Last week, Neely Spence Gracey, a 2012 graduate of Shippensburg University, raced into the national spotlight with a ninth-place finish in the Boston Marathon. Gracey was also the first American woman to cross the finish line in the decorated Boston race.
Along for the ride with Gracey was her father, current SU cross-country coach Steve Spence.
Spence, in his own right, was a very successful runner. Spence graduated from SU in 1985, and after graduation, became an Olympic marathoner. Spence won a bronze medal at the 1991 World Championships. He then went on to place 12th at the Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain, in 1992.
Spence also competed in 12 different marathons. The first time Spence ran a marathon, he ran the 1985 Maryland Marathon. His final marathon was the 1996 Olympic Trials. Spence was also the second American man to cross the finish line in the 1989 Boston Marathon. Spence has also compiled an impressive feat of running a sub-5-minute mile every year since 1976.
This time, with Gracey running the Boston Marathon, her first marathon, Spence was a spectator. The connection between the Boston Marathon and Gracey goes all the way back to Gracey’s birth in 1990. Gracey was born while Spence was competing in the 1990 Boston Marathon. With Spence running the marathon, he was unable to be present for Gracey’s birth.
“It was a wonderful day that my first child entered the world, but it was also disappointing because I was not there for her birth,” Spence said.
“It’s something that I still regret and when I look back, I say to myself, what were you thinking going to Boston when Kirsten was so close to her due date?”
For Spence, Gracey’s birth overshadowed his performance in the marathon. Spence was sitting in fourth-place at the 23-mile mark, but fell to 19th by the end of the race.
On marathon day in 2016, Gracey was 26 years and two days old. Ironically enough, the distance of a marathon is 26.2 miles.
“I think it made for a good story,” Spence said.
The rest of the story after Gracey’s birth is history. Gracey followed in her father’s footsteps to SU, where she won four consecutive individual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) cross-country titles. In 2011, Gracey medaled at the Pan-American Games, finishing eighth among some of the world’s top runners.
Gracey excelled in her marathon debut, finishing with a time of 2 hours and 35 minutes, just 5 minutes and 41 seconds behind the women’s marathon winner, Atsede Baysa of Ethiopia.
“I was really happy,” Gracey said of the Boston Marathon when interviewed last Monday by The Slate. “I met all of my goals out there. It wasn’t a fast day on the course, but I executed my plan and strategy very well. I played it conservative to have a positive finish and I’m excited to it being the beginning of my marathon career,” Gracey said.
For Gracey and Spence, being able to share the 2016 Boston Marathon was something extremely special.
“It was so nice he was there with me. He went through this before and it was very special we got to experience it together,” Gracey said.
“Neely’s mom, Kirsten, and I were just so happy to be there and support her. We enjoy seeing all of our children work hard for something and achieve their goals,” Spence said of his daughter’s race.
Beyond the marathon, Spence and Gracey share something much greater than just a race. The two share a love for running, allowing the two of them to grow closer together.
“It’s a great way for us to connect when we are together. The process of going for a run can span several hours. We will often drive to where we are going to run. We will then stretch, run for an hour or longer, stretch some more, maybe do a little core work, get something to eat and then drive home. It’s excellent quality time with my daughter filled with good conversation,” Spence said.
For the Spence family, there is no telling how far their success will go. Spence’s career was filled with spectacular marathon finishes, and with Gracey’s determination and the coaching and personal experience her father can offer, there is no limit to just how far Gracey can go.
Check out our story on Gracey's marathon debut here:
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