Mary Kate Bailey
United States Marines
Marine wins at 29th Annual Marine Corps Marathon
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story by: Computed Name: Cpl. J.Agg
Story Identification #: 2004112121220
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va(Oct. 31, 2004) -- Quantico Marine and veteran All Marine runner, Capt. Mary Kate Bailey, became the first Marine to win the women’s division of “The Peoples’ Marathon” Sunday in Arlington since 1st Lt. Joanna Martin accomplished the feat in 1979. Retta Feyissa, a New York resident from Ethiopia, won the men’s division.
Bailey, a Long Island, N.Y., native currently serving as assistant inspector at the Base’s Office of the Inspector, pulled away from her competition to run the final 12 miles of the 29th Annual Marine Corps Marathon unchallenged with a time of 2 hours, 48 minutes and 31 seconds. Lieutenant Cmdr. Kimberly Fagan, of San Diego, Calif., placed second at 2:51:17, and Suzanne Clemmer, of Gastonia, N.C., who won the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, Virginia Creeper Marathon and Charlotte Marathon earlier in 2004, finished third in 2:59:11.
Feyissa, who finished in 2:25:35 to claim the overall win, exchanged the lead with Terrance Shea of Rochester, Mich., for the final two and a half miles before Shea dropped behind to finish second in 2:25:57. Christopher Juarez of San Antonio finished third in 2:26:03.
Bailey, whose three brothers, all Marine officers, were on hand to offer support during and after the race, said the memory of her father, also a Marine and Vietnam War veteran, helped to keep her motivated throughout the race.
“My father is buried at Arlington,” said Bailey. “He was in the back of my mind.”
Bailey also praised the efforts of the Marines who worked in support of the marathon.
“The Marines out there are giving awesome support,” said Bailey.
Bailey’s older brother, Maj. Farrell Sullivan, a project officer for the Marine Corps Combat Development Command Concepts Branch here, said attending the Marathon to support Bailey was extremely important for her family.
“We’ve been a tight family for a long time,” said Sullivan. “Dad was a Marine and was hurt in Vietnam, [and] he was a huge inspiration for all of us. We have always wanted to do well for him. It’s about doing good for the Marine Corps and our family.”
Sullivan said his sister’s success at this year’s Marine Corps Marathon was also fueled by her personal dedication to being the best in every endeavor.
“She has the will and determination to succeed,” said Sullivan. “It’s the kind of determination you don’t see in normal people. She is a very focused person who takes a lot of pride in what she does.”
Sullivan also said he could not have been more proud of his sister as the first representative of the Marine Corps to win the women’s division of the race in 25 years.
“This is huge for the Marine Corps,” said Sullivan. “My first thought was, ‘Yeah, that’s my sister.’ I couldn’t have been more emotionally touched if I had crossed the finish line myself. The amount of pride I felt was overwhelming.”
