Running Partner Appreciation Day!!!

Amanda at 5 Miles Past Empty (here) has declared Saturday, June 25th as Running Partner Appreciation Day.  Today is a day to express your appreciation for all of your running partners.  Since our long runs take place on Sunday, I won't be hitting the pavement with any of my running partners until tomorrow morning so I am dedicating today's post to all of them!!

Nikki, Deb and Marilyn- my 1/2 marathon in all 50 states buddies!

Mellisa, Deb, Brigette, Kim, and Mellisa's son Matt- my Cleveland 10 Miler Girls (boy)

Darlene- my Hershey's Ice Cream and More and 5K buddy!!

Jenn- my 2011 Cleveland Marathon training buddy!!



Brenda- my neighbor and running and spinning buddy



Dave-  my guardian angel and the reason I was able to finish the 2011 Cleveland Marathon

Bobby- my brother that supports me 110% even if he likes to battle me for the family championship each year

Kaelynn- my daughter who reminds me to keep running fun!

Thank you to each and every single one of you for the amazing role you play in my life.  There isn't a day that goes by that I am not grateful to have all of you in my life!  So to all of you, Happy Running Partner Appreciation Day! 

Keep running, you're simply the best, and all of my running partner's inspire me!!!

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!!