I got this idea from Dorothy over at Mile Posts and I thought it would be a fun post! She posted an old “NOTE” from her Facebook from several years ago called “25 Random Things, Facts, Habits & Goals about Me.” I remembered that I had been tagged in a NOTE about running that I had played along with, so I grabbed it off of my Facebook to share with you today. Aren’t you lucky?!?! 🙂
I did this on July 15, 2009 and I’m leaving my original answers. For answers that have changed, I’ve crossed out the original answers and added my new ones. Here were the original instructions I received from a friend…
Half-Marathon/Marathon/Ultra-Marathon Questions
Hey runners! Learn about my running and tell me about yours, if you’re interested. Copy this, answer and tag your friends (include me). Not another “25 Things” you say; perhaps, but these are things you hopefully won’t mind sharing…
1. Number of marathons you have run:
Half-marathons: 2 6
Marathons: 37 40
Ultra-marathon: 1
2. When/where was your first marathon/half-marathon/ultra-marathon?
First half-marathon: 2002 Virginia Beach Rock ‘N Roll Half
First full marathon: 1997 Marine Corps Marthon
First ultra-marathon: 1997 JFK 50-Miler
3. Favorite half-marathon course/marathon course/ultra-marathon course:
Half-marathon: I haven’t really liked any of the half-marathons Virginia Wine Country is run in gorgeous rural Loudoun County
Marathon: Big Sur is a beautiful course running along the Pacific Ocean
Ultra-marathon: JFK 50-Miler is run on the Appalachian Trail, C&O Canal, and country roads
4. Most memorable race:
Boston Marathon for sure! When else would I have little kids coming up to me asking for an autograph? I thought that was so cool! They were coming up to all of us as we were heading to the starting line.
5. Marathon PR/half-marathon PR/ultra-marathon PR?
Half-marathon: 1:56:38 (2002 Rock ‘N’ Roll Virginia Beach)
Marathon: 3:29:04 (1999 Steamtown)
Ultra-marathon: 10:50:30 (1997 JFK 50-Miler)
6. Ever run in a costume? No
7. The only running shoes for me: Asics GT-2140 GT-2000 (I’ve been wearing this series for 12 16 years)
8. Ever been injured?
* IT Band Syndrome at mile 17 of the JFK 50-Miler and toughed it out for the next 33 miles (I’m stubborn like that)
* Pulled a hamstring on the C&O Canal dodging a mud puddle
* Pulled the same hamstring doing speed work a few years later
* I’ve had other injures that have kept me from running, but they didn’t happen while running
* Add: Bulging L4-L5 that presses on my sciatic nerve and causes leg pain if I don’t keep my running form in check
9. Hot or cold weather runner? definitely cold!
10. Morning or evening runs? first thing in the morning bringing up the sun!
11. What is your motivation? I LOVE to run! It’s FUN and it makes me feel great!
12. Ever DNF? No
13. Race I’d like to forget: 2005 Marine Corps Marathon – my friend Terri and I were running together (as we often do) and we were both coming down with bad colds and felt miserable!
14. Favorite post race nosh: Breakfast at IHOP with the Cruisers!
15. Galloway or Higdon? I got to meet Jeff Galloway a few times when he came and trained six of us coaches that were coaching for the National Aides Marathon Training Program. We were using the Galloway Method of Run/Walk/Run with our mostly novice runners so he trained us to coach using his method. 🙂
16. Flat course or hills: Mixture
17. Back, Middle or Front of the pack? Front of the middle, but I see myself slowly working my way back as I get older.
18. Run alone or with a partner: With friends! Running is very social for me as you can tell since I started a running group! The Cruisers rock!!! 🙂
19. Ever win your age group? Yes
21. Funniest T-shirt spotted on another runner during a marathon: It said something like “Every year older I get, I’m closer to qualifying for Boston.”
22. One part of your body that has never seen body glide: My face, but I make up for it with sun screen!
23. Best part of running: Seeing my friends and staying healthy
24. If I didn’t run I’d be ___________________ : cranky!
25. I can’t run without______________________: my Asics (These days add: my camera!) 🙂
26. Ever lose a toenail? no, I go up a full size in my running shoes to avoid that yes, I lost one, although I do still go up a full shoe size
27. Gatorade or Cytomax? Gatorade (what’s Cytomax?)
28. Favorite gel flavor? Vanilla Bean Gu (Now I use Shot Bloks)
29. How many days after a marathon do you usually start running again? 3- 4 days
30. I run, therefore I ____________: stay young
31. Pre-race routines? I lay everything out the night before and have pasta for dinner.
32. How often do you cry during a marathon (race)? I only cried once and that was after my 1999 Steamtown PR. I was so happy to break 3:30! (Add: 2011 Richmond Marathon when I cried three times after mile 22 because my right leg was hurting so badly… Little did I know it was caused by a back injury that I didn’t know I had.)
33. What was your worst/least favorite marathon? It might have been 2008 Marine Corps Marathon… it was not a good day….
- Questions:
- Do you remember NOTES on Facebook?
- What are your answers to the above questions?
- Better yet, answer these questions on a future blog post!
I remember notes! This is why I blog because I want to be able to look back at what was!
It’s will be a great record for Gentry to look back at, too!
Ha when I got up this morning and checked FB I was that you had a new “note” and was like…whoooaaaa throw-back!
I’ve never cried at my own race (I thought I would during my first 50k, but didn’t), but I get really choked up watching other people finish races. Gets me every time.
Throw-back to 2009! I copy and pasted that note from my personal Facebook page to my business page last night so I could link to it. I’d forgotten all about it until I saw Dorothy’s post about her “25 Things” note.
I do remember notes! Those were always fun!
I don’t have enough races under my belt to really answer all these, but I may keep them in mind for a future blogpost. Thanks for the suggestion!
You’re welcome! 🙂
40 marathons! You are a total rock star!! Loved learned more about your running history!
Ahhhh, typos! Loved ‘learning’ more…
My biggest running regret was not running cross-county for the Hokies!
I loved reading this!
Thank you! 🙂
I don’t remember those on FB… Maybe I hadn’t logged in and created my page yet?
Every year I get closer to qualifying for Boston. That’s cute!
This is a great blog idea. My answers might be a little boring this early into my running career! I think an Ultra will have to be in my future at some point so I can go on record as having finished one!
Notes were a group of questions about various thing that went around on Facebook around 2008-2009. You would answer the questions about yourself, and then tag your friends so they would see it and hopefully fill out their own set of answers.
Running an ultra gives you a huge feeling of accomplishment! You definitely should run one someday! 🙂
Might have to steal this idea from you for a future post on my blog! 🙂 I will have to adjust some of the questions since I have not run a marathon YET! I am not familiar to notes on FB. I always feel out of the loop in regards to technology. 🙂
Notes were a group of questions that went around on Facebook a few years back. You could answer the questions about yourself and then tag your friends so they would see it and hopefully answer back. I’d love to read your answers, and after this fall you’ll have a marathon under your belt! 🙂
Hah you ran your first full 5 years before your first half! That’s wild. That was neat seeing how your running numbers have changed since 2009.
I even ran my ultra before my first half! 🙂 I only ran the Virginia Beach Half because my friend talked us into it, and because it was a Rock ‘N’ Roll event and I had never run one.