Thumbs Up Thursday...Amanda

This week's spotlight is on Amanda of 5 Miles Past Empty (here). After you read through her interview head on over and say hello! You will get to read a lot of great posts since Amanda is currently training for another triathlon. Check out her pictures from the Seattle Danskin Sprint Triathlon!!

Jodi: How long have you been running/swimming/biking?
Amanda: Wow, lets see...I have been running since I was a kid. I did track all through middle school and then added cross country in high school. I even got a cross country scholarship but turned it down. The college race distance is a 10k. I thought that was too far. HA! I'm kicking myself now. I stopped running for a while in college and then picked it back up when I joined the Air Force. I was always the pacer for PT tests. At that time we had to run two miles in 21 min. I told the others to just stay in front of me and they would be ok. I didn't start running road races until 2007 when we moved to Tacoma, WA. It was part of the culture! There were so many local races!! I haven't stopped since!

Swimming...I think I was meant to be a fish. I love the water. I taught myself how to swim when I was a kid. I was never on a swim team, our school was too small. I decided to become a lifeguard in 10th grade and and then I became a WSI Swim Instructor and a YMCA swim instructor. I have taught literally thousands of kids and adults to swim.

Biking has always been a weakness for me. I'm a chicken. I didn't start actually training on a bike until 2 weeks ago.

Jodi: Why did you start running/swimming/biking?
Amanda: Aside from running in HS for cool points and to get a letter for my letterman's jacket, in my adult life I started running to get back into shape after having my son. I needed to find myself, and get back to the ME that I knew I was. I was out of shape, soft, squishy, unhappy and miserable. It was also something that the hubs and I could do together. When my husband went on his first deployment is when I really started getting into it. I did a race every month, sometimes two, for 10 monhts while he was deployed. It has continued....

Jodi: How many years have you been racing?
Amanda: Almost 4 years! My first road race was April 2007, I Ran the Span 5k and my first tri was Sept 2008 Kirkland Sprint Tri.

Jodi: What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Amanda: This is tough but I think the half marathon. It is a challenging distance but yet I find that I can stay in half mary condition fairly easily. 10k is good too...I would say 13.1 with 6.2 a close second. Both give me time to get warmed up and get into a grove.

Jodi: What is your favorite race memory?
Amanda: The Oklahoma City Marathon, the enitre 26.2 miles. There was not a second that I wanted to quit. It was amazing. At the end I saw Jessica and my dad, the pride in my dad's eyes was priceless. I will remember that forever....

Jodi: What is your least favorite race memory?
Amanda: The Portland Marathon 2010. There were a few good things, like seeing Mel and Jill, my hubby my son and my dog, finishing with RED. But for the most part it was awful and I wanted to die. Just lay down and die. I was sopping wet, sore, miserable, tired, and I wanted a Mac Truck to put me out of my misery.

Jodi: What is your proudest running/swimming/biking moment to date?
Amanda: By far finishing the OKC Marathon in 4:09!! It was amazing! Other than that making a 1/2 marathon PR of 1:55 at the Seattle Rock n Roll last June.

Jodi: What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run/swim/ride?
Amanda: Garmin 405. Without it I might as well not run. If it isn't logged electronically on my watch then it didn't happen.

Jodi: What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Amanda: Orange slices and GU chomps.

Jodi: What is your favorite post race snack?
Amanda: Pizza!

Jodi: Who do you admire most and why?
Amanda: This is a tough one. Can I say myself? Not to sound full of myself but I feel like I have done a lot and come through a lot in the past three years. I admire my determination, integrity and mostly I admire my resiliency. But, if I can't answer with myself then I would have to say I admire my Grandma. She has never met someone she didn't love, or who did not love her. She has never raised her voice. She is a picture of pure, honest, Rogerian care for others. I wish I could be as pure hearted as her.

Jodi: Do you have a favorite quote?
Amanda: I'm terrible at remembering things, quotes included...I just take the gist and go from there.

Jodi: Finish this statement, when I run/swim/bike I feel ______
Amanda: strong.

Jodi: What is your current goal?
Amanda: I really, REALLY want to get in the top 33% of my age group in the White Lake Half Iron Man to qualify for the Halfmax Half Iron in Myrtle Beach in Oct. Although that could throw a kink in my OBX full marathon training (in Nov). But, just completeing the half iron is a good goal too!

Thanks you so much for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Amanda! Best of luck achieving your current goals!

Keep running, you're simply the best, and Amanda YOU inspire ME!!