Amy Dodson on the cover of Runner's World, July, 2011
Amy talking with @smithbend at Bell Buckle, June, 2001
It has been my good luck to stand in a place where I met some pretty amazing people. Two of them—Amy Dodson and Susan Ford—will be running The Ironman World Championship at Kona, Hawaii this coming Saturday. Both are my good friends, although they never met each other. And both began their endurance journey in Cookeville, Tennessee. Because of that commonality they planned to share a hotel room at Kona.
This story is about Amy. It’s an old story, first published in Running Journal. Although already written, it was on my mind in April, 2000 as I was running the Boston Marathon for the first time, because that’s when the story appeared.
The story is about how Amy started running. In one sense, it’s a disservice to her, because she has since accomplished so much. Just part of it makes a long list: Boston Marathon first woman leg amputee, marathon world record, 100-mile ultramarathon, two-time ITU World Paratriathlon Champion… It goes on. But this story is about how she began.
Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE
Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend (Oct 6-7, 2012)
Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Oct 05 2012 10:34:44
@runitfast Yellowstone-Teton 100 Miler – gonna be a cold one. Low of 24 deg Sat night. #runitfastJoshua Holmes
@runitfast Crewing @bayou at Yellowstone-Teton 100 and going to get a couple of runs in for fun! So far it’s beautiful! #IdahoFallsLisa Gonzales
@runitfast STP Marathon in Winchester, TN this Saturday. Weather looks great!Danny Staggs
Off to @ChiMarathon #ChicagoMarathon for @BoMFnyc @backonmyfeet http://tinyurl.com/runkinobomfnyc ! Looking to @RunItFast er than my 4:52:16 time in 2008Hideki Kino 木下秀樹
@absolut_zer0 @runitfast @c2crelay have a great run #GoGetItLeigh Marsh
@runitfast Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon http://j.mp/p54C1T. #runitfastDennis Arriaga
@runitfast Chicago Marargon baby!!!!!elizabeth v rehmer
@runitfast STP 1/2 marathon in Winchester, TNRobin Robbins
@runitfast Saturday- summer 2 mi xc series final(Moscow) Sunday-Serpukhov Half @50k race pace (unless I sleep in ) 2+hrs south of MoscowMichelle Mitchell
@runitfast Running @steamtown26. Hoping for no rain!Robin
@runitfast Portland Marathon!Josh Liggett
Let’s #runitfast! RT @JohnHulsey: Texas Toast Team, Van 1. We’re ready to run! #c2c3 #c2ctxtoast http://pic.twitter.com/u9SgIDi1 cc: @runitfastNicholas L. Norfolk
@runitfast @beukdeup and I will be running the StumpJump 50k on Signal Mtn in Chattanooga TN. #runitfastDavid J. Pharr
@runitfast Stump Jump 50k in Chattanooga.Nathan Judd
@runitfast st George marathon.Jason Howard
@runitfast – I’m going to run the Chapel of the Cross 5k Saturday morning. It’s just down the road from my house in Madison, MS. #runitfastNathan Bass
@runitfast Tyler Rose Half MarathonChristy Bowers
@runitfast I hate to admit it, but I worked in a 1 mile run today. My life has gotten in the way of training & I have 15k next wkend. Yikes!CharmedTortoise
@runitfast Running a half in Evansville, IN this Sunday.Barbara Mitchell
@runitfast Saturday, Marine Corp Half Marathon – Jacksonville, FL.E. Smith
@runitfast Cape Gate 5k, Cape Town ZA.Daniel Malan
@runitfast the Ormskirk 10k, England Lyns Rimmer
@runitfast st. George yeah!lisa trevino
@runitfast Chapman 5K in Orange CA with 115 kids and parents from St. John’s Lutheran Church and School! http://pic.twitter.com/oR9gUre4Jeff Courvoisier
@runitfast Rock ‘N’ Roll San Jose Half. #RnRSJFrancis L.
@runitfast The Hogweed Muggles in Gloucestershire tomorrow morning. 15 miles of muddy fun :)RunningAddictAndrew!
@runitfast 12-miler, likely in Kensington Park west of Detroit.don morris
@runitfast wooot! Doin my 10th halfmara in Kelowna at the @okanaganmara Awesome #roadtrip tomoz!TinaFab
@runitfast Portland Marathon !!!Trish Spinar
@runitfast chicago marathon! my first one ever and i am psyched!victoria grabner
“@runitfast: 55 Responses So Far: Where Are you running/racing this weekend? http://runitfast.com/2012/10/05/where-run-it-fast-runners-are-running-this-weekend-oct-6-7-2012/” @LWFallClassic Race in #Winnipeg!Drew Gourdie
@runitfast @chestermarathonIan Richards
@runitfast 20 miles on the Delaware toepathamy dedic
@runitfast back home in the Netherlands after doing four runs on this four day trip to ArgentinaHedzer
This week’s Run It Fast – The Club profile is Kenneth Williams #28. Kenneth, aka MarathonKoach, has been running for a long time and has traveled the world to do it! But it’s not about what he gets from running that matters most to him…it’s what he can give back.
STATS Years Running: 35 Favorite Race Distance: The marathon Favorite PR: I ran two 3:34s at age 66. They were only 9 minutes off my marathon PR, 25 years before. Favorite Race: Coke 10k, Corinth, MS. I’m founder and Race Director of the 32 year old 10k
Favorite Bling: Boston Medallion
Next Race: Dublin Marathon, Dublin Ireland. Oct. 28th What Makes You FEEL Fast?: Getting a Boston Qualification!
FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Who inspires your running and why?
My runners! I coach (Koach) marathoners and have for years. It gives me a huge thrill to see runners accomplish a life-goal like finishing a marathon (or qualifying for Boston). It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. (I have my RRCA Coaching Certification and I coach free, but often my quota is full)
If you could go for a run with any famous person (living or dead), who would it be and why?
One of my running heroes came tipping up beside me at the Germantown Half Marathon a couple of years ago. “Boston Billy” Rogers. We chatted for 5 minutes or so before he eased away. Obviously, he was just out for a morning jog, but it gave me a thrill! Like most world class runners, he was so nice and personable.
What is the strangest/funniest thing you’ve ever seen while running?
I was deep in the bush in Africa a few years back and determined to run. After a few dusty miles, I glanced over my shoulder to see a pack of wild African Cape Hunting Dogs jogging along just off to my side. Don’t know who it frightened more, me or my guide who came rushing to get me in a jeep. I’ll never forget the sight of seeing the feared pack of wild dogs.
What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run?
The most beautiful sight I’ve seen was at the Kilimanjaro Marathon a couple years ago. I was running up a gradual 6 mile ascent and a part of the great mountain broke free from her usual cloud cover and appeared like a gigantic mirage, covering a good portion of the horizon. Awesome sight.
Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
We have a challenging stretch of highway near my community called Hwy 350. It’s very difficult, but has taken on rather a cult following of area runners. New runner’s goals are to “get good enough to where I can run on #350”. We run it every Saturday, sometimes with as many as 30 runners of all abilities.
What running moment are you most proud of?
I over-took my friend and running student, Joy, at the 25 mile mark in Memphis and begged, fussed and screamed her to a BQ. She had to have a sub 3:40 and ran a 3:39:54. I followed her across at 3:39:57.
***
There were a lot of very cool things in Kenneth’s profile (hello? Kilimanjaro…WOW!) but the one thing that stood out the most is that his proudest moment was about another runner’s achievement. Loved that! He is using his experience as a runner to help other runners achieve their dreams and goals. And he not only encourages his runners but countless others as well with his Coke 10K. The other thing I loved about his responses is all the adventures he’s had with running…and outside of running too. From running in wild places like Africa to kayaking, scuba diving, and sky diving! That’s the kind of life I want to live! Here’s one more photo of him to inspire you. 🙂
Live your dreams!
Thanks for sharing Kenneth and good luck at Dublin (I’m SO jealous!). Run It Fast!
If you’d like to join Run It Fast – The Club or would like more information about it, please click this link:
This is the medal for the Ultra Race of Champions 100K that was held on September 29, 2012 near Charlottesville, Virgina.
Solid medal for this 100K. Nathan also received the sub 17 hour buckle for running the 100K in 14:36:35! And it was his first 100K! Congratulations Nathan!
This is the medal for the Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon that was held on September 29, 2012 in Cherokee, North Carolina.
The medal for the Cherokee Harvest is the smaller one in front. The larger medal is the one that RIF #15 Amber received for placing 2nd in her Age Group! Congratulations Amber!
This is the medal for the Big Sur Trail Marathon that was held on September 29, 2012 in Big Sur, California.
So disappointing that a medal for a race that is awesome and beautiful and challenging is a generic medal! The runners who climbed 5700 ft while running this marathon deserve a better medal than this!
But…congratulations to RIF #1 Joshua who rocked this trail marathon in 4:07:02 and came in 10th Overall and won his Age Group! Way to Run It Fast Josh!
“The two Salish figures at the bottom represent community, working together to support the community. The animals can’t be forgotten as community members either. It could be something small as a frog that supports more than we think. The eagle is showing trust as he sits in the whale’s mouth. And it takes the active community to balance all these things. The seagull silhouette was done with good humor and matches the Bellingham Bay Marathon seagull logo.”
This is the medal for runDisney’s The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10 Miler that was held on September 29, 2012 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Seriously cool medal. The elevator slides and the windows and sign glow in the dark! I want this medal!
