From Half to Full: Shakira Boone Garner Is Ready for Her First Marathon

For Shakira Boone Garner, the alarm goes off early on Saturday, November 8th. Very early. But after four months of pre-dawn long runs, hill repeats, and pushing through the mental barriers that every first-time marathoner faces, she'll be ready.

'After my sixth half marathon last year, I remember thinking, 'I feel amazing—why stop at 13.1?'' says Shakira, who's been running for five years. The spark that ignited her 26.2 dream? Seeing the Every Woman's Marathon in Savannah, Georgia. 'I knew it was time to go the full distance.'

What followed was a journey that any marathoner will recognize: finding the right training plan, investing in gear (she swears by her On Cloud Cloud Monsters from Fleet Feet Canton), and most importantly, surrounding herself with a community. Through Black Girls Run, Run to Change Lives, and Cherokee Run Club, Shakira found more than training partners—she found accountability and inspiration.

Her secret weapon? Coach Terri Kirkman, the 2012 female winner of the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. When Terri shared with her training group that the Battlefield course was her favorite of any she's run, the choice was clear. That endorsement from someone who knows the course—and has conquered it at the highest level—gave Shakira and her training partners the confidence that this was the right race for their marathon debut.

The toughest challenge hasn't been the mileage—it's been those solo training runs when her run groups couldn't join her. That's when her family stepped up. Her husband and three sons have become her biggest cheerleaders. 'Even when I've doubted myself, wondering if I could really do this, my husband has been there to remind me how far I've come,' Shakira reflects. 'That support means everything.'

Now, with race day approaching, Shakira feels both the nerves and the readiness that come with proper preparation. She's put in the work. She's got the physical and mental strength. And on November 8th, she'll join hundreds of other runners on the historic Chickamauga Battlefield course to achieve something she once only dreamed about.

The Chattanooga Track Club is proud to have Shakira as part of our running community, and we can't wait to cheer her across that finish line!

Race day is November 8th—will we see you there? Register here or join us cheer on runners like Shakira!