Thumbs Up Thursday...Jess

This week's spotlight is on Jess of Run with Jess (here).  Once you read her interview, head on over to her blog and say hello!

Jodi:  How long have you been running?
Jess:  I've run on and off for 10 years. About 2 years ago I started up serious running to lose weight & haven't stopped since!


Jodi:  Why did you start running?
Jess:  Weight Loss! My second baby was 6mths old and I was at my highest weight ever! I started a walk/run program after watching a friend melt off the weight with running.

Jodi:  How many years have you been racing?
Jess:  About 2 years

Jodi:  What is your favorite distance to race and why?
Jess:  I love 13.1. It's the perfect distance for me... long enough that I need to train appropriately, but not completely consuming of my free time.

Jodi:  What is your favorite race memory?
Jess:  Finish Line of my second half marathon (Fox Cities Marathon). I trained hard and ran a great race. PR'ed by 28 minutes and was so shocked/proud of myself in the moment. Now my favorite moments are watching beginners cross that finish line for the first time. The sense of accomplishment just beams from their faces!

Jodi:  What is your least favorite race memory?
Jess:  Oshkosh Half Marathon this past spring. Started in rain, ended in freezing rain. I was freezing cold and wanted to quit the whole time... but somehow I managed to PR by a couple seconds!

Jodi:  What is your proudest running moment to date?
Jess:  Watching my daughters become runners! It's so important for me to be a good role model for them. So when I see them embracing the sport of running, it makes me super proud of the example I'm setting for them.

Jodi:  What one item do you absolutely have to have with you on a training run?
Jess:  Gum! I'm a simple gal... no Garmin here, but I do have a stopwatch and love my ipod shuffle.

Jodi:  What is your favorite fuel during a race?
Jess:  I like variety... GU gels are my go-to for long runs, but I also mix it up with jelly beans. And lately nuun in my water has made a big difference for me too.

Jodi:  What is your favorite post race snack?
Jess:  Bananas are a staple. Quick & easy is the name of my game.

Jodi:  Do you have a favorite quote?
Jess:  "I can better take care of my family when I first take care of myself." This one got me threw the early times running with a baby at home. I felt so guilty taking time out for me and being away from the kids to workout in the gym or go for a run. Even now, it reminds me that after a quick run, I'm a better mother, wife and person.

Jodi:  Finish this statement, when I run I feel _________.
Jess:  REFRESHED!!

Jodi:  What is your current goal?
Jess:  Finish my first marathon in September and race a sub-2 half-marathon before 2011 is over.

Jodi:  Please feel free to add anything else you feel will help others lace up their shoes and get out there and run!! 
Jess:  Every year from January through May, I bake my little booty off with my Cupcakes4Cure fundraising program to fight breast cancer. Last year I raised almost $1100. I run the Komen Race for the Cure every year in Peoria, IL, hometown of Susan G. Komen. My grandmother died at an early age from breast cancer and my aunt is a survivor. So it's a cause near and dear to our family.

 
 

 
 
Thanks again for the opportunity to give you a Thumbs Up Jess!  Best of luck finishing your first marathon and chasing your sub-2 half- marathon!
 
Keep running, you're simply the best, and Jess YOU inspire ME!!