‘Just do it, you won’t regret it’: El Paso runner works his way up to a full marathon in less than a year

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The El Paso Marathon is back this weekend with events spanning three days. The 5K Walk/Run will take place Friday. The half marathon will take place Saturday and the full marathon will be held on Sunday.

While the pandemic has forever altered our lives, one El Pasoan has used the time to find his stride. 

When Shane Griffith started running, he could barely run one mile around the block. Less than a year later, he’s set to compete in his first marathon. 

“That was difficult to do without having to stop and take a breath,” Shane Griffith said. “But one mile became two and then two miles became three.” 

Griffith will race in the El Paso Marathon Sunday, but he did not get to the starting line alone. 

He’s had a four-legged trainer beside him every step of the way. That trainer is his dog Luna. The two have been running together for months. The pandemic worked as the perfect push.

“I just had too much energy,” Griffith said. “I had to do something. My dog Luna here was just getting bigger and she needed to run. So one day right around March I said, ‘let's go running.’ Luna's been there every single step of the way.” 

The miles chalked up and the goals got bigger. First, Luna and Griffith aimed for a 5K each day. Then, as Griffith joined other runners in El Paso, some runs hit 14 miles. 

“The more you practice, the better you get,” he said. “The more fun it becomes.” 

He’s run off more than 30 pounds, but gained a lot more. 

“It’s really just been the joy of the outdoors,” he said. “There's a lot of meditation, which is really important, especially in these times of turmoil.” 

Now, the marathon is the ultimate goal. While Luna won’t be able to cross the finish line herself, Griffith says he knows that Luna and his family will be alongside him when he does. 

“She's going to be a little disappointed when I leave the driveway early Sunday morning without her in it,” he said. 

He hopes others will consider that all it takes is a willingness to try, one step at a time. 

“You always kind of think, ‘maybe someday, you know, I can get back there,’ but that someday always keeps getting pushed off,” Griffith said. “So just do it. You won't regret it.” 

Those uncomfortable or unable to take part in marathon events in person can do so virtually. You can find the details here.