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Here is the finisher’s medal from the Land Between the Lakes Trail Marathon that was held March 10, 2012 in Grand Rivers, Kentucky.

View Results from the Land Between the Lakes races HERE

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[medal photo submitted by David W. Follow him on Twitter @DavidRoadRunner]

Arkansas native Leah Thorvilson easily won the 2012 Little Rock Marathon on Sunday over her female competition with a time of 2:37:26.

Her time was 10 minutes ahead of the second female to finish, Hellen Rotich (2:47:46). Third place female went to Heather McWhirter (2:54:14).

Thorvilson’s time was fast enough to place her 4th overall and just 8 minutes behind overall winner Mark Chepses.

Chepses won with a time of 2:29:42. Second place went to Julius Kosgei (2:32:15) and third went to Zach Nyambaso (2:34:47).

Little Rock Marathon Top 10 Finishers:

1. Mark Chepses – 2:29:42
2. Julius Kosgei – 2:32:15
3. Zach Nyambaso – 2:34:47
4. Leah Thorvilson – 2:37:26
5. Joseph Aulwes – 2:39:53
6. John Piggott – 2:41:11
7. Marathonjunkie Engle – 2:43:16
8. Brad Poppele – 2:43:59
9. James Bresette – 2:44:11
10. John Yoder – 2:45:14

The finish was a personal record for Thorvilson who ran the Olympic Marathon Qualifying Trials last month in Houston.

Thorvilson is Run It Fast – Club member #34 (Join Run It Fast – The Club HERE).

More Winning Photos of Leah

Congrats to Leah from the RIF family on her PR and dominating the competition at Little Rock. Way to Run It Fast!!!

[images: Leah Thorvilson]

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).

Registration for the 37th Marine Corps Marathon opens today at 3:00pm ET for the race that will be held on October 28, 2012.

THE MARATHON WILL FILL IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!!!

So if you are wanting to run the 2012 Marine Corps Marathon then you should register today, preferably this afternoon.

You can register and find out more details about the race on the Marine Corps Marathon website (HERE).

Good luck to all trying to get in!!!

View the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon Medal

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

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

 

Hyannis Marathon Website

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

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

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 4th Annual IMS Arizona Marathon that was held on February 19, 2012.

The race started in Buckeye, Arizona and finished in Glendale, Arizona as the beautiful back of this medal proudly displays.

I’m really a fan of this medal. It’s strong, bold, relatively simple, and classy.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photos submitted by Robert Boluyt. Follow him on Twitter @Bateluer]

Here is one of the best medals we’ve received so far this year. It’s the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Woolley Run 50K-Marathon-Half Marathon that took place on February 18, 2012 in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.

This race did a good job of not doing anything ass-backwards or did they…

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[medal photos submitted by Jack Curtis. Follow him on Twitter @JackCurtis_WA]

Justin Gillette won the 2012 Lost Dutchman Marathon on Sunday (February 19, 2012) in Apache Junction, Arizona with a winning time of 2:31:03.

The Indiana native beat out second place finisher Tom Lipsie by over 9 minutes. Lipsie finished in 2:40:26.  Third place went to O’Canada’s Ken Myers in 2:41:41.

Top 10 Male Lost Dutchman Marathon Finishers

1. Justin Gillette – 2:31:03
2. Tom Lipsie – 2:40:26
3. Ken Myers – 2:41:41
4. Boone Ebel – 2:45:51
5. Stephen Anders0n – 2:49:58
6. Matthew Brake – 2:54:16
7. Gary Krugger – 2:54:49
8. Cliff Richards – 2:56:41
9. Brian Zacher – 2:58:17
10. Steve Dirkse – 2:58:39

Olympic Marathon Trials marathoner Leah Thorvilson easily won the Lost Dutchman Marathon winning by nearly 30 minutes with a time of 2:47:15. Leah finished 5th overall. She ran so fast that rumor has quickly circulated that she DID FIND the Dutchman.

Second place went to Traci Falbo in 3:14:23 with third place going to Brittany Orkney in 3:17:04.

Top 10 Female Lost Dutchman Marathon Finishers

1. Leah Thorvilson – 2:47:15
2. Traci Falbo – 3:14:23
3. Brittany Orkney – 3:17:04
4. Mary Hanna – 3:20:48
5. Linda Tivorsak – 3:25:17
6. Talva Parker – 3:25:42
7. Camille Bloom – 3:26:33
8. Ashlee Thomas – 3:27:27
9. Angela Warren – 3:27:27
10. Wendy Lathrop – 3:27:48

Full and Searchable 2012 Lost Dutchman Marathon/Half Marathon Results

IT’S HERE – The RUN IT FAST RUNNING CLUB – Join Today!!!

*chip times and clock times were inverted, converted, and perverted on official race results page. I went with the chip time for each posted.

Here is the finisher’s medal from the 2012 Birch Bay Marathon that was held on February 19, 2012 in Birch Bay, Washington.

Presented without comment…

90’s!!

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

IT’S HERE – The RUN IT FAST RUNNING CLUB – Join Today!!!

[medal photo submitted by Tracy Pellizzari. Follow her on Twitter @pizzalarry]