Runner in the spotlight: Marilyn Pasno (Part 2)

Marilyn is a proud 63-year old American by choice, and a Filipino by bloodline, living in New Jersey, USA.We got to hear about her first running experience at the New York City 9/11 Memorial & Museum 5K Run Walk in 2018. (If you haven’t read it, check out that interview in “Runner in the spotlight: Marilyn Pasno (Part 1)”)Today we dig deep about her love for running by asking her some more que...

Runner in the spotlight: Marilyn Pasno (Part 1)

Marilyn is a retired industrial pharmacist, who is now practising as a pharmacy technician in New Jersey, the United States.At age 60, she turned to be an avid FunRunner after her first Trial Run experience in 2018.We had a great honour to have an interview with her to hear about her running experience and her motivations!Today we are sharing about her first running experience and how it became su...

Yeti Bike Race Nepal.Tour of Annapurna.

The YETI BIKE RACE Nepal is a stage MTB race which summit is the Thorong la Pass, the highest cycle path in the world at 5316m. A melting pot of landscapes that take you from the tropical forest at 800m to the arctic domain of the Himalayas, through vast pine forests, deep canyons, and the pre-Tibetan desert plains of the Mustang Valley.We fly to our destination Katmandu (Nepal). Mohan, president ...

With the bear-heart bear through Moscow

Coldness, strong wind and rain - though conditions on this year's Moscow Marathon. Temperatures during the event averaged 6 degrees Celsius, it felt even "below zero" and the sun came out only for a few moments in the afternoon. Unfortunately, very bad conditions for the largest sports event in Russia, which is held annually. Nevertheless, it has been very special for me to run in a city t...

Marathon at the other end of the world

This time I am glad to have been on the way for the "good cause" in two respects, because as already for many years, I also ran in Malaysia for the Kinderhospitz Bärenherz in Wiesbaden (www.baerenherz.de) and donate traditionally again one euro per kilometer to the facility. Since the Borneo Marathon was all about "Unicef", it was a great pleasure for me to participate in the "...

Gemma Hockett: Returning to Run Limassol after 2018 success

British runner Gemma Hockett, aka Marathon Girl, is clearly still delighted about her Half Marathon PB and podium position at OPAP Limassol Marathon GSO in 2018. Coming second in the women’s field in a time of 1:26:19, and collecting a superb trophy as a reward, Gemma had a fantastic race on the flat and fast course and thoroughly enjoyed all that Limassol had to offer.It was such a positive exper...

A Chance Meeting That Turned Into a Mentor and Friend

It is funny how running brings people from all walks of life together joined with a common love. I was lucky to cross paths with a bright-eyed, beautiful, woman named Maria Davydenko when I sat down to interview her. My initial contact with Maria was to discuss her association with Dayo Akinbode, a woman who singlehandedly created the Ile-Ife Marathon with nothing more than the desire to h...

Hassan Dia's story - BLOM Bank Beirut Marathon

Every race is special in its own way, but this year’s BLOM Bank Beirut Marathon will carry extra meaning for Hassan Dia, a 22-year-old Lebanese hand cyclist. Not only will the November 11 race wind its way around the streets of his home city, but it will also offer the rising star a golden opportunity to boost his qualification hopes for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. “It’s the most beautiful...

Not weak on hell week!

Among the toughest training weeks, I have ever completed. The 20k distance run on Sunday put a nice cherry on top of last week’s sessions. Started off with a strength session and a cosy 60 mins cross-trainer. Sparring with nothing other than Netflix on a relaxed Monday afternoon.Then things got weird..Travesty Tuesday added up to 25k including 6k threshold interval averaging 3:way-to-low which is ...

Limassol Marathon - Running my First Marathon!

It is another magically white winter in Sweden. The same period of the year as 3 years ago when I signed up for my first half marathon race. I remember vividly how I wrote that very exciting line in the list of my good resolutions for the coming year. Now, I realize that I decided to run a half marathon without having the experience of any other shorter distance race. Crossing the finish line of t...

Lifelong Running

I’ve been running since high school where I ran track (though cheerleading was my bread and butter). Then in college I began distance running and fell in love. As a sophomore in college my game plan was to run 6 miles a day everyday and that did me well until an overuse injury led to knee surgery in 2005. Throughout that time period I began racing 5ks/10ks sporadically and had a first marriage tha...

Halong Bay Half Marathon - My first Half Marathon

How to run your first Half MarathonOr should I say… how not to run your first Half Marathon. Full of excitement I follow some friends during the Amsterdam Half Marathon. With the marathon app, you can see where the runners are on the track. Some runners told me their targets, fast times or just finish whenever is possible. I’m so enthusiastic, I keep refreshing the app and watch the runners move t...

Giving back by running

I have always been a fit person, playing football and also being a football referee at semi-professional level in the UK. Two years ago I started doing crossfit type training and my fitness level dramatically improved... it was at this time that a friend talked me into running my first ever half marathon at Southport. I was instantly hooked on running, crossing the line in 1 hour and 42 minutes! S...

Runner in the spotlight: Bob Bertemes

How has running changed your life?I have always been running since my early childhood so there was no real life changing moment which came with running for me. Although I can say that running is making me a better person in every aspect of life. It is a daily challenge to be the best you can be on each particular day, which will eventually lead to reaching the goals which you set yourself. Moreove...

Runner in the spotlight: Ann Thomas

How has running changed your life? Running empowered me to handle real life situations. It gave me confidence to make a difficult decision.  I knew that, even though it would be hard to be a single mom with sole custody, I was tough and could persevere.  I have been running competitively for over 20 years.  I started as a sprinter in junior high, transitioned to middle distanced in high school, ra...

Running when pregnant

I've been running for more than a decade. Anyone who knows me knows that it's one of my favourite things to do. Running is my release. It's my meditation, and it always brightens my day. But it was still a surprise to many people when I continued running during my pregnancy.I was surprised at the strong reaction of those around me when, continuing as I had pre-pregnancy and running intervals and h...

Running was my new drug...one that was good for me, physically, mentally and spiritually

I wish that I could tell you that my running story was all rainbows and lollipops. But it's not. I will give you a spoiler alert and say it does have a happy ending. Picture this: a 5' 9'', 220 pound white privileged kid from the suburbs from upstate New York, with glasses and dreadlocks that were down to my ass. Not only physically, but also mentally, I was not headstrong or in a good place. I wa...

My journey from sofa to stride

I will never forget my first run. It was 2011 and I had signed up to a local 5km race. I was the chubby young girl who was always open to new experiences but not really ‘into’ running. In fact, that is an understatement. I hated the thought of working out, let alone running, and always struggled to understand how people could ever enjoy it… Oh how that soon changed!Only a runner will be able to tr...

My Athletics Journey

Currently standing at 183 cm, I am slim and strengthened to traverse the terrain of endurance races. Road racing is my preference, but I do enjoy a middle/long distance race on the track. Open water swimming appeals to me but there are times when the pool does suffice. Cycling, for me, sets the pace and rhythm for a scenic tour. The triathlon appeals to me as I have the will to endure three differ...

Every run makes me smile

I started running 3 years ago and since then I have been running. In the first months, the runs were short and easy, but from the first moment I started running, I have competed against myself. Sometimes I have almost been nervous standing there ready to run, ready to start my app to keep track of the time and speed per mile.My goal has been to do better and faster every time. It has made me push ...

Runner in the spotlight: Emily Sanone

How has running changed your life? My daily runs are what clearsmy head and gives me perspective on things. I feel gratitude when Irun. It is a time when I am completely in tune with myself… myfeelings, my thoughts, and my body. Taking that time for myselfearly in the morning helps me approach the rest of the day withmore clarity and a better attitude.On a bigger scale, running races, specifically...

My running journey

If someone had told me even 3 years ago that I would be running marathons I would never have believed them. This time 3 years ago I was quite happy running 5kms and the occasional 10km (not even quickly I might add!). This was also around the time I started taking my fitness a bit more seriously, so I started looking for my next challenge - which happened to be a half marathon held in my local cit...

Running is a gift

It's a Gift.Freedom of flight, of leaps, bounds, two working legs that coordinate beautifully to carry my body up a hill. Each inhale and exhale I take, each breath a treasure. My husband and I work in a pediatric hospital in Colorado. I am an occupational therapist and he is a pulmonologist. I work with children with a variety of disabilities ranging from motor impairments, to cancer, to sensory ...

Running: more than just a sport

It once began as a challenge with a friend, but it ended up as a true lifestyle. About 1.5 years ago I signed up for my first race. Together with my roommate we accepted a challenge to run 10km without any break. So exciting! I never ever ran for more than 5km until that time. The moment I came across the finish line has changed my life. The feeling of joy. The pride. The happiness of all the fini...

Runner in the spotlight: Holin Wilbanks

How has running changed your life? I'm a better mom, wife and friend since I've been able to spend time lost in the mountain. There's just something magical about the climbs, the peaks, the rivers and the quiet that you can hear so loudly when you are miles away from the real world.Where is your favorite place to run? My Ogden, Utah mountains are really the best place to run. I've tried to find ot...

DISCOVERING DOLOMITES THROUGH RUNNING

Photo credit to: running.bz.lt Summer, the period of elevated temperatures when cities are less attractive due to their unpleasant, hot asphalts. That’s why I decided to spend a few days far from Milan to continue practicing my running activity without suffering of “persistent dehydration”. So, I moved in Trentino - Alto Adige where a famous Italian running trainer was organizing a training camp f...

Midnight Sun Marathon – Tromsø, Norway

It's Saturday 19:30 … if I go now, I can still get some waffles. I would eat oats if I was in Holland, but I'm in Norway. The food is expensive here, but waffles are free in my hotel. Waffles seem like an excellent start, so let's go now.I am not sure about coffee. Coffee will wake me up, give me energy. But I am so nervous already, it won't be very good for my heart rate. I can't decide, so I jus...

How I went through being caught by pneumonia to running 1000km in 5 months

It has been exactly 1.5 year ago now in that I was down on my knees. I was caught by a pneumonia witch left me with weeks of antibiotics that eventually didn’t want to make any effect. When the fevers were finally gone I went for a stroll in the park, this was on the 18th of January 2016. It was freezing outside, I walked about a mile and I was exhausted. But the sun was shining lovely that aftern...

Why I run

I run because every run is a travel. When you travel, you are more aware of the life that passes. You find yourself in the same place as the other people but you are not in the same flow. When you travel, you are more conscious and your mind is more open to grasp every detail around you. You see not only what is different from the country and city you come from but also the things that without bei...