Jatkowski fares well in Bermuda Triangle Challenge
by Angie Asam, Staff Writer
As the headline in Jan. 13 edition of The Royal Gazette, Bermuda?s largest newspaper stated, Rogers City resident Marky Jatkowski was ?proving that age is no barrier? as she competed in the Bermuda Triangle Challenge, three races in three days. ?I have always been athletic. And my daughter and granddaughters encouraged me to do it; in the article in The Royal Gazette they said ?if granny can do it so can I?. My goal for the race was to have fun and to finish. I never dreamed that I would do so well,? said Jatkowski. The first race was a mile which Jatkowski felt was just to get the more than 800 runners out and running and preparing for the next two days. The second race was a 10K, which Marky, who will turn 80 on Feb. 8, took first in her age group (70 and older) as she finished in 1:35:12.
On day three the runners had the option, the half marathon or the marathon, Marky chose the half marathon and took second in her age group at 3:25:01. Marky?s daughter, Joann Peck is a marathon runner and has competed in several Ironman challenges as well, and encouraged her mother to join her and her granddaughters on the trip and in the run. Joann is a professor at the University of Wisconsin, while Emily is a graduate student at Brandish University and Amanda is a student at the University of Minnesota.
Marky said all she wanted to do is complete all three races. She spent Jan. 13-19 in Bermuda; it was her first time being in the country. She was surprised at how hilly the terrain was and felt that running in Bermuda was like running through a movie set with the ocean on one side, the bay on the other, she said it was just beautiful. ?I had no idea I could do it. My daughter kept saying don?t worry just have a good time. I amazed myself; I don?t know how I did it. I ran 13.1 miles straight without stopping, and the day before ran 8 miles without stopping. I will probably never duplicate it but it was great,? said Marky.
Marky retired to Rogers City in 1989 with her husband Ed, who was a member of the Nautical?s Barbershop Quartet until he passed away about four years ago. In her working days she served as a registered nurse. A few years ago Marky was inspired by the Let?s Get Moving Northern Michigan program sponsored by the hospitals in the region, encouraging residents of Northern Michigan to get out and get moving, the effort has since petered off.
?That kind of inspired me. I thought if you don?t keep moving you go downhill. When the kids first told me about this I thought you?ve got to be kidding, but as it worked out I thought no if you don?t move you are never going to get anywhere,? said Marky. Marky says everyone in town knows she walks every day that she can and does enjoy running at times as well. She used to bike as well but hasn?t in a few years. MARKY THOUGHT she was competing in th
Each racer?s number, which they wore on their shirts for the races, had their names on the top of them. Marky said the people of Bermuda were terribly supportive and friendly, as they would cheer her on as she was coming down the course. ?Emily was calling me granny and before you knew it so were the people watching the race,? said Marky. Marky and Ed discovered Rogers City in spending many years sailing on the Great Lakes. They always made Rogers City a stop and eventually decided to make it their home after retirement.
NOT ONLY did she come home with a lot of great memories, Marky came home with four medals and two crystal trophies. Carrying them on the airplane on the way home had the alarms going off with all the medal in her carry-on but Marky now proudly displays the trophies on the mantel of her fireplace while the medals hang on the nails normally used only for the stockings at Christmas. Although she was the only one in her family to place in the races, Marky said her family was amazed at how well she did. ?The best thing was being with my family. Everything was a lot of fun. But we have never really traveled together before. People should really keep active, no matter what their age, this is proof of that,? said Marky.