Most fans of running know the story of Shalane Flanagan‘s lineage. As Amby Burfoot wrote in 2008, “She sure as hell did a fine job selecting her parents.

Her mother, Cheryl Treworgy, was the first woman to break 2:50 in the marathon. The first. Ever. Her father, Steve Flanagan, was a 1:50.8 half-miler, a 4:07 miler, a three-time member of the U.S. World Cross Country team, and a 2:18 marathoner.

And then there’s this tantalizing little tidbit. Read the full article

It’s one week to Boston. But Shalane Flanagan‘s journey stretches far back, well beyond the start of her most recent build up. In the coming days, take a trip and trace the long and winding path that led Shalane from Marblehead, MA to the starting line in Boston.