Photography courtesy Bonnie Bence
This month, 78-year-old St. Louisan Bonnie Bence will run in her 16th consecutive Boston Marathon—and her 33rd marathon overall. Bence wasn’t always a runner, though. In fact, she ran her first race at the age of 61.
The opportunity came by chance. Bence’s three sons were running in a St. Louis relay race, and they needed a fourth teammate (her daughter, she remembers, wasn’t available). It had been decades since Bence had done any serious running; probably back when she was minoring in physical education—several years before becoming a Catholic schoolteacher, marrying, and having four children. Still, she decided to give it a try. On the day of the race, the feeling of subbing in for her team was electrifying.
“They had an exchange where you took the timer off your ankle and put it on the next person,” Bence says. “When we were doing that, the crowd started yelling, ‘Go, mom, go! Go, mom, go!’ And man, by the time I got to the end, I was emotional. It was wonderful. The boys were really proud.”
Bence was hooked. Soon after, she ran a half-marathon in Memphis, coming first in her age group. Bence’s son commented that, if she could double the distance, she would be able to join him for the Boston Marathon. At 62, just a year into her running career, Bence did just that. She completed her first Boston Marathon in 2008.
“I just loved the experience,” Bence says. “Boston is such a wonderful, welcoming city, especially at marathon time, and I had a great time. And so the following year, I wanted to go back.”
Since then, Bence has participated in the event every year, come rain or shine. For one dangerously freezing race, she wore pajama pants, two clear ponchos, and Ziploc bags on her feet to stay warm. Although she may not consider herself to be the fastest runner, Bence certainly isn’t one to give up.
“I'm a very slow runner, but I will be there at the end,” Bence says. “If they have to get a flashlight to get me off the course, I will still be there. I am not going to quit.”
To prepare for races, Bence follows a carefully planned schedule that includes cross-training in swimming and yoga. She credits both of these practices for aiding in her physical recovery process. Over the past two years, yoga has become instrumental in building her strength and mental endurance—especially following a training regimen impacted by the pandemic. Since December 2021, Bence has attended more than 700 classes at YogaSix Creve Coeur.
Due to hearing loss in her right ear, it’s not safe for Bence to run by herself on busy streets. When COVID-19 caused shut-downs across the country, she trained for the 2020 Boston Marathon by running alone through cul-de-sacs, across parking lots, and around the blacktop at a synagogue near her house. Then, after one morning’s 14-mile training session, she got a call that the race had been canceled for the first time in its 124-year history.
Bence’s family made sure that her preparation wouldn’t go to waste. Instead of traveling to Boston, her son, Chris, organized a unique event in St. Louis.
“[Chris] mapped out what I call a ‘memory lane marathon,’” Bence says. “We ran on the track at their high school, and through Creve Coeur park, and different things that we used to do with the kids. That was neat. If you can’t run in Boston, that wasn’t too bad!”
Now, Bence is looking forward to her annual trip to Boston and the “mental, physical, and spiritual” journey of another marathon. Every year, she finds persistence by drawing from faith and community, running each mile with a special person in mind. When the 26.2-mile course is complete on April 17, she knows she’ll have the support of her family.
“What's been most rewarding? Crossing the finish line and getting a hug from my son,” Bence says.
For the second year in a row, Bence will be running in support of the Special Olympics MA Xtra Mile Team. Donations to her page can “help Special Olympics Massachusetts continue to provide important sports and health programming for people with intellectual disabilities.”
