Q&a

Encouraged to run a marathon by his fianc�e, Amanda Beach, who has completed three, Justin Leonard (above, in sunglasses) ran his first on Dec. 9. He finished Dallas's White Rock Marathon 1,018th out of 3,442 participants.

SI: What was it like crossing the finish line?

JL: An intense feeling of relief and a huge sense of accomplishment. It's much different from a golf tournament because everybody you're running with has that same awesome feeling, so there aren't any losers. That's really cool.

SI: What was the hardest part?

JL: Getting out of bed the following morning.

SI: How did running the marathon compare with your expectations?

JL: It was much more emotional than I had imagined, especially toward the end, seeing everybody else struggling, and having Amanda run the last six miles with me.

SI: Did you cry?

JL: No, but close.

SI: By finishing, did you prove that golfers are athletes?