About a mile from the finish line, Julie Stackhouse was poised for the podium. In an instant, her own survival took the lead.
Jacksonville woman crossed the finish line of the 26.2 marathon with an open wound on her arm from a dog attack for about a mile.
Julie Stackhouse has run in 11 Donna marathons and has won both.
“Because I had memorized the course, I knew exactly how far I had left to go,” Stackhouse said. “And I knew that I would be to the finish line in a matter of minutes.”
In the end, Stackhouse was the fourth woman to cross the finish line of the half marathon. She immediately told medics what happened and was given medical aid. Days later, the wound is bruised and sealed with stitches.
“I think it’s when I got to the finish line and I looked at it…I think that’s when it hit me,” Stackhouse said.
After having time to process what happened, Stackhouse urged pet owners to keep their dogs leashed during large events like the 26.2 With Donna.
Meanwhile, Stackhouse hoped to return to racing soon and already has next year’s Marathon penciled in on her calendar.
