Don HorkeyCourtney Brewis was “excited and feeling good” when she crossed the finish line of this year’s Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank marathon.
And with good reason: she won!
In only her second marathon, the petite 23-year-old Dearborn Divine Child High School grad covered the grueling 26.2 miles in 2 hours and 45.52 minutes, holding off a challenge down the home stretch from last year’s winner, a Russian-born veteran marathoner from New York City, to become the race’s women’s champion.
“God has blessed me with a talent for running,” she says, “and I try to do my best at it.”
BrewisThat was the first and only time she did so. “I was a middle-of-the-pack runner, but I found out that distance running was fun to do. It was relaxing,” she said.
Courtney’s “diligence and passion” for the sport were extraordinary, Mifsud said. “In my 48 years of coaching (since 2001 at Divine Child; state track champs in 2010-12-13), I have never seen an athlete with the pace management discipline that she showed.”
A walk-on at Grand Valley State University, Courtney applied those same workout virtues to her college practices to become a valued member of the outdoor and indoor track and cross country squads, earning four All American honors — once in cross country and three times in track, running the 5,000- and 10,000-meter distances.
And, the university awarded her athletic scholarship assistance.
She majored in clinical exercise science and remains at Grand Valley to pursue a doctorate in physical education.
Intrigued by her self-revelation that “the longer the run, the better I do,” Courtney participated in her first marathon in June in Duluth, Minn. Her time of 2:47.30, barely two minutes slower than her Detroit time, was good enough for 22nd place out of 6,200 runners.
“The competition was stiffer and the prize money more ($10,000 compared to the $4,000 Courtney received in Detroit).”
Encouraged by her performance, Courtney intensified her preparation over the summer for the Detroit marathon in mid-October. “It was close to home and I’d have my family and friends to cheer me on,” she said.
It seems the Brewis family — all members and alumni of Divine Child Parish — share Courtney’s running talent. Her father, Rick (a Microsoft consultant), and siblings — older brother Rich, and younger sisters Mackenzie also at Grand Valley and Lindsey at Loyola of Chicago — caught the running bug in high school and have kept running since.
Courtney’s mother, Denise, chuckled when I said she’s a runner, too: “You say you’re not, but you help ‘run’ the athletic department at Divine Child as an administrative assistant,” I told her.
Crossing the Ambassador Bridge was Courtney’s favorite moment in the Detroit race. “The sun was just starting to come up. It gave me an adrenalin rush.”
At about the 16th mile, she remembers “everything was hurting, my legs and feet.” She turned to prayer, a vital component of Courtney’s running. “I pray before the race to do my best, and during the race to hang on. I pray to my two grandfathers in heaven to give me strength.”
A course official advised her with about 8-9 miles to go that “You’re the first,” an advantage that she maintained to the end.
Courtney says she will do more marathons. “I want to bring my time down” to her ultimate goal of under 2:43. “That would qualify me for the U. S. Olympic marathon trials” which will be held in the spring of 2016.
“I wouldn’t bet against her that she’ll do it,” says Coach Mifsud.
To quote Jesus in His parable: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Don Horkey may be reached at [email protected].
