A start-gun wedding

By Tiffany Brown

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Kymmith Handy carries his bride, Vikki Richardson, after finishing the Las Vegas Half Marathon.

The West Covina, Calif., couple was one of 47 who married or renewed vows during the run-through wedding ceremony Sunday.

“He said he wasn’t willing to chase me 26.2 miles to get married, but he was happy with the half,” Richardson said.

“I meant to carry her across the finish line but my legs wouldn’t take it, so I carried her through the last part,” Handy added.

Richardson has run 46 marathons and countless half-marathons. Handy started running after they met through her mother just over a year ago.

“We chose to run away to Vegas to get married and we thought it would just be the two of us,” Handy said. “But we have a party of 13 people (from all over the country) who wanted to come and see this because they think we’re crazy, for getting married period, not to mention getting married while running in a half-marathon race.”

What do they think makes a marriage work?

“Stay prayed up, keep God in your life,” he said.

“Always remain in an attitude of gratitude, and F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S,” she said. “Be an encouragement to one another, not a put-down. That’s our intent.”

So far they’re off to a good start.

“He’s twice as fast a runner as me but he stayed with me today like a dedicated husband,” Richardson said with a bright smile, turning to her new husband.