Run It Fast®

The Run It Staggs!

It’s a new year and a new chance for the Run It Fast – The Club members to race their legs off! They are off to a great start in 2013. 37 Club members submitted points and/or monthly miles in January (only points count in the standings so only 30 Club members are listed below)

2 familiar names are in the top 3 but…what’s this? We have a new contender in the mix! RIF #159 Diane Bolton is in the lead with 196.8 points, followed closely by RIF #186 Danny Staggs with 152.4 points in second, and RIF #190 John Kent Leighton in 3rd with 114.4 points.!

On the Men’s Leaderboard, Danny is in 1st, followed by John in 2nd, and RIF #1 Joshua Holmes in 3rd with 67.3 points.

On the Women’s Leaderboard, Diane is in 1st, followed by RIF #44 Heather Shoemaker in 2nd with 94.6 points, and RIF #220 Sandy Staggs in 3rd with 83.4 points.

Here are the full standings:

Top Ten Overall
1.   Diane Bolton – 196.8  (RIF #159)
2.   Danny Staggs – 152.4  (RIF #186)
3.   John Kent Leighton – 114.4  (RIF #190)
4.   Heather Shoemaker – 94.6  (RIF #44)
5.   Sandy Staggs – 83.4  (RIF #220)
6.   Carol Goslin – 71.7  (RIF #218)
7.   Joshua Holmes – 67.3  (RIF #1)
8.   Leigh Marsh – 61.7  (RIF #192)
9.   Laura Raeder – 52.4  (RIF #20)
10.   Rodrigo Jiménez – 51.31  (RIF #203)

Men’s Leaderboard
1.   Danny Staggs – 152.4  (RIF #186)
2.   John Kent Leighton – 114.4  (RIF #190)
3.   Joshua Holmes – 67.3  (RIF #1)
4.   Rodrigo Jiménez – 51.31  (RIF #203)
5.   Nicholas Norfolk – 48  (RIF #116)
6.   Mark Watson – 31  (RIF #173)
7.   Stewart Crouch – 29.3  (RIF #89)
8.   Chris Haynes – 26.2  (RIF #223)
9.   Nikiah Nudell – 26.2  (RIF #234)
10.   Josh Liggett – 16.2  (RIF #147)
11.   Kevin Brandon – 13.1  (RIF #214)
12.   Dennis Arriaga – 13.1  (RIF #140)
13.   Austin Coates – 13.1  (RIF #241)
14.   Billy Cannon – 10  (RIF #169)
15.   Anthony Ohrey – 10  (RIF #27)
16.   Kevin Ronayne – 5  (RIF #11)

Women’s Leaderboard
1.   Diane Bolton – 196.8  (RIF #159)
2.   Heather Shoemaker – 94.6  (RIF #44)
3.   Sandy Staggs – 83.4  (RIF #220)
4.   Carol Goslin – 71.7  (RIF #218)
5.   Leigh Marsh – 61.7  (RIF #192)
6.   Laura Raeder – 52.4  (RIF #20)
7.   Jennifer Whitley – 46  (RIF #160)
8.   Christy Scott – 40.3  (RIF #231)
9.   Lisa Gonzales – 32.86  (RIF #5)
10.   Alicia Eno – 29.3  (RIF #126)
11.   Marj Mitchell – 23.1  (RIF #4)
12.   Amanda Staggs – 13.1  (RIF #210)
13.   Jennifer Wood – 13.1  (RIF #243)
14.   Beth Hosick – 11.2  (RIF #219)

This year, we are going to be randomly selecting one club member each month who submitted points for that month for a little prize. The January winner is RIF #210 Amanda Staggs!

Details on joining Run It Fast – The Club

[Extreme Racer points are rewarded per each racing mile completed. Example: marathon = 26.2 points, half marathon 13.1 points, etc.]

[photo from Amanda Staggs]

RIF #12 Kevin Leathers

This week’s RIF Club profile is Kevin Leathers #12. Kevin is not only a runner but also a coach and has a wealth of information to share. He doesn’t just practice what he preaches though. He has run over 20 marathons including Boston, NYC, Chicago, Disney,  and St. Jude and he has also been doing triathlons for over 28 years!

Check out Kevin’s profile:

INFO

Name: Kevin Leathers
RIF #: 12
Blog: www.CantStopEndurance.com
Twitter: @kevinleathers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CantStopEndurance

STATS

Years Running: 34 years
Favorite Race Distance: This is an evolving favorite. In high school it was the mile. Now? The longer the better. All time fave? Marathon.
Favorite PR: St Jude Marathon 3:15:31
Favorite Race: Boston Marathon
Favorite Bling: A tie: Boston Marathon/ Ironman Finishers medal
Next Races: 3/2 Mississippi Trail 50 Miler, 3/17 Germantown Half Marathon, 3/31 Darwin Ultra, August: Leadville 100
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: Getting in the groove and flying though a track workout on target with that effortless flow.

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS

Why did you start running?
I started running in high school cross country and was immediately hooked. It became a big part of my identity. We don’t run as a hobby or activity… we become runners. I’m still amused when people ask “do you still run?” Of course I do! It seems like the silliest question.

Who inspires your running and why?
The athletes I coach inspire me to be a better runner. In an effort to “walk the walk”, I have to race and train smart. Seeing runners of all shapes, sizes and talent push themselves and achieve their goals is amazing. I crave the magical feeling of reaching that finish line and hitting my goals. To be able to help others achieve that feeling… is very gratifying.

What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run?
The Rocky Mountains. The high altitude trails around Leadville CO, the Colorado Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, Hope Pass… all simply breathtaking.

Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
We are lucky in Memphis to have the Wolf River Trails and Shelby Farms with miles of singletrack, jeep road and paved greenways. I have been running some of those trails for 33 years. My best high school cross country races were in that park. I feel very at home and comforted on those trails.

What is your favorite go-to pre-race meal?
Plain pasta, red sauce, grilled chicken. Plain, simple. I don’t like to feel stuffed the night before.

What is the thing you splurge on after a race?
A cheeseburger and fries or a giant pizza!

How many pairs of running shoes do you have and which pair are your favorites?
I have a real “shoe problem” like many runners. I get great support from my local store sponsor, Breakaway Running, in addition to receiving shoes from various shoe companies to test and review. So maybe 30+? But I am currently rotating through the Hoka Stinson Evo & Hoka Bondi B for long runs and Brooks Pure Cadence for speedwork.

Why do you race?
The “test of self”. I love putting myself to the test and seeing if I have what it takes mentally and physically on race day. Whether its a 5K or a 100 miler, I get the opportunity too find out exactly what I am made of. The competitive side of racing is fun and exciting, but it really boils down to beating the voices in my head telling me to slow down or quit, and achieving my personal goals.

What was your biggest “don’t” of a race?
The biggest mistake runners make, including me, is going out too fast. This applies to every distance. There is a painful, directly proportionate price to be paid for starting out to fast.

What’s your pre-race routine?
Everything laid out/ packed the night before to reduce stress. Light breakfast, rice cake with peanut butter, banana and coffee. Always coffee.

What running moment are you most proud of?
Another tie: My marathon PR because there is such discipline, consistency and a bit of luck required to complete a marathon build injury-free. And then on race day you have to execute the plan physically and mentally. Finishing Leadville 100, but missing the belt buckle by 5 minutes. I learned a lot about myself during that 30 hours. The biggest lesson: never give up. And yes, I am going back for my buckle this year.

If you can’t run, you’re ________?
grumpy

By the way, Kevin is a Road Runners Club of America – Certified Running Coach and he coaches runners from beginners going for their first 5K to advanced runners. He also does coaching for charity teams as well:
Team McGraw – National Coach – training runners for events across the country who are raising funds for the Tug McGraw Foundation (TMF).
St. Jude Heroes – National Coach – coaches runners who combine their pursuit of a personal challenge with fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

***

You can check out more info about Kevin at his website or Facebook page listed at the top of his profile. I always enjoy reading his blog posts about his races because he goes into detail about what went right and what didn’t. It’s interesting to see his side of it since he’s a coach as well as a runner. But I had no idea he was harboring such a big “shoe problem” or that he is grumpy when he doesn’t run! I guess we can forgive him for these quirks considering all the great work he does with his coaching, especially the charity coaching, right? 🙂

Thanks for sharing Kevin and good luck at the Mississippi Trail 50! 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:

Run It Fast – The Club (JOIN TODAY)

[All photos submitted by Kevin Leathers, Naresh Kumar, and Joshua Holmes]

This is the super sweet bling the finisher of the Women’s Half Marathon received on February 24, 2013 in San Diego, California.

This is a really pretty, shiny medal. They put a lot of thought into it and it has great detail! Love it!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photo submitted by RIF #105 Kathy Shirley, follow her on Instagram @ipoddess]

This is the medal the finishers of the half marathon received at the Meia Maratona Caixa Das Pontes that was held on February 24, 2013 in Pontao do Lago Sul, Brazil.

Very cool shoe shaped medal! You’d think there would be more of those for races. Love the tread on the back of the medal.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photos submitted by Lilian Campos Soares, follow her on Instagram @liliancs74]

This is the medal for the Seaside Half Marathon that was held on February 24, 2013 in Ventura, California.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photo submitted by Richard Maya, follow him on Instagram @richardmaya]

This is the very pretty medal that finishers of the Disney Princess Half Marathon received on February 24, 2013 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

This medal is fit for a princess! Love the sparkle and the crown! If you are a legacy runner for this half and have run all 5 years, then you got a special ribbon for your medal like our very own Perfect Princess RIF #192 Leigh! Check it out:

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photos submitted by RIF #192 Leigh Marsh, follow her on Twitter @MsPrincessLeigh and by Jennifer Eckmann, follow her on Instagram @jen_eck]

This is the buckle for the San Bruno Mountain 50 Mile that was held on February 24, 2013 in Daly City, California.

Nice and shiny buckle! Congrats to RIF #2 Naresh for toughing it out and finishing the 50 Mile!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal submitted by RIF #2 Naresh Kumar, follow him on Twitter @iamarunr and Instagram @iamarunr]

This is the medal for the Cowtown Marathon that was held on February 24, 2013 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Here is another view of the marathon medal and some photos of the half marathon medal:

The medals for both the marathon and half marathon are pretty unique. Lots of detail and a great shape. But what’s very cool about this medal is that if you run the event 5 times, the medals fit together to make a star! Congrats to Michelle (@Rnrgrltx) for earning 5 years of bling! Check out her medals:

Pretty cool, huh? You can also do the Cowtown Challenge during the race weekend. If you run the 5K or 10K on Saturday and run the half marathon, marathon, or 50K on Sunday, then not only will you get a medal for each event but also the very cool Cowtown Challenge Medal. Congrats to RIF #60 Christy for completing the Cowtown Challenge this year! Here’s a photo showing all the bling she received this weekend:

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photos submitted by RIF #60 Christy Bowers – follow her on Twitter @run2bake, by Michelle K – follow her on Twitter @Rnrgrltx, by Mindy M – follow her on Twitter @mindymilner, by Curt Metzger – follow him on Twitter @distance66, and by Alex Castillo – follow him on Twitter @acast2377]

This is the medal for the Surf City Marathon that was held on February 3, 2013 in Huntington Beach, California.

This marathon medal has it all – the surfboard, waves, the pier, the sun, palm trees, and hibiscus flowers – the perfect medal for a beach front marathon.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photo submitted by Megan Johnston.  Follow her on Twitter @__MeganJohnston]

This is the medal the finishers of the Rohring Round The Clock Timed Race received on February 23, 2013 in Bonita, California.

The race had 6 HR, 12 HR, and 100 Mile options and a clock fits it perfectly, especially with the roaring lion. Plus, it’s useful! Here is another view of the clock with RIF #1 Joshua who completed 50 miles during his event:

And here is a group pic from before the start which features RIF #1 Joshua and RIF #121 Ed Ettinghuasen (in the jester costume):

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[photos submitted by RIF #5 Lisa Gonzales, follow her on on Twitter @runlikeacoyote and by RIF #1 Joshua Holmes, follow him on Twitter @bayou]