Where are you from?

Current City: Atlanta. I am originally from Lexington, KY.

Current P.R.

3:30

Typical pace

8:00-8:30 pace for 26.2

Number of marathons

Over 50 different marathon courses around the country

Occupation

Spanish teacher

Favorite marathon

It’s a toss-up between San Francisco (love the course) and Boston (it’s Boston)

Hobbies

traveling

Favorite Running Food

Kind Bars—on-the-go. Tangerines and oranges post run-- a habit I picked up while living on Spain’s Mediterranean Coast for a year

What are you reading now?

Research on Educational Policy—keeping up to date on what matters most to me.

Who do you train with?

Myself (it’s a time thing)/ Previously with my XC team

Personal goals

A PR is always a goal.  Finish 50sub4—a marathon in each state under 4 hours (9 sub four hour states to go) Run 100 sub four hour marathons

A quotation you like…

"When you start to give up, remember why you held on so long." 

Why do you run?

Fitness and goals. Goals are your own and no one can take that from you regardless of whether you are elite, mid pack or a back of the pack runner. 

Describe your best marathon memory.

My first BQ after 9 previous attempts.  I finished 43/1,650 in a breakthrough race for me in San Fran in 2008 with a 16 minute PR.

Why do you pace?

To help others reach their goals. Pacing is always better than doing a 26.2 mile solo training run. Also, pacing takes me to fun places around the country.

Tell us your best pacing experience.

RnR Savannah because it was my first pacing gig. It was a fun and large group.  I helped a couple of runners run their first sub four hour marathon and get a PR.

Why should someone run in your pace group?

So that I can do the work and the runner can focus on their goal. Also, with a decade of coaching XC I can bring more to the table than just pacing and the experience of 50 sub four hour marathons.

Any tips for runners about to join your group?

Only focus on the mile you are on and stay as comfortable and relaxed for as long as possible.  Break the marathon down into manageable parts 10-10-6. Also, a really great coach once told me, “it is easier to make up time than to try to hold on to time.” Running with a pace group can help keep you in check in those early miles.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Never Give Up- I did not BQ until my 10^th marathon 

What philanthropic activities do you have?

I am an educator and devote my life to helping others.  Service over Self.  My goal is to finish my doctorate in Educational Policy (only one year away) and change the country where it really matters—in public education.  Also, I’m currently working on two fundraisers—one for Relay for Life at my school and the other in the summer of 2013 for MS.