LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Anyone who runs 26.2 miles likely has a strong motivation, and that was certainly the case of one Arkansas runner in particular on Sunday— one woman out of the thousands who participated in events all weekend during the 2024 Little Rock Marathon.
We spoke with Berenice Alfaro, who not only crossed the finish line to achieve her own goals but also to make her mother proud.
"Back in December 2017 my mom was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer," Alfaro explained. "And after that, my family focused more on a healthier lifestyle."
Their journey to a healthier lifestyle started with participating in breast cancer walks to bring awareness to her mom's condition. It was through that advocacy that Alfaro also found another passion.
"From there, I discovered that I actually enjoy running," Alfaro added.
This Sunday was Alfaro's first time running in a marathon.
"[Runners] have so much adrenaline at the beginning that your only focus is just to start and finish. After a certain mile mark, you don't even worry about seeing it anymore," she said.
As she completed her own goal of running the 26.2 miles, Alfaro said her mother, now a breast cancer survivor, couldn't be more proud.
"She's very supportive. Sometimes she says, I'm a little crazy, for you know, trying to do the full marathon, but I'm glad I did it. I feel like it's more meaningful when you have a story behind it versus just running a full marathon. Most likely, I'll do it again. But it's very special to me, and I will Facetime my mom as soon as we get off," Alfaro described.
She also said that she plans to keep running and encourages others to join in.
"I always tell people, it's your own race. It's your own pace. Find something that works for you. If running, running for me is my thing," Alfaro said.
Alfaro said her next goal is to participate in out-of-state marathons and eventually move up to ones across the world.