RAPID CITY, S.D. – Running has always been a way of life for Shannon Burnette. With her eye on the 2007 marathon in Vancouver, British Columbia, the 33-year-old mother of two continues to push against the clock improving her half marathon times. She has raced in some challenging endurance races during the past year.

In late May, she finished a half marathon and improved her time by 13 minutes.

“My time was 1:48 with a split of an eight-minute-a-mile pace for the 13.1 miles,” she said. “And I placed 1,661 overall out of 18,881 runners that also finished the half marathon. Out of my age division, which had 1,668 females, I placed 75th place. I am very pleased with my results and plan to continue my training to become a stronger runner.

“I will be competing in a triathlon in summer 2006 in South Dakota, and I will also run the Crazy Horse Half Marathon in October,” Burnette said.

Last fall, she won fourth place in the Black Hills Half Marathon. She was the first American Indian finisher and the first American Indian female, the top South Dakotan and the first in her age division to cross the finish line of the challenging 13-mile jaunt from Hill City to the Crazy Horse Memorial. Burnette received fourth place in the women’s division and 34th overall in that run.

She ran her first triathlon in August 2005, placing first in the women’s division with a time of two hours and 21 seconds in her first half marathon at the Mount Rushmore Marathon in October.

Running that race was no small feat for any conditioned competitive runner. She competed against elite veteran athletes who considered the course a monumental test of endurance.

As marathoners and half-marathoners paced their way along the Mickelson Trail, a converted railroad right-of-way, they ascended an 850-foot climb as a part of the 13 miles to the finish line at Crazy Horse. The stretch was considered a grueling course by even the most seasoned runners. Burnette, along with 116 females and 68 males, competed for top honors in the race.

The former Little Wound High School assistant cross country coach continues to compete against other runners, but her running is much more than joining the pack for a race towards the finish line.

“I chose to start running again because it feels like my own accomplishment,” she said. “Running helps me stay … spiritually, mentally and physically balanced.”

Burnette, Ho-Chunk, grew up in Mission on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. She competed in track and ran cross country races while in high school.

After taking a brief break for motherhood, she started running again in September 2004 training for new challenges. Her first race since becoming a mom was in June 2005 when she won the women’s division of a 10K with a time of 38:36 and won fifth place overall.

She was then presented with an idea of completing a triathlon in August 2005 at Oglala Nation Fair. The event was actually a mini-triathlon: it consisted of a four-mile bike, 250-yard swim and a two-mile run.

“I completed the triathlon and placed first in women and third place overall,” she said. “My time in this event was 37: 40.”

While most people are downing their lunch, this Rapid City woman, who works for Sacred Circle, the National Resource Center To End Violence Against Native Women, conditions her body by running five days a week during her lunch hour. She averages about four miles a day. Her longest practice, she said, was 10 miles.

She competed in the Eco-Challenge in Rosebud, which consisted of a two-mile run, four-mile mountain bike trail and two-mile canoe course. She placed sixth out of 21 teams and beat last year’s winning time. She also ran a 10K in Spearfish and placed second.

“I will be competing at others as well throughout the year,” she said.

Burnette finds her daily journey a relaxing way to beat stress, remain healthy and a nice break from her routine as she balances family, work and community involvement.

Since the Black Hills race, she has pushed the pace at other races in South Dakota and Arizona.

She said she is hoping her efforts of chasing her own dream as a competitive runner will inspire young people on the reservation to do the same for health, enjoyment and balance in life.