This Couple Got Married While Running A Marathon — No, REALLY

Like many couples, Stephanie Reinhart and Mark Jockel couldn’t agree on what kind of wedding they should have. Reinhardt wanted a “short and sweet ceremony.” While Jockel really wanted a big wedding with all of their family and friends. So, the two runners compromised by choosing to say “I do” eight miles into the Chicago Marathon. "I got my short and sweet ceremony, and Mark got 40,000 guests," Reinhart told The Chicago Tribune.

Their love story is the stuff of athletic super-couple legend: They met in 2013 while she was training for that year’s Chicago Marathon and he was prepping for the Marine Corps Marathon. They joined the Chicago Area Running Association and were both placed in the eight-minute-mile pace group. After many miles together, they were in love.

Naturally, the couple decided to wed during Sunday’s Chicago Marathon. The bride wore a white top and running shorts, while the groom donned a tuxedo-printed T-shirt. The ceremony was officiated by the bride’s best friend and former track teammate, who was ordained specifically for the event. "We invited guests from all over," Jockel told NBC Chicago. "Washington state, Colorado, out East, and everybody made it. No one turned us down."

They were married under an arch decorated with their own racing medals. After all, both Reinhart and Jockel have completed multiple marathons (three for the bride, and 12 for the groom). They toasted with Gatorade (as one does when completing a feat of athleticism and getting married at the same time) and after a four-minute ceremony, they left their friends and family in the dust. "We wanted it to be short because we knew we'd want to take some photos and then we had 18 more miles to run," Reinhart said. The newlyweds finished their race and were met with a congratulatory gesture from officials: racing bibs that said “Bride” and “Groom,” which they wore for pictures. After it all, they only had 45 minutes to prepare for their reception. The only complaint from this athletic super couple? "The whole day was perfect, except we would've liked our time to be shorter, but we had to stop for photos along the way," Jockel told Today. Perhaps they'll improve their times when they run the Philadelphia Marathon in a few weeks — as husband and wife from start to finish.