Run It Fast®

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Hypothermic Half Marathon that took place in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada on February 27, 2012.

Impressive bling for all of those who finished considering it was -15 degrees Celsius!!!

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[medal photo submitted by Corina Waage. Follow Corina on Twitter @corinawaage]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Scenic City Half Marathon that was held on February 25, 2012 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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[Medal photo submitted by Dina Kwit. Follow Dina on Twitter @dinakwit]

You win some and you lose some….sometimes during the same race.  

Oklahoma native Scott Downard won the 2012 Cowtown Marathon on Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas in 2:31:40.

However, minutes later he was stripped of his win after race officials discovered that Downard had never registered for the race. He had a bib though, but the bib belonged to a friend who was unable to compete in the marathon.

Downard admitted it freely and didn’t cause a stir.  The runner-up, Kolin Styles, was declared the winner. Styles finished the race in 2:37:53.

This is a practice that isn’t rare. It happens often, but the difference is that it is almost never if ever the race winner doing it. Usually the top dog is comped or signed up weeks in advance of the race.

The reason it is happening more and more is because of the rapid rate that a lot of marathons are selling out months in advance. So runners are signing up months in advance for races that they might never run. Injury, work, illness, family, conflicts can get in the way when trying to plan or train so far in advance.

Then on the flipside you have runners who really want to run these races who got shut out.  So bibs are usually transferred often at a fraction of the cost the original runner paid or given to a friend or buddy.

To me it’s no harm no foul…unless you win!

Unless of course you are helping a friend cheat their way into a BQ or age bracket win. It does get complicated on a certain level but for the most part runners just want to run.

Downard didn’t cheat the race or course. He won fair and square. He just didn’t sign up for the race. The race officials made the right decision.

Some races (fewer and fewer) will let you transfer a bib/registation to another runner before a certain date or for a small feel.

Congrats to both Scott and Kolin on winning the Cowtown Marathon.

[image: Paul Moseley/Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Hyannis Marathon that was held on February 26, 2012.

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Hyannis Marathon Website

[medal photo by Anthony Tieuli. Follow him on Twitter @aTIEULI]

Here is the finisher’s medal (coaster) from the 2012 LaJolla Canyon Trail 50K that took place on February 26, 2012 in Malibu, California.

This coaster/medal is weak. A coaster is not something you display but something you put drinks and other crap on top of. Step it up LaJolla and give these finisher’s something worthwhile of conquering such a tough 50K.

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[medal photos submitted by Lisa Gonzales. Follow her on Twitter @runlikeacoyote]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the The Cowtown Half Marathon that was held on February 26, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas.

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[medal photos submitted by Alex Castillo. Follow him on Twitter @acast2377]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Post Oak Lodge 50K that was held on February 25, 2012 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Come on Post Oak!! This is one of the worst medals we’ve seen this year. It looks like someone put the paint-pen to a left over Christmas tree ornament (from 1987).

No intent to be mean but come on now!  This is a medal that only Fred G. Sanford would be proud of!

As Mother Marathon Mary would say, “It’s not the medal that is important, but the effort and desire to start and finish the race that is being honored.”

MMM Recommendation: Play off the Oak name and create a natural wood medal similar to Recover From the Holidays (photo HERE) or Flying Monkey (photo HERE).

[Yeah, I just made up MMM! But I like her…and she is right!]

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[medal photo submitted by Dustin Washam.  Follow him on Twitter @washamrunning]

Here is the unique and pretty finisher’s medal from Disney’s Princess 1/2 Marathon that was held on February 26, 2012 at EPCOT.

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[medal photos submitted by Beth Lynch. Follow her on Twitter @bethlynch]

Run It Fast was recently able to catch up with veteran marathoner Nadia Ruiz Gonzales from Los Angeles. Nadia is 27-years old and ran her first marathon at the age of 14. She has now run a total of 71 marathons to date.

Here is a quick rundown of why Nadia runs and who inspires her:

When did you start running?
In middle school, my mom enrolled me in boxing so I can learn self defense. Yes, cool mom. 🙂 As part of training, the coach had us run and run some more in circles around the gym. It was then I learned I had a thing for endurance.

Did you start with races or just running recreationally or for school?
After middle school, my sister suggested I try out for the high school Cross Country team. Afraid and timid, I trained my first summer hard as a Freshman because it was a fear that I would be left behind. In our first school’s Cross Country meet, I came in first overall for our school. I was hooked. I remained undefeated at any long distance for four years at SFHS.

What distance(s) were your first races?
Standard distance in Cross Country was the 3 mile event. In Track & Field, I was placed in the 4x400m, 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. I was so hooked to the running high, I started running 5Ks and 10Ks on the weekends with my family as training to make myself a stronger racer. Ten years after graduating, my high school records for the 3 mile, 2 mile and 3200m still remain at SFHS.

Who inspired you or inspires you to run? Who got that ‘bug’ activated within you?
I first learned about running as a sport and the marathon distance as a 6th grader from my middle school math teacher who ran marathons for “fun.” Noticing my interest, my father took me with him to cheer on an Ecuadorian runner in the 1996 Los Angeles Marathon who went on the win the race making my dad be a proud Ecuadorian that day. Witnessing such amazing strength and will, I then decided as a little 12 year old girl that one day I would run the marathon to hopefully make my parents proud but most importantly prove to myself that I could do it. My father and I ran our first marathon together when I was 14 years old hand-in-hand crossing the finish line together… in tears. My parents had immigrated to this country with nothing leaving behind everything to allow for their children to seek greater opportunities. This was an opportunity I was taking to discover what I had inside me to run my first marathon. My father and mother to this day continue to be the largest source of inspiration for me.

How many marathons have you run?
After 13 years running, I have now completed 71 marathons as a 27 year old.

What is your fastest marathon to date? Fastest half marathon?
The past three years have been great racing years for me in running and triathlons where I have ran a 3:20:04 marathon PR and a 1:26:45 half marathon PR both in 2011. I hope and will work hard to surpass those marks this year.

How many states have you run marathons in?
I have ran marathons in 15 different states and 4 different countries. I hope to run marathons in as many countries as I can and in every continent.

Have you run an ultra marathon yet? If not, do you want or plan to?
I ran my first ultra in 2011 at the ET Midnight Marathon and 51K at Area 51, Nevada on 8/14/11. With a focused mind and the help of an ultra runner friend, I won first female overall at my first ultra despite how much it hurt my legs to go passed 26.2 miles. It was a great first experience!

What is your favorite race to date?
As many races as I have ran, it is always difficult to narrow it down to one favorite. I can say though my favorite top 5 marathons are: Los Angeles, Big Sur, Rome, ING New York, and Pikes Peak.

What is your dream race that you haven’t run but hope to one day?
The Antarctica Marathon. I’m wait listed for 2015. It is an absolute dream to run at the end of the world!

What shoes and gear do you run in?
I have tried a variety of brands. Currently, I run in Brooks.

What do you eat on race morning?
I have experimented with a variety of combinations and try to mix it up when I can to keep it exciting. I have had in the past: peanut butter and almond sandwiches, granola with almond butter, Greek yogurt with granola, oatmeal with apples, or bananas with honey.

Do you belong to any running clubs?
I am a part of an amazing online running community called the Marathon Maniacs member #1791, Tri Lunatics  #3 (site), and Run It Fast – The Club member #69 (details HERE).

What other runners do you look up to admire?
My father
My mother

Have you ever been seriously injured from running? If so did you have to take off a lot of time from it? How did you cope?
Thankfully, I have not been seriously injured but I did develop tendonitis of the knee once where I stopped running for 6 weeks. That taught me to not ignore what my body needs again. Too much, too soon, too fast is asking for trouble.

What advice do you have for someone looking to improve their time/speed in a half marathon or marathon?
Every little thing helps. If you want it bad enough, you have to adopt a marathon lifestyle. Love and listen to what your body needs and you can demand anything from it. Dream big.

What helpful tips can you give to the newbie runner that has no running experience and knows nothing about running?
The running community is one of the most welcoming groups you can find. No matter what distance, no matter what pace, always aim to have fun and you may just become a lifelong runner.

• Nadia’s Blog
• Nadia’s Facebook Page
• Nadia’s Racing Schedule
• Nadia’s Marathon Results

 We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 46 of you responded!

Good luck to you all this weekend and Run It Fast!

Joshua Holmes – Denmark Dash 5K and some training runs on the trail!

Travis Hutchinson – Running in Bozeman at 5,000 ft. Nice getaway trip for the weekend. Plan on doing 35 miles in 2 runs!

rebecca kell – Running Warm Your Heart 5K with several friends.

John Shepard – I will be at @BigRiverRunning‘s Castlewood Cup on Saturday. Completely pumped.

Lisa Gonzales – I’m running the La Jolla Canyon 50K on Sunday. My 2nd! Woo!

Kiki – I’m running in the Making Tracks for Celiacs 5K in Hoover, AL.

Ev•••••• – Saturday, 5 miler – Ortega River Run 2012, Jacksonville, FL.

Carissa – ….conference meet!!! #emutf

Lauren Karn – Disney princess half marathon 🙂 @DisneySports

Indika McCampbell – time to get nice long 17mile training run on the trails this weekend!!

Paul – Xterra GA Thrill in the hills marathon

jjfrankelman – Trek Up the Tower in Omaha! Race up 40 flights of stairs.

elizabeth v rehmer – Disney baby!!! Princess half and my first time to Disney!

Susie K – 8 mile training run in Montauk, Long Island, NY 🙂

Tisha White – Mardi Gras Mambo 10K in Baton Rouge this Saturday

Jonathan Stewart – 16 easy breezy miles in J town. AJM just around the corner.

Heather Bily – #ragnardelsol. Bring it!!!

Lisa B. – Ft Worth. Cowtown Challenge 🙂

Kevin Ronayne – looong training runs this weekend in Central Mass

Jonathan Harrison – Leah & @ScottStader are running the Oxford Run 4 Hope Half Marathon in Oxford, MS.

Chad Lapp – running the febapple frozen 50k – south mountain preserve – NJ on Saturday!

Mike Kottmer – Mud In Your Eye 8K

jen bussey – in snowy calgary, helping my friend train for her first 1/2 marathon in prague mar 31 🙂

Danielle Elyse – I am RUNNING into the ocean for the Seaside Polar Bear Plunge on Saturday!! lol

Kevin Kozuszek – The Castlewood Cup 15k trail race by @bigriverrunning. It’s the best reason to train during the winter.

James Meredith – Sticking close to home, 8 miles; last long run before Little Rock, hoping to avoid injury, fatigue. Tapering can be a challenge.

We Run This – running in the fresh snow of WI…if it sticks around that long’

Camille Breckenridge –  #Oxford Run for Hope 5K

Casey – Princess 1/2 Marathon at Disney World on Sunday!

Gina Sassone – Super Spartan 8 mile obstacle course in Miami@Spartan_Race

Fernando Avila Alvar – at the parque tangamanga!

Lindsay Edwards – The Disney Princess Half Marathon in Orlando on Sunday!!! #disneymagic #readytorun

Sarah Malaney – 6 mile run Saturday with the Bridge the Gap Half Marathon training group!

Angie Gerber – 18 mile training run in beautiful Trout Lake, WA. Snow and wind will not stop us!

Nathan Bugg – <–Cowtown 10k in Ft.Worth Texas

Kimberly Tucker – Runniny my last long run before my half in NOLA next Sunday!

Chris Mateer – 5k/3k double at the SUNYAC championships….should be a fun weekend, both races are looking stacked!

Herk the Giant – 15km along the Birmingham Canal Main Line Upper and Lower levels via Smethwick

Connor Sorrells – george rogers clark 10 miler in vincennes indiana

William McArthur – half marathon race from Colorines to Valle de Bravo – Mexico!

Dina Kwit – Scenic City Half Marathon, Tenn.

AMI Round the Bays – wellington’s biggest ever fun run will gave 12,000 people running #AMIRoundTheBays

Kelly Belch – Doing my first 7k tomorrow for @Wgtnroundthebay ‘s. Very nervous and excited at the same time #cheeky7k

Jimmer0 – Running the Snow Joke half tomorrow in Seeley Lake, Montana.

Justin Gillette – Helping organize the Goshen Indoor Marathon…2 marathons held Saturday (8am and 230pm start times) and 1 on Sunday (7am start). One brave man is going to run all 3….204 laps on indoor track per race.

Marj Mitchell I forgot to write I will be doing a 19 miles on the hilly trails for week 13, marathon#2 training, it’s also my birthday and I can’t think of a better thing to do on my special day than to run long:)