APA's Own Sets a New Pace

By Nicolette Good

Thousands of runners from all over the world edged toward the starting line on a sunny April morning. But for the next 26.2 miles, thousands of Bostonians would be shouting and singing, "Come On Eileen," eager to help one woman take it one mile at a time.

APA's Senior Director of Communications Eileen Gaughran flew to the "Bay State" to complete a journey that other women began long ago.

"It's something I've always wanted to do, particularly because of the history of women in the Boston Marathon," she says. "Before 1972, women were banned because officials didn't think we were strong enough."

Eileen is certainly strong enough--she has competed and placed in world-class bicycling competitions for years. But before the long-time APA staffer could register for the prestigious Boston Marathon, she first had to qualify. In order to be accepted into the Boston Marathon, entrants must first run a qualifying time at another certified marathon.

"I tried to qualify years ago in Austin, Texas," explained Eileen, who has been with APA for almost two decades and is second in tenure only to Executive Director Dan Maddux. "I trained hard, but missed my goal by just a couple of minutes. I was very discouraged and said, 'I'll never run another marathon!' But time goes by, and you try again."

When a long-time friend took up running, Eileen was inspired to finish what she had started. With just four months of training under her belt, she tried again. This time she qualified, by running a marathon in Houston, Texas, in January 2008. She ran 26.2 miles in 3 hours, 50 minutes, 15 seconds in Houston. As a point of reference, most people are happy to finish a marathon in less than 5 hours.

"Completing the last six miles in Houston was the hardest thing I've ever done," she says. "Running a marathon is difficult no matter what kind of shape you're in. I've heard that the body just can't store enough energy to run more than 20 miles, and that was definitely true for me in Houston.

But, thanks to encouragement and support from friends running with me, and knowing my APA family was home tracking my progress online, I kept going and made it within the necessary qualifying time."

Having overcome past disappointments, much of the pressure was alleviated. Now Eileen could enjoy running the legendary Boston Marathon. And enjoy it she did, thanks in part to support from the local community. She finished the Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 49 minutes.

"The night before, I wrote my name on my jersey, and that was the best decision I made," Eileen says. "Even though people in the crowd don't know you, it really works to hear people calling your name. They were singing 'Come On Eileen.' They were just wild."

Soon after, Eileen returned to APA's San Antonio office to find streamers, cards, and e-mails congratulating her on her achievement.

"You can pre-plan and train on your own, but relying on others who have been through it before is critical," she says.

Dealing with daily challenges of payroll can feel like running a marathon. She urges payroll professionals to pre-plan and enlist the support of friends when dealing with seemingly insurmountable challenges.

"Whether it's preparing for the CPP exam or running a marathon, the path to success is much the same," Eileen advises. "Set your sights on your goal, know in your heart you can do anything you set your mind to, and don't be afraid to ask others for help."

Following through on her message of mutual support, Eileen's next endeavor is to run the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon with long-time friend and co-worker, Christina Meslener, Director of Marketing, who recently took up running.

"I'm looking forward to 'paying it forward,'" Eileen says.