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By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 02:06 p.m. EDT, Sep 23, 2009
Pam Arman has a lot of faith in doctors, but she doesn't believe everything they've told her.
Good thing.
Otherwise, Saturday morning's seventh annual Road Runner Akron Marathon would be without three of its more distinct relay teams.
''I had a slipped disc in my back,'' Arman said, ''and my doctor told me that I'd never be able to have children, let alone run again.''
The prognosis was a bit off.
Nearly four decades later, Arman is one of the top runners in Ohio in her age group.
Oh, and Arman has teamed with her husband, Gary, to produce 10 offspring, ages 15 to 34.
''I think my doctor is rolling over in his grave when it comes to that visit,'' Arman said.
Instead of being lonely and a mere spectator at Saturday's race, Arman is looking forward to the biggest sporting event of her life.
''It's just amazing when you think about it. We've got three full relay teams made up of our kids and Gary and myself,'' Arman said.
What's really amazing is that Pam Arman has any time to train to be a competitive runner, let alone winner of her age group in five half-marathons last year, including three Akron races: Road Runner, Buckeye Half and Home Run for the Homeless.
She has raised 10 kids in the Arman's six-bedroom house in the St. Sebastian Catholic Church area.
''Being a mom has been a full-time job,'' she said. ''For a long time.''
Running, however, has always been a passion. She competed on the track team at Our Lady of the Elms High School before graduating in 1972.
A year later, the back problem took her off course.
She recovered, got married to Gary, a Kenmore High School graduate who is a facilities manager for the city of Akron, and began proving her doctor wrong.
She got back into running.
''Just for fun because I enjoy it,'' she said.
And began raising a family.
Tim, who lives in Akron and specializes in enhancement remodeling work, came first in 1975.
Kellie, who is an attorney in Milford, Mich., and is married with two daughters, was born in 1976.
Katie, who is director of operations and improvement at Trinity Health System in Waterford, Mich., and is married with a daughter and son, was born in 1978.
Sean, a senior accountant for Antares Management Solutions in Westlake, was born in 1980.
Bridgette, a prekindergarten teacher in the Montrose area, was born in 1982.
Megan, a senior communications major at the University of Akron, was born in 1984.
Ryan, a junior international business/biology major at the University of Akron, was born in 1987.
Bryant, a sophomore finance major at the University of Akron, was born in 1990.
Colleen, a junior at Archbishop Hoban High School, was born in 1993.
Brianna, a freshman at Hoban, was born in 1994.
Whew!
Somehow, Pam Arman found the time and energy to continue her favorite hobby.
''I just love to run, and I especially love running in the Road Runner marathon,'' she said. ''But I never went real crazy and got real competitive.
''What's interesting is any time I win an age-group award — and it keeps getting easier as I get older — it's always kind of a surprise because we don't go to races to win; we go to enjoy.
''Even if we're on vacation, we'll scout around for a race just to have fun. It's special when we run together as a family.''
And Saturday, Arman says, will be the most special race of all for her and her family.
Brianna turned 15 on Aug. 18. That made her eligible to run in the Road Runner Akron Marathon and prompted some sacrifices in the Arman house.
Pam, who has competed in all six Road Runner marathon events, gave up running the half marathon to get in the relay event with the rest of the family.
''The kids all kinda 'guilted' me into that,'' she said.
Colleen and Brianna both gave up their high school cross country seasons to run in the Road Runner.
''This is such an extra special event — three relay teams from the same family — that everybody knew it was worth giving up something today for something we'll remember forever,'' Pam Arman said.
They needed a little help filling out the five-person squads, but kept it all in the family with a husband, girlfriend and brother-in-law.
Pam Arman will run the 8-mile anchor for the team called Arm N Leg.
Colleen Arman will run the final leg for the Running with Red squad, named in honor of her red hair. This team also includes Katie's husband, Dan Van Koughnet, and his brother, John Van Koughnet, a personal banker in Canton.
Ryan Arman will run the last leg for the You Got Robbed squad, which includes 56-year-old family patriarch Gary and 25-year-old emergency room doctor Jenny Harris, who is Sean's girlfriend.
''Our motto is, 'The family that prays together and plays together always stays together,' '' Pam Arman said.
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
Marathon on TV
Time Warner Cable will replay the seventh annual Road Runner Akron Marathon on the Northeast Ohio Network (NEON), Channel 23.
Air times and dates will be:
7 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct. 1, Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.
1 p.m. Oct 3 and Oct. 10.
8 p.m. Oct. 4 and Oct. 11
The race also can be viewed on Local On Demand, channels 1 or 501.
Pam Arman has a lot of faith in doctors, but she doesn't believe everything they've told her.
Good thing.
Otherwise, Saturday morning's seventh annual Road Runner Akron Marathon would be without three of its more distinct relay teams.
''I had a slipped disc in my back,'' Arman said, ''and my doctor told me that I'd never be able to have children, let alone run again.''
The prognosis was a bit off.
Nearly four decades later, Arman is one of the top runners in Ohio in her age group.
Oh, and Arman has teamed with her husband, Gary, to produce 10 offspring, ages 15 to 34.
''I think my doctor is rolling over in his grave when it comes to that visit,'' Arman said.
Instead of being lonely and a mere spectator at Saturday's race, Arman is looking forward to the biggest sporting event of her life.
''It's just amazing when you think about it. We've got three full relay teams made up of our kids and Gary and myself,'' Arman said.
What's really amazing is that Pam Arman has any time to train to be a competitive runner, let alone winner of her age group in five half-marathons last year, including three Akron races: Road Runner, Buckeye Half and Home Run for the Homeless.
She has raised 10 kids in the Arman's six-bedroom house in the St. Sebastian Catholic Church area.
''Being a mom has been a full-time job,'' she said. ''For a long time.''
Running, however, has always been a passion. She competed on the track team at Our Lady of the Elms High School before graduating in 1972.
A year later, the back problem took her off course.
She recovered, got married to Gary, a Kenmore High School graduate who is a facilities manager for the city of Akron, and began proving her doctor wrong.
She got back into running.
''Just for fun because I enjoy it,'' she said.
And began raising a family.
Tim, who lives in Akron and specializes in enhancement remodeling work, came first in 1975.
Kellie, who is an attorney in Milford, Mich., and is married with two daughters, was born in 1976.
Katie, who is director of operations and improvement at Trinity Health System in Waterford, Mich., and is married with a daughter and son, was born in 1978.
Sean, a senior accountant for Antares Management Solutions in Westlake, was born in 1980.
Bridgette, a prekindergarten teacher in the Montrose area, was born in 1982.
Megan, a senior communications major at the University of Akron, was born in 1984.
Ryan, a junior international business/biology major at the University of Akron, was born in 1987.
Bryant, a sophomore finance major at the University of Akron, was born in 1990.
Colleen, a junior at Archbishop Hoban High School, was born in 1993.
Brianna, a freshman at Hoban, was born in 1994.
Whew!
Somehow, Pam Arman found the time and energy to continue her favorite hobby.
''I just love to run, and I especially love running in the Road Runner marathon,'' she said. ''But I never went real crazy and got real competitive.
''What's interesting is any time I win an age-group award — and it keeps getting easier as I get older — it's always kind of a surprise because we don't go to races to win; we go to enjoy.
''Even if we're on vacation, we'll scout around for a race just to have fun. It's special when we run together as a family.''
And Saturday, Arman says, will be the most special race of all for her and her family.
Brianna turned 15 on Aug. 18. That made her eligible to run in the Road Runner Akron Marathon and prompted some sacrifices in the Arman house.
Pam, who has competed in all six Road Runner marathon events, gave up running the half marathon to get in the relay event with the rest of the family.
''The kids all kinda 'guilted' me into that,'' she said.
Colleen and Brianna both gave up their high school cross country seasons to run in the Road Runner.
''This is such an extra special event — three relay teams from the same family — that everybody knew it was worth giving up something today for something we'll remember forever,'' Pam Arman said.
They needed a little help filling out the five-person squads, but kept it all in the family with a husband, girlfriend and brother-in-law.
Pam Arman will run the 8-mile anchor for the team called Arm N Leg.
Colleen Arman will run the final leg for the Running with Red squad, named in honor of her red hair. This team also includes Katie's husband, Dan Van Koughnet, and his brother, John Van Koughnet, a personal banker in Canton.
Ryan Arman will run the last leg for the You Got Robbed squad, which includes 56-year-old family patriarch Gary and 25-year-old emergency room doctor Jenny Harris, who is Sean's girlfriend.
''Our motto is, 'The family that prays together and plays together always stays together,' '' Pam Arman said.
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
Marathon on TV
Time Warner Cable will replay the seventh annual Road Runner Akron Marathon on the Northeast Ohio Network (NEON), Channel 23.
Air times and dates will be:
7 p.m. Sept. 30, Oct. 1, Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.
1 p.m. Oct 3 and Oct. 10.
8 p.m. Oct. 4 and Oct. 11
The race also can be viewed on Local On Demand, channels 1 or 501.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Posted 02:57 PM, 09/23/2009
Is this the great run that closes Main Street and every other street around so you can't get out of Firestone Park?
Akron, Oh
Posted 02:59 PM, 09/23/2009
That is a cool & fit family, what a special way to make family important...Good Luck on Saturday !
akron, oh
Posted 03:06 PM, 09/23/2009
I remember this family from St Sebastian! Good luck Mrs Arman and family!
COPLEY, OH
Posted 03:18 PM, 09/23/2009
Awesome ! God Bless this family. It is so refreshing to here a good family story.
Akron, Oh
Posted 03:39 PM, 09/23/2009
This is an awesome feel good story! I wish them all success on Saturday.
Linda-deal with it like the rest of us do. You think it is just your neighborhood?! At least people are out there exercising and not sitting on their butts eating donuts.
Canton, OH
Posted 06:00 PM, 09/23/2009
Good story. I feel all warm & fuzzy inside. . . I may get my Etonics out & run a few laps around the neighbourhood tonight. . .TurkeyTrot, HERE I COME . . . . .
Canal Fulton, Oh
Posted 06:35 PM, 09/23/2009
lol@turkey trot
I have to repeat myself tho..This family isnt running in a marathon.they are running the hell out of Akron!!
Largo, FL
Posted 08:55 PM, 09/23/2009
My daughter-in-law is running the 1/2 Marathon and were rooting for all of you. Being former St. St Sebastian parishioners and sending "only 5" kids there, we're rooting for the Arman Family also. This is a wonderful charity. Only sorry we can't be there to watch.
Akron, Oh
Posted 01:44 AM, 09/24/2009
ok peebs02...That was funny.
Posted 06:58 AM, 09/24/2009
Running marathons and half marathons are for the ignorant. The human body can only take things in moderation - if you care about the longevity of your body. But that's what we Americans do... everything to the extreme, with no thinking about the consequences.
Yep, you marathoners and half marathoners think you are healthy, but your machines are overworked. You'll find out later.
Stow, Oh
Posted 07:27 AM, 09/24/2009
Hey William,
This is a good story about about a great family and that's your response? It must really suck to be you.
Posted 08:00 AM, 09/24/2009
Mars...sorry I've offended YOU.
I wasn't attacking this family.
(Although the ten kids clearly shows they know nothing about moderation!)
Oh...I don't live in that stinkhole of a city anymore. So it really doesn't suck to be me!
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 09:09 AM, 09/24/2009
William, your ignorance is showing this morning. If marathons were purely an American Sport of "taking everything to the extreme" then why do people from all over the world come to Akron to run this race? I have ran in distance races where people in their 70's are running! Yeah, I can tell that their bodies are really paying for it...
Linda, if you wanted to get out of Firestone park on Saturday morning, try running!
Akron, OH
Posted 10:22 AM, 09/24/2009
A nice story. Good luck to the family.
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:11 AM, 09/24/2009
I'm with Hippychic...deal with it Linda, it's not as if you don't get enough "heads up" and don't know where it is at , must be one of the "FAT" ones....unbeleiveable,some will complain about anything...I've run this marathon 4 times (not the whole, but half twice and relays twice) and it is the most wonderful community event I've ever been involved in my 50 years in Akron...it brings this city to life, without being in fear of it ...
Stow, Oh
Posted 01:50 PM, 09/24/2009
William,
Nothing about your response was offensive. This was an upbeat story. Your response would cause one to believe that you are not enjoying life at all.
Akron, Oh
Posted 03:17 PM, 09/24/2009
William-
If you don't have anything nice to say.....
Clearly you are a miserable human being.
Mrs. Arman defeated all odds after her doctors diagnosis! So, what were you saying about health and running?
akron, oh
Posted 06:41 PM, 09/24/2009
Dear William, try it. Check your cholesterol, BP, blood sugar, weight, and pulse today.
Spend 1-2 years training for a marathon (the right way, not one of those crazy couch-to-marathon in 120 day plans), check your numbers again, and get back to us.
Posted 07:46 PM, 09/24/2009
The Akron Marathon is a wonderful event. The frenetic energy and a jam-packed downtown at 6am on a Saturday morning is something to behold. The beer at the end is good too! As for the roads being closed; there are signs on the street ahead of time, notices in the newspaper, online, and it's the 7th year in a row (at the same time of year, too). Let's try no to complain about a once-yearly 6 hour traffic disruption. Enjoy the marathon and the supporting events. It's a good thing for Akron. As for William's comments, I wont even start or else he might accuse me of having the vapors!
