RIF #280 Suzy Spiceland
This week’s Run It Fast The Club profile is on one of our newest members. RIF #280 Suzy Spiceland may be new to the club but she’s brought a lot of enthusiasm and support in the short time she’s been an RIFer. Suzy is also a Half Fanatic and a Marathon Maniac but she hasn’t stopped there.
Check out Suzy’s profile below:
INFO
Name: Suzy Spiceland
RIF #:
280
Twitter:
@bookaroo32
Facebook:
Suzy Spiceland
STATS
Years Running:
8, if you combine the time as both a walker and a runner.
Favorite Race Distance:
26.2
Favorite PR:
2012 Illinois Marathon
Favorite Race:
2009 Delaware Marathon (my first marathon)
Favorite Bling:
2013 Mississippi Blues
Next Race: Tupelo Marathon
What Makes You FEEL Fast?:
When I get in the flow. When I go down the hill, turn the corner, and take off. Running on a chilly day. Passing the people that I consider my toughest competition. 🙂
FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS
Why did you start running?
I started totally as a walker. During my son’s junior year in high school, he decided to join the JHS cross country team. At one of the first “meets” I could attend, which was in October, I remember freezing my tail off waiting for them to finish. Right then and there, I decided that while he was out there running, I would be out there walking. The next event was at his school—a fundraiser. I walked the 5k. Finished dead last. Got 3rd in my AG, since there were only three ladies present in my AG. I quickly realized, however, that I had to be fast enough to keep up with next-to-last place, so I started jogging whenever I had to in order to keep said person in sight. It took me three years to be able to complete a 5k without walking. During that time, I was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma. I used that as an excuse over and over.
Who inspires your running and why?
Too many people to list. Besides, the list keeps changing as I meet more and more runners! Right now, I’d say Diane Bolton-Jones (RIF #159), Diane Taylor (RIF #276), and Dallas Smith (RIF #79) are inspiring me to aim higher. If I’m as insane as they are, I’ll find myself doing something totally irresponsible like signing up for Vol State (a 500K race across Tennessee in July).
If you could go for a run with any famous person (living or dead), who would it be and why?
Jesus. Could you imagine the conversation? Wow!
What is the strangest/funniest thing you’ve ever seen while running?
I was surprised one day to come across a large tomato in the middle of the rails-to-trails path. It wasn’t summer. And it’s not like there was a grocery store nearby. I was confused by that for a while. Another item I saw on the same trail on a different day gave me some interesting visuals for the rest of my run: running shorts. I’ve ditched layers while running, but my shorts???
What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run?
Cummins Falls Marathon. About the only thing that could have made that course prettier was if the event took place in the fall, when the leaves were changing color.
What is your favorite go-to pre-race meal?
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich about two hours beforehand. Then, I usually eat a banana at the start line.
What is the thing you splurge on after a race?
A milkshake.
How many pairs of running shoes do you have and which pair are your favorites?
I set all of my current PR’s in Saucony ProGrid Guide 5’s. These are no longer available, so I’ve been sulking lately. I’ve gone back to Mizuno Wave Inspires. I have three pairs I’m running in now, and one new pair still in the box.
Why do you race?
Why not :-)? For the hell of it. For the comraderie. For the challenge.
Big races or small races? And why?
I tend to prefer smaller, more “intimate” races. That said, I totally loved the San Francisco Marathon, and it was big. I register for all sizes. I love variety!
What is the one piece of running gear you can’t leave the house without?
Wow! It would be difficult to whittle the list down to one piece. Technical clothes are a total necessity. As are my shades, visor, and lipstick. Plus, since breathing is not highly over-rated, I carry an inhaler with me at all times.
What running moment are you most proud of?
Completing my first marathon double. I ran the second one 23 minutes faster than the first one! Thanks, Josh (RIF #1), for holding the Jackal Marathons.
If I can’t run, …
I’m on FB or twitter of course 🙂 Or watching NCIS, Bones, Law & Order, etc.
Finally, one last thing…
I nicknamed myself ODB during a long run a while back. If you’re lucky, I’ll tell you what it means one of these days 🙂
***
Suzy has already begun her journey to “aim higher”. Not only did she run back-to-back marathons in June but she also ran her first 50K! And then she PRd that distance in July. Way to go Suzy! But…not fair to tease us with your nickname and then not tell us what it is. We’ll have to do a follow up with her to see if she will reveal it to us later.
One of the great things about the Run It Fast Club is getting to see our members accomplish something they never thought they would do. I bet Suzy never thought she would be running a marathon back when she started, let alone 2 in a row. Or that she would even think about doing a 50K (or possibly more). You never know what you can do until you try though!
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 Suzy Spiceland]
