Run It Fast®

 

We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 55 of you responded!

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

Joshua Holmes – Savage Gulf Trail Marathon. 4,500 ft of climb and put on park rangers that have no clue what they’re doing. Water every 9 miles 😉

Naresh Kumar – Fall Creek Falls 50K 🙂

OnTrack Fitness – 5 miles w our half mary grp at a local park.

Mystic – on the back country roads of fouborg holla

Emily Stacey – first race for the season with #LAC! 5k super excited!

Nicholas L. Norfolk – Running with a friend for his first half. #GermantownHalf

Reggie Dunn – Where are you running/racing this weekend?” L.A Marathon

Sean Lewis – Wabash College!

Katie Grant – I’ll be going for a run in Honolulu. Can’t wait! #girlyfatbet

Scott Stader – youth villages 5k in Jackson, Tn & Germantown, TN half marathon #staderdouble

Mandy F – st pats 5k..!!

Martyn Fisher – Offord, near St Neots, Cambridgeshire. An 18 mile road race.

Diego Eluchans – “Corrida Nocturna Luchetti”, Santiago, Chile.

Yaz – Mmsha Mishrif chinna

Fabrizio Colella – Roma marathon :))

Christy Bowers – Dash Down Greenville in Dallas!

Lynsey Rimmer – Liverpool half marathon!

Rohnny Petitjean – A long the river Meuse in Liège.

Amber Goetz – Beer Run 5 miler in Greensboro NC 🙂 #HappyStPattysDay

Ashley – running by La Tour Eiffel in Paris! #springbreak

Kiki – Three races this weekend – Rhodes City Run 10K in Louisville, KY on Saturday morning, followed by Run for the Gold 3K in Frankfort, KY Saturday evening; then have indoor triathlon on Sunday in Jeffersonville, IN

Mary Jane Schriver – Shamrock Shuffle 1/2 marathon, Harmony PA.

Andy Scott – Rocket Run 10-miler

Stacy L. – #NYCHalf! It’s finally here! Wheeee!

Willie Way – Las Vegas Six Tunnels Half Marathon – Saturday 17th.

Michelle Mitchell – Moscow University Indoor Championships. Speedwork after a high volume block:) 100k Worlds and Euros in a month!

E.B. – Georgia Half Marathon, Atlanta

Sarah Gipe – my family is in the Heart Run/Walk in Cinci, OH in honor of my Mom who is a heart attack survivor. We’re blessed she is with us.

Colene Lord – 8k Shamrock Run in Portland, OR!! After we hit up some college hoops on Saturday, of course!!

Sid Wegener – Wild Goose State Trail in Dodge County, WI.

Kevin Ronayne – Long runs in central MA this weekend

Ms. Swan – 20mi w/ #RunningExcels running grp #Chicago #CARA#marathontraining

Left Hash – Cary March Madness Half Marathon.

telisa – USA marathon in DC

GLITZANDBLITZ – woke up and ran a quick 1.6 miles before work.#babysteps

titeyogarunner – ultrabericus.it 1st #ultratrail of the season. Tomorrow, Vicenza Hills, Italy. 65k, +2550m. In the sun, for once!

Mark Shipley – Running the JC Stone 50K

Freda Miller – Nashville. Springer Mountain Farms 5K.

Ace – Irish Jig 5K in Grand Rapids

kelli – Louisville, KY – Rodes City Run 10k

TriStateSportsNut – NYC 1/2….sunday !!!!

Jason Perdew – Kingdom of Bahrain, around Al Amwaj Islands.

Jared Friesen – 18 mile training run on still very snow packed trails in Anchorage.

Grace Hunsberger – Shamrock 10k in Yorktown, Indiana, to benefit the recent tornado victims in our area. @Ms_Yale

Sambeaux WhoDat – In between kids soccer and baseball games. 2 mile loop around the park of game fields in Lake Charles LA.

Elizabeth Kalifeh – ga Publix 1/2 marathon in Atlanta!

Angie Gerber – Tackling our first 20 mile training run on the Terwiliger hills in Portland, Oregon! Yahoo!

Michael Redlich –  I am #running the @RunRocknRoll #RnRUSA#halfmarathon this weekend in Washington, D.C. with my neighbor, Richard.

Nicole – @lamarathon !! And in the rain again apparently

BeardRunJax – Skipping St. Patty’s 10k on Saturday, for a long run on Sunday. #SundayRunday

Josh Liggett – doing the Portland shamrock run 15k.

Larry Medina – running my first @NYRRLive #NYCHalf. Looking forward to running in the streets of manhattan.

Can’t Stop Endurance – Training in Memphis but cheering #CantStop Endurance runners at Shamrock Marathon, NYC 1/2, Germantown 1/2, RnR USA!

Leah Pate – Through the heart of downtown, along the Sunset Strip, to Santa Monica for the LA MARATHON!!!!!!

Cameron Adamson – shamrock half! 5000 feet up- at the base of the Wasatch mountains, some good hills and a humbling early season tuneup race!

___________

 

A simple video of a kid flipping through flashcards, written in Sharpie, with several very important and helpful tips for running your first marathon or half marathon.

Hat tip to Antonio Gonzalez.

[This post is part of a series where we ask runners from all over the world what some of their favorite marathon and ultramarathon races have been.]

“Running has given me an excuse to travel and one race usually leads to  another.  Listed below are some of my favorites.” – John O’Regan

1.  Spartathlon: This must be the toughest and most satisfying ultra Marathon in the world because of its unique history and background.  The thought of this race scared be as I knew by the consistently high dropout rate of 70% that the chances of not finishing were quite high but fear of failure isn’t a good enough reason not to do something you really want to do.  This race traces the footsteps of Pheidippides as he ran from Athens to Sparta to seek help from the Spartan Army in the battle of Marathon.

2. Antarctic Ice Marathon, Patriot Hills, Antarctica:  When I heard rumours of a Marathon to be held on mainland Antarctica.  Stepping off the plane onto the ice runway and feeling the cold while taking in an incredible vista is a memory that will stay with me forever.  Running a Marathon in Antarctica made me want to run a Marathon on each of the 7 Continents.

3.  North Pole:  When I heard there were plans for a Marathon at the North Pole my first thought were, how do I enter?  To add to the experience I ran this while guiding a blind runner ‘Mark Pollock’.  To say it was tough is an understatement but it was very rewarding and I’d love to go back.

4.  Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru:  It takes 4-5 days to do this trek but running the Marathon gives you the opportunity to cover the trek in less than 1 day.  Along the way you pass many interesting sights before the final approach to Machu Picchu through the Sun Gates.  The final Vista before you ascend to the finish line is enough to stop you in your tracks and makes the effort worthwhile.

5.  Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon, Nepal:  You can’t have the lowest without the highest and that’s what made me choose this race.  It starts at the foot of the Khumbu Icefall just above Everest Base Camp and finishes 26.2 miles down the valley in Namche Bazzar.

6.  Dead Sea Ultra, Jordan:  With the lowest finishing line in the world I just had to do this one and to top it off you get to relax with a dip in the Dead Sea.  Another highlight of this race was an opportunity to visit Petra which then became one of the 7 Wonders of the World.  The accidental tourist.

7.  Marathon des Sables, Morocco: Probably the most famous Ultra in the world, 6 stages over 7 days covering 150 Miles in the Sahara Desert and my first introduction to Ultra Running.  This race taught me that anything is possible once put the work in and it’s a race to need to experience rather than read about.

8.  Run Connemara 80K, Ireland:  A trail race in the west of Ireland that also doubled as the 2011 Trail World Championships.  One of the most amazing races I’ve ever ran which took in all aspects of the Irish countryside.  It was a new experience and sometimes you forget what’s on your own doorstep and the grass isn’t alway greener on the other side.  Think about and appreciate what you have before you look for more.

9.  North Face 100K, Australia: 100K through the Blue Mountains in Sydney.  This is an opportunity to see the one of Australia’s natural wonders without feeling like a tourist.

10.  Yukon Arctic Ultra, Yukon Territory, Canada: 100 Miles along the Dawson trail following in the wake of the famous Yukon Quest dog sleigh race.  Competitors haul their required kit and must remain self sufficient throughout.  There’s also a longer option of 300 Miles and 460 Miles. Thinking back I wish I had signed up for the longer race but I wasn’t feeling that way at mile 90J

11. Energia Belfast 24-hr Race:  We all want to know how fast we can run and this race gives you the opportunity to find out how far you can run.  Unlike a regular race where you cover a set distance in the fastest possible time in a 24-hr race you try cover the maximum distance in a set time.  This is a true test of mental and physical strength and you will soon discover your weaknesses.

12.  Donadea 50K, Ireland:  A very enjoyable trail race through 243 hectares of mixed woodland with plenty of squirrels to cheer you on.  The race consists of 10 * 5K loops but the route is so interesting you never get bored.

13.  Run Winschoten 100K, The Netherlands:  I did this race when it doubled as the World Championships and it consisted of 10 * 10K laps through the suburbs of Winschoten.  The course was almost pancake flat and all the locals embrace the event giving it an almost party type atmosphere.

14.  Celtic 100K, Ireland:  This was my first introduction to the 100K distance and it consisted of almost 50 laps along Salthill Promenade in Co.Galway.  The thoughts of running so many laps was slightly overwhelming at the start but this race taught be a lot about the benefits of proper pacing and how to control the mind.

15.  Self Transcendence 100K, Scotland: This race took me to the historic town of Perth in the heart of Scotland.  A flat looped course along the banks of the river Tay which to me was a memorable distraction.  The Tay is a world famous salmon fishing river and I spent most of the race looking into the water in the hope of seeing a fish jumping.

16.  Boddington 100K, England:  A small friendly race in the English countryside and also includes 50k and marathon options.

17.  Dublin, Ireland:  My hometown Marathon and one that I’m proud to say is known as the Friendly Marathon.  This was my first ever race and one I always look forward to doing and it feels so different every time because it just keeps getting better.

18.  London, England:  I have ran this race on a few occasions as part of the Runner’s World Pacing Team.   I seldom do the same race twice but make an exception for London because of the carnival type atmosphere on race day.

19.  Dingle, Ireland:  A very scenic Marathon which follows the Dingle Peninsula.  I found it hard not stopping during this race as the views are breathtaking .  If you need an excuse to visit Ireland, this is it.

20.  Longford.  A relatively flat Marathon which takes in 3 counties and although quiet along the course it has a great finish.  At times you could almost forget you’re running a race and sometimes that can be nice.  I was the first entrant in the first Longford Marathon and wore race No1, for that reason more than any I will always remember this one.

“Some experiences should be remembered and not repeated and I seldom do the same race twice but if I was asked and given the opportunity to run one of my big races again it would be the Antarctic Ice Marathon.”

– John O’Regan

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 35th Gate River Run 15K – USA 15K Championship that was held on March 10, 2012 in Jacksonville, Florida.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photo submitted by Angie Holland. Follow her on Twitter @tangiers8]

We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 44 of you responded!

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

Joshua Holmes – Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler in Kentucky #runitfast

Monkey Trent – it is Tom King Half Marathon weekend!

Leah Thorvilson – Chase Race 2 miler in Conway Arkansas!!! Yep, you read that correctly. 2 miles. Seems at least 24.2 too short! Better#runitfast

Lisa Gonzales – Mesquite Canyon 30K @ White Tank in AZ on Sunday.

Robert Boluyt – Mesquite Canyon 30K and The Grand Canyon University Run to Fight Cancer 10K 🙂

Nathan Kreeger – Feed Stokes 5k. AKA, speedwork! Will attempt to beat my PR of 19:52

Jess – I am initating my RIF club shirt while running the Gate River Run in Jacksonville, FL. #9 Jessica Gregory

Running Fit – Shamrocks and Shenanigans in downtown Ann Arbor!#runfit #runitfast #drinkitslow

Stewart Crouch – Bayou City Classic 10K Houston

Alvin Lee – A lil solo running on the local trails…about 10 – 12 miles!

DownByNature – did a 3 mile run through the village, just after dawn..cold and crisp!!

E.B. – Gate River Run 15k, Jacksonville, FL

Sarah Malaney – My plans this weekend! 8 mile #training run on Saturday, 4 mile #race on Sunday! With the time change!!! What’s on your calendar?

Nancy Capen – Cape Cod #runitfast

Dr. Dan Czapek – Running the #Run With the Pride 5K at St Viator High School in Arlington Heights Illinois on Saturday with @CHCsportsGirl.

Mark H. Myers – #DinoSeries 15K trail run in Indianapolis, IN

Sarah Toney – Hynes Tavern 5 miler in Lowell, MA! Finishing up the awesome #WildRoverSeries!

Michael Ceglinski – Tom King Half in Nashville, TN

Lexie Stempihar – GHS Centennial 1/2 Marathon…Swamp Rabbit Race in Greenville, SC

Clint Randall – running in Boston!

Stephen G – running the @GreenClover5K

ashley hook – At LBL with you sir…

Runsistarun – Sarasota Half Marathon

Luli Hernandez – 21k in the jungle Puyo Pastaza ECUADOR For a Cause: the protection of the #Yasuni National Park Most biodiverse spot in the world

Mary Jane Schriver – March Mad Dash 10 Miler-Allison Park PA.

Maricel Bautista – 15K Gate River Run in Jacksonville FL tomorrow! My 6th year of running the Gate:))

Mindy M – 5 mile St. Paddy’s Dash in Spokane, WA.

Kiki – I’m running the Hope for the Children 5K in New Albany, IN.

Mandy F – 15k denton tx

Bas_Huizinga – In Haren, Netherlands, 12,3k

Kay-Cee vd Parre – going to run my first race at the City Pier City Run in The Hague this sunday, i’m very excited 🙂

Dennis Ly – I’m running the 800M this weekend at Ben Brown Invite hosted by CSUF. Wish me luck!

Isabella – Disneyland! Kids do the rides, I run…

Ms. Swan – 19 mile #marathontraining group run with #RunningExcels#chicago

Ev•••••• – Tomorrow, running the Gate River Run 15k Championship, Jacksonville, FL.

Finn O’Connell – 8K run on Sunday morning around beautiful Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland.

Frank Hostetter – Gate River Run

Amanda Fire – Quinlan’s St. Patrick’s Day 5k on Saturday then a 16 miler in beautiful Mill Creek Park on Sunday!

Lauren S. – 11 mile training run around my hometown while getting looks like I’m a crazy person from the locals driving everywhere!

Matty Brennan – the haworth hobble, UK. 32 miles, 4400ft of climb. If I don’t get lost.

Angie Gerber – 18 mile training run along the beautiful Portland waterfront.

Dustin Washam – land between the lakes 60k

Jason Meistering – Kelly’s shamrock 5k, Baltimore, MD

Scott Gorski – blarney stone 5k in Wauwatosa, WI

Kevin Ronayne – Running in the Guinness Celtic 5K in Worcester, MA and of course will be wearing my new RunItFast – Club shirt

Lots of cool race and places!!

 

The Marine Corps Marathon opened today at 3pm ET and closed at 5:41pm ET in a record 2 hours and 41 minutes after selling out.

Via the Marine Corps Marathon:

The record is yours runners – 2 hours and 41 minutes. The fastest registration sell out in marathon history – not just MCM, but the entire United States! THANK YOU RUNNERS!

Impressive sell out for sure….BUT

The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon sold out in 3 MINUTES and 58 SECONDS last August (Full Story).

I’ve been thinking about the Dreaded Ds lately: DNF (did not finish), DNS (did not start), and DFL (dead f@#king last).

I have a 50 Miler coming up that is freaking me out just a little bit (ok, a lot). I knew when I signed up for it that it would be a big STRETCH for me but I did it anyway. Sometimes, I feel so overwhelmed by it that I think maybe I shouldn’t run it. Maybe I’m not ready. Maybe I need another year of ultras under my belt before I tackle a 50 Miler with 12,000+ feet elevation gain. But no, I WILL show up on race day and I WILL give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about a DNF.

Luckily, I haven’t had a DNS for any of my races yet. But it could happen. It would be disappointing but injuries or family commitments may interfere and you have to go with what life throws at you. Sometimes, that means missing a race.

I’m not worried about being DFL either. It’s a possibility. I’ve been last before. It’s hard on the ego. Really hard. Especially when you think you’re all that and a bag of dark chocolate chips and then find out you’re not. But I can live with a DFL as long as I know I did my best.

The DNF though…I think it would depend on the reason. If it happened because of an injury…okay. If it happened because I gave up or quit because it was too hard…not okay. If it happened because I missed a course cut-off…I don’t know how I’d feel about that. THAT is what I’m most worried about.

I was curious to see what everyone else thought and I posted a poll on Twitter – Which of the Dreaded Ds do you fear the most: DNF, DNS, or DFL? 40 people responded and these are the results:

DNF – 18

DNS – 13

DLF – 6

The other 3 people responded with DNSU (did not sign up), DNS (did not sleep which could cause one of the 3 above), and MA (monkey attack – which is an issue at this marathon).

I was a little surprised that DNF & DNS were so close. It seems that those who’d had injuries in the past or missed races for whatever reason would rather DNF than not race at all. It seems like the longer the distance you try, the more you have to accept the possibility that DNFs happen or at least ultrarunners seemed more accepting of it. Those that chose DNF said it was because they didn’t want to quit or break a commitment to themselves. DFLs…they didn’t say but I’m sure you can guess why.

I suppose which one you dread most depends on your running experiences so far and what you have/haven’t dealt with in a race. Good to know. I guess the only “D” we should worry about is DNT (did not try). As long as we train and try to get to the start, try to do the best we can, and try to finish…that’s all that really matters.

But I still would rather not have a DNF!

What about you? Do you dread one of the 3 or have you accepted they are a part of racing?

 

We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 30 of you responded!

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

Joshua Holmes – MS 50 Miler on Sat and RNR NOLA marathon Sunday. #runitfast

Lauren Stone – 9 mile birthday training run tomorrow! Hopefully in the park and not on the treadmill!

Jeff Cook – @tamshaw331 @Twitchaloupka We are all running the LR Half Marathon!

MsPump&Run – Columbus Ohio, @ArnoldSports #5kPumpnRun #LiftRunRepeat

BOTPP – Home sweet home, but some pals are doing a 10k in Holyoke, MA on March 18.

Betty Pecas – #YoCorreréElMaratónLala2012 @MaratonLala

Anji Nussbaumer – will be slopping through the mud and rain at the Umstead Trail Marathon in NC

Pilar Laurido – #NikeSunsetRun Pta Carnero Ecuador @Nike_Ec

Robin Thomas – planning a long run through the #EastSussex countryside starting in #Uckfield

Victor Fleitas – You know it, the Carl Touchstone Memorial Mississippi 50 Trail Run 50k! #Mississippi50

Stephen G – The Woodlands (TX) Half Marathon.

Lisa Gonzales – I’m doing 25 miles tomorrow w/lots of hill repeats! And 13 on the trails on Sunday. All local.

Kevin Ronayne – Looooong runs in Central Mass this weekend #marathontraining

James Meredith – Little Rock. The weather is shaping up to be perfect, so we’re hoping for an all-around great weekend.

Kevin Leathers – MS Trail 50 Mile with Run It Fast & Can’t Stop Endurance friends!!

ChrissyCarroll1– Hopefully a 10 mile training run in prep for some upcoming half marathons, if my hip chooses to cooperate!

Jon Yezerski – Black Cat 10 miler in Salem Ma

Stephen Cox – UNF Spring Break invite in Jacksonville, FL. 5000m tonight. #stoked

Arturo Moreno – running the #RnRNOLA marathon on Sunday

Damian Foley – Running the #RnRNOLA 1/2 – can I finish 13.1 before @bayou finishes 26.2? lol

Disneywifey – #rnrnola half 🙂

April Werling – Running the Mountain Marathon in Olympia, Wa! My 2nd marathon!

Jonathan Stewart – 12 today, 14 Saturday and 13 tempo Sunday, all in the prettiest town in Madison county Tennessee!

Will McDonough – Hey @runitfast : racing the final leg of the @BostonBuildup winter series on Sunday — 25k @ Silvermine, CT #weekendruns

wrytersview – Les Bois 10k Trail Run http://t.co/bxx39Hvg

Ike – running on school track. Have 800s ahead of me today. Should be interesting. #getitdone

Gregory Wilson – On Saturday, Hellyer 5k in San Jose, CA. On Sunday, the Napa Valley Marathon.

Fernanda De Hoyos – beautiful san Diego bay, and ski beach

Alvin Lee – B & A Trail Marathon Severna Park, MD. Marathon 7 and still luvin it!

Scott Stader – Heading down to New Orleans for the #RnRNOLA marathon! Who’s ready to #runitfast with me? @runitfast

 

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]

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