 Parkersburg High grad, Molinaro-Craven ran cross country and track for Big Reds coaches George Angelos and Susan Gardner, respectively. Both Angelos and Gardner later became Mid-Ohio Valley Hall of Famers.

“My dad (Lou Molinaro) got me interested in running, and I started in junior high,” recalled Molinaro-Craven. “I started running cross country in the 10th grade. I loved cross country, a lot more than track. It was just fun with different races and trails.”

After graduating from PHS, Molinaro-Craven was good enough to run cross country at West Virginia Wesleyan University.

“I was OK,” she said. “I mean, I think I actually got better as a runner as I got older.”

Molinaro said before marrying Shawn, she ran in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.

“It was 15 years ago before I had kids,” she said. “And I’ll never do another one. I hit the wall at mile 18 but I finished.

“That was my one and done. I can say I did one.”

As for the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half, Molinaro-Craven knows from past experiences that the 13.1-mile course can also be very challenging.

“It’s a tough one,” she said. “It’s got a lot of rolling hills. And, it never fails to be hot and humid every single year on that week.”

Molinaro-Craven paused.

“It’s kind of a love-hate relationship,” she added. “You know, you kind of hate it, but you kind of love it. It’s a really good course, and there are a lot of people out on it on Gihon Road, cheering with signs.”

Molinaro-Craven said that she’s expecting her older brother Mike Molinaro and older sister Lisa Thackrah to also run this year’s Half.

“They usually run it every year,” Molinaro-Craven said. “I might run with my sister for a little bit if we’re on the same pace.”

Ron Johnston can be reached at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com

To Register

Those interested in running the 2019 Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon can register at newsandsentinelhalfmarathon.com.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.15/week.

Subscribe Today