Elke, 36 years old

How much do you run?  
I'm training for a marathon right now, so I'm running about 50 miles a week. 

When I'm not training for a race, I run around 30 miles and mix in more cross training.

How long have you been a runner?  
Running has been part of my life since I was a teenager. 
I've always been athletic (TaekwonDo, rowing, tennis) and running is part of every sport. 

Two and a half years ago, I switched to running exclusively.

How did you start running?  
A friend asked me to help out in a relay race. Two of the teams all had matching Front Runner New York (FRNY) jerseys because they all belonged to the same running club. I really liked that "sharing a passion" feeling, so I joined FRNY too. 


Best running experience  
When I race, there are always so many teammates racing or cheering. 
It doesn't matter how slow I run. That support from my club is my most treasured experience.


Unexpected benefit of running  
You feel really good after a run. Even if you didn't feel like running certain days, you know once you start and get out there, you'll love it and feel very accomplished afterward. I don't listen to music because I use runs to "think things out." Whether it's a problem I had at work or with a loved one, running gives me the chance to reflect on that. I also usually have the best ideas during a run. :)


Running-induced crazy story  
There was a time when I'd "pick up" random guys on my runs. No, no it's not what it sounds like. Running is such a community sport and most people are really nice and helpful. 

Last year, I almost always ended up running and chatting with a complete stranger at Central Park. I'd start my run and after a few miles, a guy would fall into my pace and strike up a conversation. I ended up learning about one guy's plans to buy an apartment in NYC, how much he made in a year, that he was married with two kids, without ever knowing his name.


Advice for new runners  
Talk to experienced runners and pick up biographies by famous athletes. Every novice runner is fueled by excitement about running, which is so wonderful. But excitement can sometimes lead to doing too much too soon. Seasoned runners usually have great advice for any running-related obstacle.

Michele, 41 years old

How much do you run?

16 - 20 miles a week.

How long have you been a runner?

Since sophomore year in college. I run for fun.

How did you start running?

My college roommate dragged me to the track and said I would love it- I did!  Especially running with music! 

Best running experience
Finishing the NYC marathon with my friend Les-- 5 seconds under our goal time. We trained together for months, which was part of what made it fun.

Around the mid point of the race, we lost some time meeting up with another runner.  All that stuff about the marathon being a 20 mile run with a 10k race afterwards felt true. By mile 20, we were feeling broken and that all hope was lost to meet our goal time. At just that moment another friend decided to help and paced us (quickly!) all the way to Columbus Circle (about a quarter mile from the finish line) to get us in under our goal time. Running the whole race with Les and having several friends run alongside us and cheering us on at key times motivated us to meet our goal.

Unexpected benefit of running
Meeting lots of great friends I would have never met otherwise. 

Running-induced crazy story
Minutes after finishing the above marathon having to do CPR on a runner down at the finish line who came back after a few minutes and sat up and spoke French!!

Advice for new runners
Go at your own pace - don't worry what everyone else is doing- and just enjoy. 

Doug, 70 years old

How much do you run?
These days, 5 miles a week but it has varied dramatically over the years.

How long have you been a runner?
More than 55 years.

How did you start running?
I always enjoyed running. In my early teens, it was clear that I didn't have basic speed relative to my friends but I had a lot of stamina. That's when I started running longer distances.

When I hurt my shoulder in the beginning of my junior year of high school and could no longer play tennis competitively, I joined the track team.

My college had an indoor track and harsh winters. I was able to run comfortably inside a few times a week.

It just feels good. I don't feel the need to race.

Best running experience
Running along the C+O Canal early in the morning. It is a peaceful and beautiful place at that hour.

Seeing the sunrise over the dome of the Capital while running on The Mall is a close second.

Unexpected benefit of running
I think it has contributed to my being healthy and not having weight problems. I run for enjoyment so this has been a happy side effect.

Most of the time, I've run alone. Since I married Bev about 12 years, I've had the opportunity to run with my wife. We both look forward to spending this time together.

Running-induced crazy story
Senator Bill Proxmire was my neighbor. One morning in the late 1970s we ran part of the way to the Capitol togehter. He told me about his running to work and running to a pool to go swimming on his way home most days. While we ran, it was remarkable how many people who said hello to him. As a man in his early 60s, it was uncommon at that time for someone of his status and age to be so dedicated to fitness.

Advice for new runners

Don't increase both speed and mileage at the same time. I enjoy running close to my limit. When I train more, I'm able to do more... until I hurt myself. As a result, I started training for a marathon a few times but never stayed healthy long enough to run one.

Sandi, 42 years old

How much do you run?
I don't run as much as I'd like. I tend to be a binge and purge runner. I'll go days, sometimes weeks without running and then crave a run so badly that I do 14 miles. I don't recommend it, but I've run marathons on a binge-whim like that, too. 


How long have you been a runner?
I've been running consistently since 2006 

How did you start running?
I ran in spurts - like when my then relationship was not doing well. Running helped make sense of the thoughts running through my head. In 2006, I found out that I (finally) got in the NYC Marathon lottery and started training. 

Best running experience

Bear Mtn Half and the Knickerbocker 60K both last year. Up until those two experiences, I was a slave to my Garmin and pace.

Feeling humbled by the challenging Bear Mtn course and then becoming a Marathon Maniac by running Knickerbocker (60K / about 37 miles) just weeks after the NYC marathon, made me realize that I was better adept for distance and not speed.

If I never race another road race, I think I will be a happier runner.

Unexpected benefit of running
Better friendships. Some of my most beloved conversations are had with friends that I consistently run with (I even married one!) Plus I have a lot of faith in, and live by the golden rule: "What is said on a run, stays on a run". 

Running-induced crazy story
One winter holiday, friends from my running club and I rented a place in the Hamptons. On the day of our long run, we set off on a picturesque, wintery-white and snowy course that was isolated and scenic. It was a beautiful and desserted (due to it being off season) sight as we ran by the beach and over a bridge and back. We ran 18 miles in what turned out to be very harsh conditions. The sleet came in almost horizontal, slamming into our faces like a thousand tiny needles as we made our way back to the house. In the end, we peeled off frozen layers, crunched ice out of our hair and tried to bring a normal hue back to our bright red faces and feeling back into our toes. 

Whenever I question running in inclement weather, I think about that adventure. It was the most amazing winter run. Not only because I have yet to run in worse conditions, but because the friends were so great under the circumstances. We all had a really great time commiserating together, feeling proud that we just had a pretty bad-ass run. 

Advice for new runners

I think the biggest advice I could give would be to find running partners!

My story is not unique at my running club (Front Runners) or any other. Almost everyone is afraid we can't run far enough, aren't fast enough, or we are not a "real runner"  so we shouldn't join. After coming to a few group runs, I realized how wrong I was. I wish I had joined a club sooner. 

Want to know more about Sandi?
You can find her blog at http://musingsofabarefootultrarunner.wordpress.com

Beverly, 56 years old

How much do you run?
4 to 5 miles a week.

How long have you been a runner?
More than 40 years.


How did you start running?
I signed up to compete in a 600 yard race during our school's annual Field Day when I was in middle school and again in high school for broad jump and the 50 yard dash. We lived on a farm, so I measured out a route around our house to practice on for a few weeks before the race.

I didn't run much again until I was in graduate school, as my extracurricular athletic activities at that time were focused on tennis.  Running as an adult has always been a social activity. There were 5 of us living in group housing. My roommate Grace and I had a routine of going to the track a few times a week.

Best running experience
The first time I ran in Palisades Park in Santa Monica.  The park is built along a cliff and it has always been a favorite location for my husband to run. There are views of the beach and Pacific Ocean. There are the huge palm trees and several shade trees as well. You feel so charged when the weather is in the 60s and low humidity, few clouds; I felt as though I could run forever. We make it point to go running there whenever we visit LA.

Unexpected benefit of running
When traveling for work or pleasure, going for a run is a great way to become familiar with my surroundings. Using the GPS information from the Nike+ app makes it easy to know where you are. We were in Charlotte, South Carolina recently and before going for a run from the hotel, I had no idea where we were or how the city was laid out. Going out for a run changed all that, and enhanced the enjoyment of the trip.


Running-induced crazy story
I was a postdoc at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Many people on campus were active duty military, and had to pass routine PT tests. As a result, there were lots of social opportunities around staying fit. There were 5 of us who would run in Rock Creek Park (Beach Drive and a weekly trail run) during lunch. 

This is when I participated in the longest run I have ever done - one gorgeous day we ran 7 miles through the park. Every year each of the departments in the medical center would compete against each other in a Field Day race through the woods on and off trails and across streams. I was cajoled into signing up for this event.  Not only did I need to run as fast as I could through the woods, but we also needed to do 50 sit ups and 50 push ups before starting this race. Did I already mention -- most of the other people were in the Army?

Advice for new runners
Only run in shoes that really fit your feet.

Using a running app, with GPS, for your phone is a great way to track the miles you rack up over time, and can help you find your way back when you are running in a new location.

Cathy, 56 years old

How much do you run?

I recently broke my wrist hiking in Minneapolis the day before a half. I'm still coming off that injury but running 2 - 3 times a week. 

During the week, I do 3 - 4 miles and one long run each weekend. 6 - 12 miles is enough to stay ready for a half marathon. 

Texas is really hot this time of year. During the cooler months, I normally run 4 days a week.

After my first half-marathon, I found the Jeff Galloway run-walk method. By running for 5 minutes and then walking for 1 minute, I took minutes off my time and enjoyed myself more the next time around. I adjust the ratio but find it has made the difference between running one race and wanting to complete a half-marathon in every state. I'm up to 18 now but wish that number was19 on account of Minnesota.

How long have you been a runner?

I always had in my head that I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 50. I actually started running when I was 48. 

Around that time, I was visiting a friend in Connecticut for the weekend. We went into a bagel shop and there was a group of four older women who were talking and laughing over bagels and coffee after running together. I thought to myself "That's how I see myself. I don't want to be one of those people who knows more about what is going on in television shows then anything else. I want to be out there enjoying my own life." My kids were teenagers then and I didn't have as much time as I do now but having that life for myself became the goal. Within in a year, I had joined Team in Training to begin the work towards my first half-marathon. Having breakfast with my friends after runs is now part of my routine.

How did you start running?

When my mother was 50 (about 40 years ago), she was diagnosed with leukemia. She passed away at 84.  She was able to live much longer then the doctors originally predicted ( they said less than 10 years after diagnosis) in part because of all the advances in treatments. Team in Training taught me how to run while raising money to finance research that helps people like my mother live longer.

Best running experience

My mother passed away when she was 84 years old-- 34 years after being diagnosed with cancer. That year, I ran a Nike Women's Race in San Francisco in her memory instead of in her honor.  I felt her with me for every step of that race because she had spent some time in that area in the 1940s and loved it. 

Unexpected benefit of running

The goals I've set and accomplished for myself were huge reaches when I came up with them but I put in the work so I can say that, yes, I've done what i set out to do. 

My first marathon was in Alaska and it took me 6.5 hours to completed it. That is such a long tim to be on your feet. It was a cold and wet day so my lips were purple when I crossed the finish line. During ht moments of struggle I kept telling myself to pay more attention to the views, as it was so beautiful. "I'm running in Alaska!" I reminded myself.

More recently, I set a goal to run a 5k under 30 minutes and endup up being closer to 28 and a half minutes.

Running-induced crazy story
I still can't believe I completed the Extraterrestrial half marathon in Area 51in Nevada. It started at midnight with a full moon  and the Perseid meteor shower providing the light.. Well, that and all the green glow-in-the-dark stuff people were wearing.  You could see nothing but outlines of cows and cactus. 

With it being so dark and so late, it was harder and harder for me to stay awake. There were moments where it almost felt out-of-body, because I was walking but I was also sort of sleeping. I had a friend on either side  so if I swayed a bit too much in one direction or another, I'd get propped back up. We finished in just under 4 hours (normal time is about 2.5 hours) so feel we perhaps were abducted during the run.

Advice for new runners

If you can just make it out the door, you've already done it. Just go out and start walking. Maybe run for 30 seconds in the middle of the walk. That's all it takes. Those 30 seconds make you a runner. You will rarely regret going for a run but often regret not going. 

Find some people who already do it so you'll be held accountable. At first, nothing else can make you want to get out of bed at 5:30 or 6am but knowing there is someone else waiting for you. You keep each other in check.

Get good shoes. If your shoes don't fit right, they can create all sorts of pain and can turn anyone off running forever. 

Bangbay, 33 years old

How much do you run?

I haven't run consistently in a couple of years. I've been struggling with Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome and can't run for more than a few minutes at a time. Before, I was running 3-4 times a week.

How long have you been a runner?

I started running around April 2008.

How did you start running?

I needed to make a change in my life. I wanted to lose weight and feel good about myself. I had never run a mile before, so I was going to try out running. I didn't know how serious I would take it. I spent six months working up to running a mile without stopping, then working on running faster. It took a year to get up to three miles. Then, I signed up for the L.A. Marathon and joined a running group. Less than two years after I first started running, I finished a marathon and lost 24 pounds along the way.

Best running experience

I ran the Disneyland Half-Marathon, which was a lot of fun. My favorite part of the route was when we ran through Angel Stadium on the field. There were a lot of high school marching bands and cheerleading squads out there rooting us on.

Unexpected benefit of running

I think I have a better understanding of how far distances are by foot. I'm also more aware of bicycle lanes, uneven sidewalks, and elevation changes.

Running-induced crazy story

My company had our holiday party the night before I was supposed to run 15 miles with my running group. I had planned to be good and be ready for the run, but that didn't happen. I couldn't get up to meet my running group, but I made myself run the 15 miles by myself a few hours later. That was tortuous because: I was hungover, it's much harder to run in the afternoon than the morning (I always ran along the beach), and I was so bored running that far alone.

Advice for new runners

Listen to your body. I don't think my foot problems are necessarily from becoming a runner. It's because I was slow to treat pain I felt after the L.A Marathon (although it was also due to misdiagnoses by doctors) and that I also ran the Disneyland Half-Marathon six months later when I was still in pain. I wouldn't give up the running experiences I've had, but I probably could've taken a better path. I am disappointed to not be able to be running right now.

Stacy, 44 years old

How much do you run?
A couple times a month these days.

How long have you been a runner?
Since I was about 15 years old.

How did you start running?
I ran to keep in shape for basketball. I don't know where it came from, as my coach didn't require it, but it was just something that I wanted to do.

Best running experience
For my first marathon, I would meet my friend Michelle every Saturday morning at 6am to do the long run. I looked forward to our running together. During the work week, I would get up and crank out 9 miles and I didn't think twice about it. It's great to think about how, with a goal like the marathon, it wasn't a question. I just went out and put in the miles. 

Unexpected benefit of running
Being part of the subculture of runners. Like, being on a plane with a stewardess who had on a running watch and instantly feeling a connection. We're all part of this club.

Running-induced crazy story
I'm on the subway going to the NYC half and have my number on. There is a guy next to me who has been partying all night. He was German and still drunk. 
He tells me "Hey-- I'm supposed to do that run!"
"Where's your number?"
"It's in my apartment"
"The race is in 45 minutes."
"Do I need it?"
"Yeah, you need it."
"Well, how about I run it with you?" 
We needed to sprint to get to the starting line before they pulled up the starting line. He ran the whole 13.1 miles with me. It was a great time.

Advice for new runners
Slow down, take your time, and enjoy what you're doing.