Jane Bareikis won the Owens Corning half marathon, but the race meant more to her than just broken tape at the finish line and a medal.
Her sister, Peninah, died unexpectedly last week at the age of 36 from a heart condition. Bareikis was unable to return to Kenya for the funeral, which took place Saturday, but said she ran the race on Sunday in her sister’s honor.
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“Since I didn't attend [the funeral], I was like, I have to do something,” Bareikis said. “That news came in, it knocked me off. Everything just came in at once.”
“And then I remembered my mom, if I go tell her that I won today, she will be happy. It will take her away from the sadness of yesterday.”
Practically walking across the finish line as the women’s winner, relief and emotion flooded Bareikis’ face. Her unofficial time 1:17:06.
Bareikis, who resides in Illinois and was running in Toledo for the first time, called Peninah her “number one fan.” The week prior, the two sisters talked about Bareikis’ trip to Toledo to run in this race.
“She was really happy and said she was going to wish me the best,” Bareikis said. “She was waiting to see me finish.”
Family is one of the biggest motivators for Bareikis.
Along with her sister, Bareikis also credits her husband, Arturs Bareikis, for convincing her to start running competitively. Arturs is a former track coach at Robert Morris, and now offers personalized training for runners.
The two also have a 3-year-old son, Armin, who Jane said stayed in Illinois on race day.
“I remembered my son at some point [during the race] and I was like I can't give up, I have to do this for him,” she said, adding that she would not be surprised if he ran in a marathon of his own one day.
“If he was here I know he would be running like crazy. If I ask him, ‘Do you want to run?’, he is like, ‘No, I want to play tennis.’ But he runs a lot.”
Jane has been running competitively for just about two years, and has one marathon under her belt. She completed the Chicago Marathon in 2:42:38.
She is planning to run in her second one this June — Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota. She is also looking to run in the Chicago Marathon again in October.
But as she gets ready to finish out the rest of her season, Jane, on this particular Sunday, is just happy to get a win for her sister.
“I wasn't really in a running mood, or a racing mood,” she said. “I was just like I can't let this put me down, because I have to get up from it and be strong. I know my sister would be happy.”
First Published April 28, 2019, 12:52 p.m.
