Run It Fast®

This is the fun finisher’s medal for the ET Full Moon Midnight Marathon/51K/Half Marathon/10K that was held on August 18, 2013 in Rachel, Nevada.

This is a fun race that starts at midnight in the desert near the infamous Area 51 in Nevada. The medal is totally appropriate for this race…and it glows in the dark! This is one of my favorite races.

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[Medal photo submitted by RIF #70 Chuck “MarathonJunkie” Engle. Follow on Twitter @MarathonJunkie]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Running With The Bears Marathon that was held on August 17, 2013 in Greenville, California.

Also included in the photo is the winner’s medal from the marathon which was won by RIF #70 MarathonJunkie! Congrats on the win!

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[Medal photo submitted by RIF #70 Chuck “MarathonJunkie” Engle. Follow on Twitter @MarathonJunkie]

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]

RIF #214 Kevin Brandon

We haven’t had a profile of one of our Run It Fast – The Club members in a while. We have been growing in leaps and bounds and thought it was time we started catching up with our Club members again. This week’s profile is RIF #214 Kevin Brandon from Tennessee. I got a chance to meet Kevin for the first time at the Run Under The Stars Endurance Run at the beginning of June and also got to see him race at the Jackal Trail Marathons later that month. I was impressed with how well he did and how focused he was. Kevin has a funny sense of humor but two things he’s serious about are his family and his running.

Check out Kevin’s profile:

INFO

Name: Kevin Brandon
RIF #: 214
Twitter: @kevinbrandon18
Instagram: http://instagram.com/runswithalimp

STATS

Years Running: 4
Favorite Race Distance: 1/2 marathon
Favorite PR: Murfreesboro 1/2 marathon 1:40:33
Favorite Race: St Judes Memphis Marathon
Next Race: Run Around the World 24 HR Race
What Makes You FEEL Fast?: Fresh legs, a light head wind , maybe even a slight rain

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS

Why did you start running?
Lose weight and be healthier. I started as a 271 lb exMarine, very out of shape and with small boys that would copy my every move. It was quite motivating to get up and be a better example to them.

Who inspires your running and why?
Many people inspire me, from my friends to my children.

If you could go for a run with any famous person (living or dead), who would it be and why?
Anyone with a great story and a willingness to share a few miles.

What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run?
Daytona Beach 🙂

Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why?
Just the local trails @ Montgomery Bell state park. its funny how they’ve been here my whole life and only now do I feel completely at home anywhere on them.

What is your favorite go-to pre-race meal?
Pancakes 🙂

What is the thing you splurge on after a race?
Lol, a Guinness or Sammy.

Big races or small races? And why?
I prefer small races. I love the more intimate atmosphere.

What running moment are you most proud of?
Finishing Strolling Jim 40 Miler with my son , who ran 26.2 miles of this very hilly course with me.

If you can’t run, you’re…Lost

Finally, Kevin would like to share this about running:
I’m still very new to Marathon/ultra running. In the 3 yrs I’ve been racing, I’ve met some amazing people. I’ve run in some great places. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me. I’d love to think the best is yet to come.

***

Anybody who loves pancakes is OK in my book! 🙂 But seriously, I think it is awesome that Kevin wanted to set a good example for his sons. I think he has definitely done that! I have no doubts that Kevin has a lot of great running ahead of him and we look forward to watching him grow as a runner.

Good luck with your fall training Kevin!

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 Brandon]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Minnesota Half Marathon that was held on August 3, 2013 in St Paul, Minnesota.

Simple, but very nice medal.

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[Medal submitted by RIF #230 Peter Wrobel.]

This is the finisher’s medal (left) for the Autumn Thunder Half Marathon that was held on August 4, 2013 in Moscow, Russia.

The medal on the right was given to the top 8 men & women finisher’s. Congrats to RIF #133 Michelle for finishing 4th!

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[medal photo submitted by RIF #133 Michelle Mitchell – follow her on Twitter @runnerchickey]

State #25 – Montana: The Madison Marathon – An Adventure to Remember

7/28/2013 by Jeff Liu

My 25th State marathon was the Madison Marathon in the Gravelly Mountains in Montana.  I had to get out my thesaurus for words other than “amazing,” “incredible,” “magnificent,” “stunning,” and “beautiful” to describe the course.  It IS the most beautiful course I’ve run in my in 33 marathon so far across the country and world.  It was also one of the toughest courses I’ve ever completed…  but, worth every step in these mountain ranges in Big Sky Country.

Being a city slicker from Orange County, CA, completing Montana started out as just a check mark on my way to completing the 50 States.  But when I stumbled across the Madison Marathon website I was struck by the photos of the incredible course.  Now, have you ever been fooled by hotel websites with unbelievable photography only to show and and find out that the place was a dump?  Well, make no mistake, the beauty of this race is as advertised.  If anything, the pictures cannot do the experience proper justice.  The endless blue skies and miles of velvet green fields, the smell of the wildflowers, and the touch of the gentle breeze are simple indescribable by words or photos.

My buddy Mike L. from Denver (AKA Yoda, finished in 4:11) and I decided that we’d meet to run this extraordinary race.  Mike brought his wonderful wife Michele and three boys and spent a week in Yellowstone prior to the race.  He was also kind enough to pick me up and transport me throughout the weekend.  My only regret was doing this trip in my usual fashion, which is to fly in Saturday and fly back home immediately after the race on Sunday.  This is a part of the country that deserves and requires days to explore.  The turn-around trip posed some logistic challenges.  The nearest airport to the town of Ennis (race central; hotels, bib pickup, shuttle to start) is in Bozeman approximately an hour drive away.

The drive from Bozeman to Ennis is straight forward and scenic.  It immediately screams, “you aint’ in the city no more!”  Miles of fields decorated by the occasional barn looked like oil paintings.  We saw families playing in the waters and floating in rivers besides the freeway on our drive in.  Something you just don’t see in the city (unless you are into Raging Water parks packed with pool peeing kids).

Ennis is a small town of approximately 1,000 residents.  From all the signage it looks like a terrific town to visit and do A LOT of fishing.  We stayed at a modest motel called Rainbow Valley Lodge. Main Street Ennis is the gather place of the marathon on Saturday and has several restaurants, stores and the town pump for our needs.

From Ennis, runners would be shuttled to the staging area and start of the race in the Gravelly Mountains approximately 2 hours away.  Sounds complicated?  It is and it isn’t.  The race organizers did a tremendous job providing direction and support of this small and intimate race.  In order to meet my flight time on Sunday evening, I requested for and took advantage of the early start option at 7:00 a.m. (regular 8:30) offered by race organizers.  I met the RD Sam Korsmoe Sat afternoon after our arrival at the bib pick-up.  Sam was friendly and we joked about the sophisticated timing device used at the race…  his hand held stop watch.  After a quick bite to eat at the local pizza joint (Pit Stop Pizza; very good by the way), it was off to bed early in order to make the early shuttle pick up at 4:50 a.m.

Race morning started with a gathering of the early starters at the town pump promptly at 4:50.  About 10 of us gathered and exchanged pleasantries in the early dawn.  Then we were divided into three cars for the two hour drive up to the start line at the base of Black Butte Mountain.  Now, I had the misfortune of getting the cherry seat in front of an extra cab pick-up truck with five other dudes.  And I don’t mean little dudes.  I think most of us stood at about 6 feet tall.  Imagine a two hour ride with six dudes in the dark with a little space and lots of morning breath of coffee…  But the ride actually turned out to be an entertaining treat.

Our driver was a local triathlete named Cory.  Cory is like a character straight out of “Born to Run.”  Between the sideburns and big laughter was one funny dude.  Between Cory and the elder European gent on my other side we got stories about marathons in Poland and living in Tokyo.  We also found out about the magic qualities of the coffee from the town pump and vodka in the morning.  With a few more stories about bear and sheep dog attacks on the marathon course we were almost at the start.

We arrived at the start promptly at 7:00 a.m. and began one of the most memorable runs of my life.  The course “road” is a dirt trail of mostly loose gravel and small pebbles.  There were a few sections with fist sized rocks.  The climbs are challenging and some descend are steep.  I was glad to have worn my Hoka Ones!  They saved my feet.  Ok, I’ll let the photos below do some of the talking…

At the start with fellow 50 Staters, Marathon Maniacs Cowboy Jeff, Melinda, and Sandy

At Monument Ridge rocking my RIF shirt for the first time

The Madison Marathon is billed as “highest road marathon in America.”  The course peaks at near 9,600 feet near mile four of the course at Monument Ridge.  My Garmin recorded a total elevation gain of 2,894 (drop of 3,547) throughout the course.  The first four miles presented the most major climbs but climbs continued throughout the course with some real tough SOBs after mile 19.  The last six miles were “hard” as the knees began feeling the effects of the descends.  I finished the run with a time of 5:23 which is one of my slowest recorded marathon time.  Am I unhappy about the finish time?  Not at all.  Do I feel like I let down the “Run It Fast” shirt I was wearing?  No.  Just the opposite.  This was a run for the adventure and a run for the unique experience of being in one of the highest and most beautiful races.  Was it “fast?”  Yes.  It was my fastest marathon at  9,600 feet.  It was my fastest marathon with the amount climbs and descends.  I ran it as fast as I could…  but more importantly than speed, I ran it with my eyes wide open like it was my first marathon.  There were places on the course so beautiful I wanted to cry.  At times during the run I forgot that I was running altogether.

Madison Marathon is a must do and I hope everyone gets to experience it in person.

Yoda and me at the finish

One race, one mile, and one step at a time,

Jeff Liu
Run It Fast – Club (RIF #275)
Madison Marathon Garmin Data

This is the finisher’s medal for the Summer Breeze Half Marathon that was held on August 3, 2013 in San Leandro, California.

Love this medal! Great color and theme! One of my favorites I’ve seen this year.

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[medal submitted by RIF #140 Dennis Arriaga – follow him on Twitter @dennarr]

This is the cool finisher’s medal for the Speedgoat 50K that took place on July 27, 2013 in Snowbird Resort, Utah.

Love the shape and the cut outs! Congratulations to RIF #289 Eric for completing this very tough 50K!

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[Medal submitted by RIF #289 Eric Waterman.]

This is the finisher’s medal for the Great Cranberry Island 50K that was held on July 27, 2013 on Great Cranberry Island, Maine.

Very cool medal that I think is also a buckle. It is pictured on the rock the finishers also receive so they can take a little piece of the island home with them but also probably comes in handy for eating lobster. Here is another view of the medal and rock.

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[medals submitted by RIF #116 Nicholas Norfolk. Follow him on Twitter @absolut_zer0 and by RIF #88 Hideki Kinoshita, follow him on Twitter @RunKino]