Happy 4th of July to all of the Run It Fast – Club runners and runners all over the United States today.

Pictured in the photo above is RIF #80 Scott Gatlin during the first annual Flag Run in Jackson, Tennessee on July 4, 2012.

He was joined by about 20 other runners including RIF #38 JD Favara, RIF #39 Tanya Favara, RIF #82 Matthew Wylie, RIF #84 David Johnson, RIF #85 Brett Beckham, and RIF #120 Stephanie Johnson.

May running and physical fitness continue to make strides to make our country healthier and stronger.

If you are running a 4th of July race today then be sure to Run It Fast.

Use the tag #runitfast on Instagram for your 4th of July running photos (or running photos anytime) and the same tag on Twitter as well.

(You can join Run It Fast – The Club and learn more about it by clicking HERE.)

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Queens 10K that took place on July 1, 2012 in Queens, New York.

The race had 5,442 finishers and was won by Julius Lomeriyang in a time of 29:20.

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by Seth Tabor. Follow him on Twitter @Taborifica]

This week’s Run It Fast – The Club profile is #72 Natalie Torres. Natalie and I have the same problem. We love to run but we have out of control hair that makes running interesting so I was happy to read about her solution to this “issue”. I always have fun seeing what gear other runners use, don’t you?

So let’s get to know Natalie:

INFO

Name: Natalie Torres
RIF #: 72
Twitter: @NattieRuns
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nattie1218
Blog: http://www.thismamacanrun.com/

STATS

Years running: 2

Favorite race distance: half-marathon

Favorite PR: Marine Corps Historic half 2:03:40

Favorite race: Historic Half

Favorite bling: RnR St. Pete’s [See photo at the top or check it out in the bling case for a close up look.]

Next race: The Naked Foot 5k

What makes you FEEL fast?: My Saucony Kinvara 2s make me feel fast. Since wearing them I have been able to improve my speed and overall pace.

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS

What’s the most beautiful place that you’ve run? The Rock-n-Roll St. Petersburg Half Marathon is the most beautiful place that I have run. It was along the beach and so very peaceful.

Why do you race? I race because it makes me a better runner. When I race, I am only competing with myself. I like to be able to train and then see the results of all of my hard work.

What is the one piece of running gear you can’t leave the house without? I cannot leave the house without my Sparkly Soul headband. I have very thick curly hair and I need something that is going to keep it out of my face when I run.

What running moment are you most proud of? I am very proud of my first half-marathon. I ran the entire time even though I felt like I was going to die. I pushed through and finished strong.

If you can’t run, you’re ________? If I can’t run, I am either strength training or going to yoga.

***

We all have favorite gear that we use, whether it’s shoes to makes us feel “fast” or headbands to make the run more comfortable. What is the one thing you can’t leave the house without when you go for a run?

Thanks for sharing Natalie! I hope you run it fast at your next race!

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 Natalie Torres]

Arthur Priddy won The Jackal Trail Marathon that was held on June 23, 2012 in Jackson, Tennessee with a time of 3:52:41

Priddy, who earlier this year won the Andrew Jackson Marathon, was able to hold off David Mickelsen who finished in 4:04:36.

The Jackal Trail Marathon Results – 2012

1. Arthur Priddy (Jackson, TN) – 3:52:41
2. David Mickelsen (Brentwood, TN) – 4:04:36
3. Joshua Holmes (Jackson, TN) – 4:32:32
4. Chris Estes (Murfreesboro, TN) – 4:34:53
5. Jeff Fugate (Jackson, TN) – 4:38:01
6. Dan Meier (Clarksville, TN) – 4:41:22
7. Nathan Judd (Finger, TN) – 4:41:41
8. Jonathan Harrison (Henderson, TN) – 4:52:26
9. Anthony Ohrey (Henderson, TN) – 4:59:52
10. Wade Anderson (Readyville, TN) – 5:16:41
11. Jonathan Young (Benton, AR) – 5:18:19
12. Sulaiman Seriki (La Vergne, TN) – 5:19:31
13. Todd Shadburn (Jackson, TN) – 5:24:35
14. Clark Bilbrey (Dickson, TN) – 5:31:14
15. Naresh Kumar (India) – 5:38:36
16. Mikki Trujillo (Cookeville, TN) – 6:13:17
17. David Oglesby (Jackson, TN) – 6:20:34

• Brad Box (Jackson, TN) – 4:38:10 (early 5am start)

On Sunday (June 24, 2012), five runners returned to attempt a second day of marathon madness in what was dubbed The Backass Jackal Trail Marathon.

The Backass Jackal was won by Chris Estes who finished the second day of the back-to-back with a time of 4:41:22.

The Backass Jackal Trail Marathon Results -2012

1. Chris Estes (Murfreesboro, TN) – 4:41:22
2. Joshua Holmes (Jackson, TN) – 4:52:51
3. Sulaiman Seriki (La Vergne, TN) – 6:02:15
4. Naresh Kumar (India) – 6:26:30
5. Mikki Trujillo (Cookeville, TN) – 6:38:05 (F)

These five runners were joined by four other runners that made up two relay teams during The Backass Jackal.

The Backass Jackal Trail Marathon Relay Team Results – 2012

1. Robin Robbins/Nathan Bass – 4:19:31
2. Daniela Obregon/Ben Pennington – 5:48:10

Congrats and thanks to all of the great runners who came out to make this a wonderful first time event.

Where Run It Fast Runners Are Running This Weekend

Storified by Joshua Holmes · Fri, Jun 22 2012 14:50:58

I was innocently scrolling my Twitter feed moments ago when I saw a Tweet from Lance Armstrong mentioning Run It Fast Club Member Tim Dockery (RIF #42) nailing it.

So I went to Tim’s Facebook page and saw that it was indeed longtime friend and RIF member of the same name, Tim Dockery.

The post on Opposing Views is titled, ‘USADA’s Travis Tygart Plays Prosecutor, Jury and Judge in Lance Armstrong Case‘ (FULL STORY)

The title of the article doesn’t hide much but here is a couple of excerpts from the well written piece.

Imagine walking into a courtroom as the defendant in a lawsuit. The prosecuting attorney reads the charges against you citing nothing more than the testimony of anonymous witnesses as evidence. You object, claiming this is unjust! To your surprise the prosecutor walks to the judge’s bench, puts on a judge’s robe and denies your motion. The prosecutor, still wearing his judge’s robe, then takes out his cell phone and calls three of his friends to serve on your “independent” jury.

No, despite the officially sounding name, it turns out the “United States Anti-doping Agency is not a part of the federal government. Although it receives almost 90 percent of its funding from the federal grants, the USADA is a government program masquerading as a non-profit organization. This non-profit status allows it to investigate and prosecute athletes without affording them the constitutional and due process protections required of other federal agencies. This status also allows it to prosecute athletes with a lower burden of proof than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard that would have been required in the previous investigation by the USDOJ. Finally, it allows a situation where the same man, Mr. Travis T. Tygart is allowed to serve as Prosecutor, Jury and Judge in the investigation of Lance Armstrong.

Dockery in concluding:

Do I think Mr. Tygart has some kind of personal vendetta against Lance? My personal opinion is yes, but I also think actions sometime speak louder than words. The 2012 London Olympic Games are a little more than a month away. Mr. Tygart and his staff are responsible for testing all US athletes headed to the games. However, he has chosen to use the majority of his offices resources investigating whether a retired cyclist doped 16 years ago.

The investigation and sanctioning process at the USADA is unconscionable. The partiality of the prosecutor, the lack of due process for the accused, and the lack of an independent fact finder are completely at odds with our American system of justice and fairness.

Take the time to read Tim’s full analysis of Tygart’s actions against Armstrong.

(Read Dockery’s full story HERE).

About 33% of Run It Fast – The Club members have submitted their race data (January-May) to be tabulated into the Extreme Runner/Racer Standings.

The overall leader is Joshua Holmes (RIF #1) with 464.5 race points.  Second place goes to Hideki Kinoshita (RIF #88) with 442.2 points and David Wingard (RIF #101) remains in third with 365.4 points.

The top overall female is Emily Conley (RIF #24) with 326.4 points.

Runners are awarded a point for every mile of a race they complete. (Example: marathon = 26.2 pts, half marathon = 13.1 points, 50K = 31 points, 5K = 3.1 points, etc.).  More details HERE

The male and female leaders at the end of the year will be named RIF’s Extreme Runner/Racer(s) of the Year.

Top 10 Overall Extreme Runner Point Standings

1.   Joshua Holmes – 464.5 (RIF #1)

2.   Hideki Kinoshita – 442.2 (RIF #88)

3.   David Wingard – 365.4 (RIF #101)

4.   Emily Conley – 326.4 (RIF #24)

5.   Rick Jarvis – 296.8 (RIF #18)

6.   Nadia Ruiz Gonzales – 267.1 (RIF #69)

7.   Scott Stader – 222.4 (RIF #40)

8.   Laura Raeder – 216.7 (RIF #20)

9.   David Donald – 203.96 (RIF #54)

10.   Heather Shoemaker – 196.6 (RIF #44)

Extreme Racer Male Leaderboard 

1.   Joshua Holmes – 464.5 (RIF #1)

2.   Hideki Kinoshita – 442.2 (RIF #88)

3.   David Wingard – 365.4 (RIF #101)

4.   Rick Jarvis – 296.8 (RIF #18)

5.   Scott Stader – 222.4 (RIF #40)

6.   David Donald – 203.96 (RIF #54)

7.   Alvin Lee – 172 (RIF #30)

8.   Jonathan Bobbitt – 154.4 (RIF #3)

9.   Kevin Leathers – 143 (RIF #12)

10.   Trent Rosenbloom – 141.6 (RIF #57)

11.   Nicholas Norfolk – 139.01 (RIF #116)

12.   Rick Thiounn – 125.4 (RIF #111)

13.   Jason Howard – 124.1 (RIF #150)

14.   Wade Anderson – 100.3 (RIF #22)

15.   Naresh Kumar – 83.4 (RIF #2)

16.   John Hudson – 79.6 (RIF #63)

17.   Brian Wooldridge – 74.8 (RIF #141)

18.   Victor Fleitas – 59.6 (RIF #21)

19.   Dennis Arriaga – 68.46 (RIF #140)

20.   Scott Lochridge – 65.5 (RIF #32)

21.   Stewart Crouch – 64.8 (RIF #89)

22.   Perry Ligon – 64 (RIF #146)

23.   JD Leman – 39.3 (RIF #139)

24.   Kevin Ronayne – 19.3 (RIF #11)

25.   Chris Nelson – 19.3 (RIF #135)

26.   Mark Sikkila – 16.2 (RIF #108)

27.   Steven Reagan – 15.5 (RIF #157)

28.   Scott Gorski – 12.4 (RIF #107)

29.   Josh Liggett – 9.32 (RIF #147)

Extreme Racer Female Leaderboard 

1.   Emily Conley – 326.4 (RIF #24)

2.   Nadia Ruiz Gonzales – 267.1 (RIF #69)

3.   Laura Raeder – 216.7 (RIF #20)

4.   Heather Shoemaker – 196.6 (RIF #44)

5.   Michelle Mitchell – 188.6 (RIF #133)

6.   Lisa Gonzales – 178 (RIF #5)

7.   Jennifer Whitley – 171.8 (RIF #160)

8.   Alicia Eno – 117.9 (RIF #126)

9.   Mikki Trujillo – 137.2 (RIF #13)

10.   Nicole Knutson – 104.8 (RIF #47)

11.   Robin Mancinelli – 99.5 (RIF #134)

12.   Diane Bolton – 83.4 (RIF #159)

13.   Daniela Obregon – 59.5 (RIF #49)

14.   Christy Bowers – 57.2 (RIF #60)

15.   Marj Mitchell – 42.6 (RIF #4)

16.   Natalie Torres – 42.4 (RIF #72)

17.   Lisa Edwards – 30.6 (RIF #122)

18.   Debra Jacildo – 17.39 (RIF #98)

19.   Meredith Yox – 15.5 (RIF #128)

Thanks to all 48 members who have submitted race data to date. This should become a lot of fun as the year goes on and more members start to participate.

For information on joining Run It Fast – The Club click HERE.

Club Members be sure to read more about ERS and enter your races -> Extreme Racer Standings Program (details).

Complete Run It Fast – The Club Member Directory

Laura Raeder #20

This week’s profile is Laura Raeder #20. Laura is on a mission to run in every state and she’s more than half way to her goal. My goal is to run in every state as well so she is really inspiring to me. Who/what is inspiring to Laura? Check out her profile below and find out!

Meet Laura Raeder…

INFO

Name: Laura Raeder
RIF #: 20
Twitter: @LauraRaeder

STATS

Years running: 6

Favorite PR: Boston Marathon 2010 3:37 I wish I would have appreciated this more, instead of wondering how to shave 7 more minutes off my time! (see photo above)

Favorite Race: Chicago Marathon 2009. The temperature was 32 at the start–perfect for this South Dakota runner. The race has great crowd support! Plus, my sister and Brother-in-law ran this race with me ….and my parents came to cheer!

Favorite Bling: I don’t have a favorite medal…I feel like I birthed them all and just can’t pick a favorite child!

Next Race: Seattle RNR marathon June 23rd.

What makes you FEEL fast?: Every Wednesday, I run with my former trainer. We run 5 miles and each time we run …she asks for a walk break. 🙂 (However, I think I have persuaded her to train for a fall marathon! Good-bye Wednesday recovery runs…Hello mid-week long runs!)

FUN RUNNING QUESTIONS

Who inspires your running and why? Every other runner. Honestly…perfect form speeding past, hunched over and shuffling…new runners with passion and questions…experienced runners with passion and answers. I am motivated by each person…why they run…their goals…their stories.

Which of your running routes makes you the happiest and why? There is a piece of our Bike Trail that goes around our airport. There is no shade, no wind breaks, and no water…so, not many people. I love running here. There is a 1.5 mile straight stretch that can feel like 3 miles some days or .25 miles other days…it all depends on how many problems you have to solve!

What is the thing you splurge on after a race? Airport pizza! Ha! I am trying to run a marathon in all 50 states before I am 40…I have 27 states and 24.5 months…so, I fly in the day before the race, get my packet, sleep, race, shower, and fly home. So, by the time I arrive at the airport after a race I am craving something salty and heavy…pizza it is!

Why do you race? For the feeling of crossing the finish line. My response is extremely selfish…but it is the truth. The fatigue, accomplishment, nausea, strength…the nirvana.

What running moment are you most proud of? My first 1/2 marathon. I ran it with my sister. I was exhausted and she stayed with me encouraging me to finish. Of course she ran backwards…did cartwheels…and high-fived all the kids on the course…but, we finished together! I was hooked!

Laura with her sister and brother-in-law before her first half marathon.

Running it fast at a 4 miler!

***

Laura is inspired to run by everyday runners like you and me, by her sister and her family, and by pizza! Most of all she’s inspired by how running makes here feel. Find what inspires you and use that to go farther or faster or longer than you ever have before. And don’t forget…you might be inspiring someone like Laura without even knowing it!

Thanks for sharing Laura! Good luck at Rock & Roll Seattle!

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 Laura Raeder]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the Stanganelli’s Pepperoni Ball Jog ‘n Hog that took place on June 16, 2012 in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The event is described on the race website as follows:

Picture a 4-ounce ball of warm fried dough filled with delicious slices of pepperoni.  The Stanganelli’sPepperoni Ball Jog ‘n Hog will begin at Beach 1 on Presque Isle State Park. Runners will jog out 2 miles, stop and eat a half-dozen pepperoni balls and then jog back 2 miles. In case you’re wondering, 6 pepperoni balls x 4 ounces each = a pound and half of dough. Note: this event is not Atkin’s friendly.

Would you run this event or does the thought make you wanna puke?

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal submitted by Steph. Follow her on Twitter @scrooge19]