Running with purpose: Houlton alum to run marathon for Zimmerman

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Running for a purpose is something Houlton native Marne Deranger is getting first-hand knowledge of, even if it’s for someone she has never met.
    The daughter of Paul and Sharon Boutlier of Houlton, Deranger plans to run in the Marine Corps Marathon Oct. 30 in Arlington, Va. in support of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS). In particular, Deranger will be running with a group of people supporting the memory of Marine 1st Lt. James Zimmerman, 25, of Smyrna. Zimmerman was killed Nov. 2, 2010 during combat operations in Afghanistan. He was a 2003 graduate of the Greater Houlton Christian Academy, where he was a runner, and the University of Maine.
Leading the group is Zimmerman’s widow, Lynel Winters. According to their fund-raising website, Deranger is one of 11 runners raising money for TAPS in memory of Zimmerman. The group hopes to raise $5,000 for TAPS. As of Monday morning, the donations tallied $4,072.
Deranger, a 1989 graduate of Houlton High School, said she did not personally know the Zimmerman family, but wanted to run for a cause that she believed in.
“I was already registered for the 2011 marathon when my Dad sent me a Bangor Daily News article about 1st Lt. Zimmerman’s widow running the MCM to raise money for TAPS,” Deranger said. “I had considered joining a charity team, but hadn’t found one that really resonated with me until I read that article. I liked the idea of supporting a Houlton/UMaine alum. I also liked the idea of supporting an organization that helps our Department of Defense spouses and families.”
According to the event’s website, the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon has 30,000 registered participants. The race winds through the nation’s capital and across the scenic Potomac River before heading back into northern Virginia for the finish at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn.
The race will be Deranger’s second marathon. Her first was the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon.
“TAPS provides direct support to families who have been impacted by a death in the military regardless of geography or circumstance,” Deranger said. “The funds I raise will flow directly into TAPS programming which supports these families through an amazing network of resources, seminars and publications. TAPS provides these services at no charge to survivors from all branches of the service, including Reserves and National Guard. TAPS’ programs and services are available not only for immediate family, but also for extended family and friends.”
Deranger has not met Winters, nor any other members of the marathon group, but said she was looking forward to getting to know them at the event. To prepare for the race, Deranger started her training regiment in May, running three times per week with cross training on two additional days.
“One of those runs is a long run, which gets progressively longer each week,” she said. “For example, when I was visiting my parents back in June, my long run (out the Porter Settlement Road) was only eight miles. This week, my long run was 16 miles. There are lots of good training plans out there (most are free on the Internet), so I picked one that seemed to make the most sense for my life and fitness level.”
Deranger entered the Air Force from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Maine in 1993. She has served as a missile combat crew commander, instructor, flight commander, executive officer, speechwriter, and squadron commander during her assignments at F.E. Warren AFB (Wyoming), Vandenberg AFB (California), Patrick AFB (Florida), and Peterson AFB (Colorado). She is currently assigned to the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, in the Nuclear Operations Division.
Her husband, Chad, is also an active duty member of the Air Force. The two met and married on their first assignment.
“Chad is temporarily working for six months in Tampa, Fla. so I am playing the single parent role to our 10-year-old daughter, Hannah, while working at the Pentagon, which makes the thought of marathon training a little nutty,” Deranger said. “So an added value of joining a charity team is extra accountability.”
To donate to Deranger’s marathon, visit http://TAPS.kintera.org/mcm2011/1stltzimmerman.