In June of 2012 I was selected as the member of the month of the running club I belong to, Salisbury Rowan Runners. The questions I answered then seem a good way to introduce you to me now, so here is that interview:
When, how did you start
running?
I
started running seriously in high school.
I was on the cross country team.
Incidentally, that’s also how I found out I was allergic to cedar. There was this one particular spot on the
course our coach had marked out where my allergies would just kick in full
force. It took me a while to figure out
what the trigger was. Once I did, I’d
pull my shirt up over my nose and mouth as I got near that stand of trees and
dash through like the wind!
What motivates you to keep going?
I have this picture that I just adore. It’s of a silhouetted runner and it says
“There will be a day when I cannot run.
Today is not that day.” Staying
active is what keeps us young.
What are some of your
hobbies and interests? (Please answer, I would like people to know you write,
and that you are talented in so many other ways)
My spare time is spent doing the things I really love. In addition to working with SRR, I write,
paint, cook, read, and enjoy spending time with my family. I’ve written a cookbook as well as a novel
(which I hope to have published sometime soon).
I recently sold one of my paintings.
I love theatre and music. I enjoy
shopping, especially for shoes and jewelry.
I get a kick out of exploring new places and revisiting old
favorites. I believe that if you’re
going to do something, it should be something you truly enjoy. You’re trading away a day of your life for
what you’re doing, so make it worth it.
Who are your family
members?
Chris
is my husband and I have two really awesome kids, Rhys and Teagan. Most everyone would recognize Rhys from
running and Teagan has been helping out at the results table. Chris is the quiet one. Most people don’t notice he is there unless
something goes wrong and he steps up to help out. I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention
our pets. We have Cooper, an Italian
greyhound/Chihuahua mix we adopted from a rescue (who thinks he is human). We also have the ancient and esteemed cat,
O.C. (short for Orange Cat), two bunnies
– Chloe and Claudia, two Schneider’s skinks – Craig and Fergie and Skyper the
bird.
What is your favorite food
before; after a race?
My favorite food is sushi, not before a race, but definitely as a
post-race treat. I gave up meat, but I
still eat fish and seafood. The night
before a race, there’s usually some form of pasta at my house. If Rhys gets to choose it will be quinoa
spaghetti.
What is your ideal
running/jogging weather?
I have asthma so cold weather is painful to run in, but cool
autumn weather is my favorite. No
allergy issues, no overheating.
What advice would you give
a beginning runner?
1. Drink lots of water, but make sure
to give yourself ample time to go to the restroom before the race. It’s a crowded place right before race time.
2. Show up to the race early so you
don’t have to wait in long registration lines.
That way you can also take your time stretching and reading over the
course map.
3. If you listen to music as you run,
please, please, please don’t put your ear buds in until the race is
underway. At the beginning of the race
the race director will be giving vital information that you need to be aware
of….things like “if you don’t turn in your card, you will not be counted,” or
“stay in the left lane both out and back due to traffic,” or “the course has
changed, it now goes…”
4. Also, at the end of the race, just
before you cross the finish line, pull your ear buds out. The people at the finish line and results
table will be saying things to you and you will need to answer.
5. If you are new to racing or you
are, like me, a slow runner, please move back in the starting line-up. Let the really fast people have the front of
the line. This keeps them from getting
frustrated with you and keeps you from getting trampled by them. If you are walking the race, move to the very
back of the line-up.
6. When you pass someone in a narrow
area, it is courteous to call out, “on your left,” before passing them on their
left hand side. No one likes to feel
they are being run off the road and runners in general are courteous, helpful
people. I’ve watched people give up a
chance at a medal to stop and help an injured runner.
7. Wear your bib on the front unless
otherwise instructed and keep it visible so it can be seen by the people at the
results table. That’s how they know who
you are and mark your place accordingly.
8. Never wear brand shoes or gear on
race day. Break it in and test it out
first.
9. Bodyglide is your friend, blisters
are not.
10. Unless you’re a guy who has a physique like
Brad Pitt, please keep your shirt on.
11. Never drink anything but water prior to a
race. If you feel you must break this
rule, please move (far) away from the results table before you puke…because you
will.
12. Don’t crowd the results table trying to see
how you or your aunt or your second-cousin-twice-removed finished. The people working the tables are working
under a lot of pressure to be fast and accurate. They will be more than happy to accommodate
your request of “what’s my time?” after the race is fully over and they’ve
tabulated the results and gotten the times off to the person announcing the
awards. When dealing with SRR, the times
will also be posted on the website (salisburyrowanrunners.org).
13. Be aware of where you are standing. I can’t tell you how often I see people turn
in a card and then just linger between the chute and the results table,
blocking the way of others wanting to turn in their cards. If you’re asked to move, don’t take it personally. A fun run may be starting or you may be
blocking the view of the chute. Either
way, if you’re asked to move, the people asking aren’t trying to be rude, they
are only trying to get a job done.
14. Don’t leave until after the awards are
over. Even if you don’t think you won
anything, it never hurts to wait and see.
If there are only three people in your age group, even if you finish
dead last, you’re taking home an award.
Also, there may be door prizes or special awards. The best reason of all to hang around is to
cheer and applaud for others. It can be
really discouraging for the last age group announced if there is only a
smattering of applause left for them.
They deserve it just as much as the first group announced.
15. Don’t be afraid to speak to people and make
friends. Runners are almost always
tickled pink to share information . . . where the next great race is, what kind
of shoes they are wearing, where they shop, good websites . . . and you never know, you may find your
next training partner that way too.
16. Most important of all, have fun. Running is a great sport and it is great for
you, but you won’t do it if you don’t enjoy it.
Keep a positive attitude. Even if
you finish last, you’ve accomplished something.
What is the most memorable
moment in/during a race?
If I’m running, it’s the point where the finish line comes into
sight. If I’m working the race, it is
when someone I’ve never met before comes up to me and says thank you.
What is your favorite genre of music to listen to while running?
Oh Lord! Anyone who checked out my mp3 player would think I was
totally schizophrenic. I listen to so
many genres. Right now the playlist
labeled running has the following artists: Christina Aguilera, Faster Pussycat,
Jet, Sweet, Ramones, Marilyn Manson, Vampires Everywhere, Joan Jett, Cee Lo
Green, GNR, Jimmy Buffett, Lady Gaga, Timo Descamps, LMFAO, Mechanical Moth,
and Scatterbrain.
As the go-to person of
results, what is it about this position that keeps you coming back for more….
When my son ran his first 5k (Bare Bones 2007) it took several
days before the results were posted online.
Some races (not all SRR races btw) it took weeks before we saw anything
online, if ever. As he began to run
races more frequently, sometimes every weekend, I began to think, “Hey you
know, I think I could help get this done.”
Finally, I offered to help SRR with the results since my typing and
Excel skills made things go faster. I
like helping other people and I know that people want to see the official
results as soon as possible. It makes me
feel good to know I can provide that.
God gave me the ability, it would be wrong of me not to make good use of
it.
The best part of being a
member of SRR is…….
Knowing that I’m helping not only the runners wanting to see their
results, but indirectly helping support the community with the charities to
which SRR is a benefactor.
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