Monday April 16, 2011 – By Wausau Daily Herald

Wausau native and former Wausau East standout Sarah (Bashinski) Flament will compete in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Flament, who has already qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympics Trials set for Jan. 14, 2012 with her 2 hour, 45 minutes, 58 seconds run in the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon, said her goal is to break 2:49, but added that she thinks she is in shape to run 2:42.

The Boston course, where Flament ran 2:54.09 in 2009, is not the most conducive course for fast times due to the hills at approximately 15-18 miles.

Flament, who also starred at and University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, said she didn't choose to run for a fast time, but to enjoy the 'experience' of running in the event.

"This is a no pressure race for me,'' she said in an email this week. "I didn't pick this race for a fast time, (but) purely for the fact that there is something special and magical about the Boston Marathon that provides you with a rush unlike any other race I've been in. I knew this would help aid in the No. 1 goal of having that great experience I was looking for considering it had been so long since my last marathon (2009) and more than likely my last marathon before the Trials.''

She missed four months of running in 2010 because of a hip stress fracture, which included time on crutches.

Flament opted out of being part of the elite women's separate start, choosing instead to run with the group.

"I want to focus on my own race and not someone elses,'' she said. "I run a lot better with people around me, and it scares me to be out there for 26.2 miles getting strung out in no-man's land if you lose the pack. Plus, the men come up quickly and start picking you off. It took a lot of time to weigh out the pros and cons because I would love to be in the elite start. First and foremost, I need a confidence booster and I think the decisions I've made (in training) are setting me up for that experience.''

Flament, who turns 36 on April 27, is the daughter of Dan and Bernadette Bashinski of Wausau. Flament, who competes for Infinite Running, is married to Jeff Flament and lives in Poland, Ohio, and the couple has two children.

Find out more about Sarah Bashinski Flament and Infinite Running at:
www.infiniterunning.com/ET/ET-Sarah-Bashinski-Flament.aspx
 
Contact Rob Hill
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