CMU student completes half-marathon in Edinburgh, Scotland
Brian Caine has run a full marathon, seven half-marathons and traveled across the world. For many people, this would be a lifetime’s worth of achievements.
For Caine, it all happened during his sophomore year at Central Michigan University.
The Grand Blanc sophomore ran his most recent half-marathon in Edinburgh, Scotland as part of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival. More than 30,000 runners from across the world gathered on May 26 in Scotland for the festival. Caine ran 13.1 miles in one hour, 41 minutes, and 40 seconds – one of his best times yet.
Caine said the route was unlike anything in the United States simply because of its location in Edinburgh. One thing stayed the same – it used mile markers instead of kilometers.
"I was mentally preparing myself to know where that 10 (kilometer) marker was and where that was in relation to the 10 mile marker," he said. "Then it turned out they use miles anyways."
The half-marathon in Edinburgh marked his first time completing a race outside of the United States. Caine hopes it won’t be his last. Someday, he would like to complete the Abbott World Marathon Majors, which consists of the six largest marathons in the world. Three are inside the U.S. (Boston, New York City and Chicago) and three are located in other countries (London, Berlin and Tokyo).
Grand Blanc sophomore Brian Caine tees off near the coast at the Dunbar Golf Club course May 27 in Dunbar, Scotland. Caine was playing the course as part of the "Selling on the Green" study abroad class, which teaches students how to network on a golf course.
He was in Edinburgh for Business Information Systems 342: Selling on the Green. The course is taught by marketing and hospitality faculty member Deborah Gray. The class spent two weeks in Scotland and learned how to discuss business with clients – or potential clients – on the golf course.
“We don’t teach students how to golf,” Gray said. “We teach them how to use it to grow their business, further their careers and expand their network.”
Gray was surprised, but excited, when Caine brought up the idea of running the half-marathon. She rearranged the class schedule so the entire class could be at the finish line to cheer Caine on.
“Having a CMU student be one in 30,000 (runners) – I was really excited and filled with pride,” she said. “It was just a great opportunity to support a CMU student who wanted to follow his passion of running.”
Marketing and hospitality faculty member Rebecca Dingus went with the class this year as a faculty guest. Dingus had met Caine earlier in the year when he won an elevator pitch competition put on by CMU’s professional sales program.
“He’s a go-getter and a dedicated student,” she said. “He’s a creative thinker, a creative planner, and he’s clearly good at big picture as well as being able to manage the details.”
Caine said he inherited his love for running from his mom.
“My mom and I basically run every race together,” he said. “She’s run four of the seven half-marathons that I’ve run. She’s just as big into running as I am.”
