A total of 30,000 people participated in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 25. Fries’ Gary Bond was the youngest.

At 13 years old, the Grayson County High School student was not only the youngest participant, but also the youngest to actually complete the 26.2-mile endurance race. Competing along with his father, Danny Bond (52 years old) and his fiancee Dr. Kelly Vandyke (45), the family crossed the finish line in six hours and eight minutes.

Considering his youth, Greg Bond garnered quite a bit of attention at the marathon in the nation’s capital. Aside from being invited to take part in a press conference in the Washington Convention Center prior to the race, the local youngster also turned the heads of many fellow runners.

“His number, 3333, was given to him because he was the youngest runner. While we were standing there waiting, people would look at him and tap their buddies and they would say, ‘Dude, how old are you?’ Then you would see them running and people would say, ‘How old are you?,’” Danny Bond said. “The press conference was really something. We got there a day early for that and you couldn’t come unless you were invited. He was on some of the TV stations up there and they hooked him up to wires. He really enjoyed that.”

Montel Williams, the youngest female runner in the race (age 14), and several Marine dignitaries were also part of the press conference. And while Greg made quite a splash with the D.C. media, his running wasn’t too shabby either considering it was his first marathon.

“It didn’t hurt him much because he is young, it’s natural and he’s good at it,” Danny Bond said. “I saw quite a few people at about mile 15 or 16 crying or throwing up. They couldn’t make it.”

The 26.2-mile marathon winds throughout the capital city, finishing at the Iwo Jima Memorial. The first running of the marathon was in October 1975 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Marine Corps. Danny is a veteran of the Marine Corp, serving during the Vietnam War. His oldest son, Johnny, has served in the Marines since 1999.

But runners did not have to have an affiliation with the Marine Corp to take part in the marathon, which helped raise more than $2.6 million for Toys for Tots. Since Danny, Greg and Vandyke ran as a family, their time was slowed some when Vandyke’s knee began to hurt around mile 13. Neither of the Bonds had ever ran a marathon prior to this event, however, and Vandyke’s only marathon experience was 14 years ago. To train, the Bonds ran portions of the New River Trail with Danny running 12 miles three times over a two-week period to prepare.

“When I was in the service I think the most I ran was seven miles one time, but that was 30 years ago. So I started going three, four, and six miles, then I started going 12, which was pretty hard on me,” Danny Bond said. “But Greg worked hard to do that because he ran a lot with me. We would run from the New River Trail down to Byllesby Dam, and when you start running you know you won’t be back for two hours. But he hung right in there and he’s run real well.”

Danny Bond said hopefully his son’s efforts will inspire others in the area to take up long-distance running, especially after witnessing what he did in the D.C. marathon.

“I thought it might inspire some of these kids around here. Anybody can do it,” Bond said. “I box and do weights and am in pretty good shape, but you would be surprised at some of the 70- and 80-year-old people that passed me before (Vandyke’s) knee went out. It was unbelievable.”