Never Lacking For Kick Jacklin, Beloved Mule Proven Race Performers

What do Gayle Jacklin and a 13-year-old mule share in common?

A. Stubbornness;

B. Treadmills;

C. Marathons;

D. Endurance;

E. All of the above.

The answer is E.

Jacklin’s world record-setting mule Apache Ripper provided the inspiration for the Spokane Valley native to follow through on her 1994 New Year’s resolution.

Jacklin remembers twin brother Glenn laughing after she announced “running a marathon” as her resolution.

By May, she had made good on the promise.

Not only did Jacklin complete the Coeur d’Alene Marathon, but she was the second-place women’s finisher in her first attempt at the 26.2-mile race.

In running the distance in 3 hours, 7 minutes, Jacklin also easily met the qualifying time for the prestigious Boston Marathon, which was 3:30 for her age division (18-39).

One month ago, the petite 31-year-old executive at Jacklin Seed Company traveled to Boston for her fourth marathon.

“It never really hit me,” she said. “I was looking around at all these international guests. I was running on the beach with someone from the publishing industry with ‘Runner’s World.’ She said, ‘There goes so and so from Russia.’

“I started to think. ‘I’m really in a world-class race.’ I started to get nervous.”

Runners were bused to a small-town elementary school 4 hours before the 99th Boston Marathon started. The men and women waited in separate rooms.

“Sitting around and looking at all the other women, you do some real soul-searching,” Jacklin observed. “It made me feel really good about myself and my accomplishment.”

Jacklin felt even better after the race, as she broke the 3-hour barrier.

Her 2:58:45 time placed her 55th among the 1,852 women and 982nd among the 8,259 finishers.

Jacklin was the fastest of all Idaho entries.

“At the half-marathon point the Wellesley College women were shouting for the women (runners),” Jacklin said. “The crowd was shouting for me, giving me such a boost. Little kids were slapping my hands.

“At halfway, my time was good enough to bring me in under 3 hours,” Jacklin added. “Coming across that (finish) line I had tears in my eyes. It was such a good feeling.”

Jacklin employs a non-traditional approach to marathoning.

Her primary training runs average 40 intense miles weekly. They are done during the evening on a treadmill in her home exercise room. Seven-year-old daughter Tyanne knows how to program the machine better than her mother.

“The minute I get off, she’s on (the treadmill),” Jacklin said, noting other family members, including her mother, Dorothy, and her father, Don, have started to run.

Jacklin patterns her treadmill workouts after similar training runs for Apache Ripper, the four-time National Mule Endurance Racing Champion.

The mule race, conducted in Arlee, Mont., is in its 13th year and covers a 26.2-mile marathon.

During the winter, Apache Ripper trains on a treadmill. As soon as the snow melts, Jacklin and Apache Ripper move outdoors. The training takes place six days a week, averaging 10 to 25 miles per 2- to 3-hour session.

Apache Ripper’s world-record marathon time is 1:30.

“Through all the years (13) of racing mules, I’d question why my dad would have me do certain race workouts,” Jacklin said.

“I trained all spring riding mules and for every workout my mule did, I would do certain exercises,” Jacklin added. “It was kinda fun. I learned a lot about what racing entails. I’d take resting heart rates. It all started making sense as I got in better shape.”

Jacklin won’t forget her initial marathon, in Coeur d’Alene in 1994.

“I busted out, running under a 6-minute mile (pace) and was up with all the half-marathoners,” Jacklin laughed. “My friends said, ‘Gayle what are you doing?’ I never knew how to pace myself.”

She will enter the 1995 Coeur d’Alene Marathon, which generally draws 400 runners.

Since it will be Jacklin’s third marathon in four months, her first goal is to finish. But she also hopes for a sub-3 hour time, and even better, a personal best.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CDA MARATHON 18th Coeur d’Alene Marathon and Half-Marathon What: A 26.2-mile marathon and a 13.1-mile half-marathon. Both races start at the same time. When: May 28, 7 a.m. Where: Start and finish at North Idaho College. Record holders: Marathon, Men, Stan Holman (Spokane) 2:28:43, 1992. Women, Monica Pawlowski (Meridian, Idaho) 2:55:24, 1994. Wheelchair, Luis Betts (Medical Lake) 1:46:48, 1992. Half-marathon, Men, Shawn Crockett (Chewelah) 1:09:28, 1994. Women, Angie Baxter (Colville) 1:20:10, 1992. Wheelchair, Charmaine Voves (Spokane) 1:41:56, 1992. Information: Craig Bush, race director, (208) 661-7477.