66 Comments
Sep 10, 2020Liked by Hollie

Hey y'all, my name is Jeff and I'm in Boerne, TX. I've been an avid runner for almost 18 years, I ran in high school and briefly in college. No races planned for the fall or through 2020. A fun fact about me is that I'm going to be a first time dad in early December. I'm also a heavy reader so I've burned through quite a few books on pregnancy and caring for newborns, etc. which I've been told by several people with healthy and happy kids that I may not ever need lol. But I'm someone who feels comforted by information so I figure the extra bit of knowledge can't hurt.

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Hi team! I'm Andrew from East Palo Alto, CA (SF Bay Area). My 2020 goals, now scrapped, included a Spartan Trifecta (one Spartan race of each distance) and a Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame (fifteen RnR races). Now I'm just trying to keep myself in some kind of reasonable shape for when events start happening again. My race goals for next year include the Pikes Peak Marathon and the new IRONMAN California, maybe. A fun fact that has nothing to do with sports: I'm an aspiring voice actor/voiceover artist and have a commercial demo online.

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Hi Hollie and everyone! My name is May and I am from Houston, TX :) I used to have nightmares about PE class and I got bit by the running bug when I was working in Calgary a decade ago. I have run (including pacer duties) 12 marathons. My favorite distance is a toss up between, 5k, Half or marathons (depends on my mood).

I was very fortunate to hit the bucket list in Jan - setting the family marathon house record. No big races in the fall; instead, I am very happy to share that this is the first summer I have booked in consistent training in the humidity -with no particular goals in mind and found that I really like not racing too often (silver lining - do i miss racing, yes? but am I healthier without it, yes too). I am aiming to do a 5k time trial in Sept, then take a short break and use the fall to focus on 13.1 (I want to run a sub 1:30!).

My husband just joined a band (recreational)...so you can say I am technically married to a "rockstar."

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Hi! My name is Sam and I am 71 years old. Started running around 39 years old and have not stopped(except for a stress fracture). Soon to complete 32000 miles. Love to run 5k/10k's. Have completed 2 marathons and numerous bi's. 20 mini's. Love to do long bike rides to cross train. Completed RAIN(ride across Indiana) and rode 201.4 on my 65th birthday. This year I have traveled up to 4 hours just to run a 5k...but what else does a single retired old man have to do!!LOL Love to go on long convertible rides in my Mustang with Ozzie cranked to the max. Neighbors think I'm nuts and sometimes I have to agree!

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Hi everyone! I'm Sarah and I live in Atlanta. I'm doing a few virtual races this fall, including my beloved Peachtree Road Race - but I've really enjoyed summer running without a race on the calendar. It's a lot more tolerable to slog through the heat and humidity this way (for me at least). My "fun fact" of this quarantine is that my nine year old cat, Lucy, has discovered a new hobby - she likes to hop in front of me on my videoconferences and show her butt to my coworkers. Like Rolf, I've also never lost a toenail.

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Multi 13.1’er and 1x 26.2’er - started running in my late 30’s, now at 51 enjoying 25-30 miles a week to keep me sane and keep the lbs off. Back on My Feet volunteer for the Indianapolis chapter which combines my love of this sport while serving the community. Thanks for creating this community Hollie!

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Hi Hollie and the rest of you. Very nice to meet you all and I hope this finds you well. I’m Rob from Houston. I’m a 47 x 13.1 person. The plan was to get to at least 55 by the end of the upcoming race season. Not surprisingly, most of the Fall races I had planned on participating in have been cancelled. I’m naively hoping the Houston and Miami Marathons planned for early next year will happen. Some fun facts about me - I’m the proud parent of a 20 yr old son; our house is run by 2 cats; my gf and I are dying to get back to our hobby of traveling the world and when the opportunity arises I transform from a corporate lawyer to a rock and roll groupie. Stay safe!!

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Hi Hollie! As of spring 2020, I live in the Orlando area, previously South Jersey (moving during beginning of lockdown ... fun times). I have been running off and on for years; got hurt in 2017 during a half marathon and have only done 5ks & strength training since. I was signed up for the Philly 1/2 this year but due to covid, I postponed to 2021. I took a running break starting in the spring and took up spinning and cycling; I am just getting started again tomorrow. I put it off because running with a mask in summer Florida humidity? Gross. Fun fact: I worked on a pilot’s license 20+ years ago - loved flying that sundowner! Enjoying reading through all of the posts; thanks!

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Hi Hollie! My name is Caralee. I live in Scottsbluff Nebraska ( about 90 miles northeast of Cheyenne, WY) I have been running for about 18 months. I just decided to try running and train for a local 7 mile race. I was loving the training (despite all the wheezing as I tried to run my first mile without resting 😂). I was completely hooked after getting swag and crossing the finish line. I went home and signed up for a local half marathon that very day. I did another half this spring before everything was cancelled. Since then.. 5 virtual races. 2 halfs, a 10k, a 19k in honor (or is it hate)of covid-19. And a 5k. I've had to take a hiatus the last month after being diagnosed with breast cancer in June and then having surgery in July. Luckily it was stage 1. I'm very anxious to start running again.

Non running fun fact: I am a piano player, I have been playing since I was 14..so 26 years..whew. I love it though. My kids asked me to learn pieces from The Greatest Showman, Frozen 1 and 2, Wicked... Oh and I discovered your blog not long ago. I love it!

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Hi Hollie, my name is Mark and I’m in Chicago. I started running 12 years ago since my (now) wife was doing it and inspired me to start. My first 8k got me hooked on races, and I’ve currently completed 8 full marathons and (I think) 9 halfs, with the Milwaukee Marathon being my first virtual race when I ran it here on April 11th. I’m now working on my speed and have pumped my natural pace by almost 90 seconds! Non-running fun fact: I’m an avid gardener as well, and currently have two heirloom sunflowers in my backyard that are 12 and 14 feet tall!

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Hello, all! I'm a former collegiate rower turned runner, and although I'll still hop on the erg from time to time, I've grown to prefer roads and trails over water. Although the marathon will probably always be my favorite distance, I've been focusing more on speed this year and am currently training to run 10 miles under 1:10. I'm also playing with the idea of doing an urban ultra of my own design around DC, where I live. Fun (?) fact: I practice energy law and have been known to subject my friends, family, and running partners to rambling policy monologues.

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Hi Hollie! I moved to Indianapolis 3 weeks ago but am originally from the Philadelphia area. I'm planning to race at Last Chance BQ Grand Rapids this weekend as my virtual Boston Marathon. This is my first semester of law school, and with the uncertainties of the pandemic, I'm not sure how much I'll be racing this fall. A fun fact is that I absolutely love animals and have had pets ranging from a horse to guinea pig to dogs and a cat!

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Hi Hollie, Steve from Hampton Roads. Ran lots of races including a bunch of marathons and ultras until 2017 when I injured my knee. Still run some, but cycling a lot more to take up the slack.

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Hey Hollie and everyone! I'm Terrell Johnson, and I live in Atlanta, Ga. (Actually a suburb just outside Atlanta, but within a short drive of downtown.) I'm looking forward to Atlanta's PNC 10-Miler in October, the first-ever virtual Peachtree Road Race on Thanksgiving Day (that's gonna be interesting!) and maybe one more in December.

One fun fact about me is that I'm terrified of heights, and yet I've been skydiving (and loved it).

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I’m from Southeastern Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. 👋🏻 My fall races right now are virtual Boston on Saturday and the York PA Marathon on October 11th, which is an actual in-person race. I’m hoping to a BQ at York. 🙏 “Fun” Fact: I’ve lost 20+ pounds over the past year!

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Hey Hollie!! I’m In Chattanooga, TN. I have one 10 mile trail race coming up on my 51st birthday (10/3). Other than that I haven’t signed up for any races.

Fun fact: I have 3 beautiful grandkids and 2 beautiful amazing daughters.

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Hello Hollie and all! I'm Jonathan and live in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Started my running journey back in 2012 after realizing that just lifting weights wasn't cutting it for my attempt to be in better shape. Those first couple of years were rough as I learned that running was not as simple as putting one foot in front of the other and going forward. So many things involved that I wasn't aware. I started small doing treadmill runs at my gym. Ventured out to do a 5K (in January at our local zoo...yes, January in WI....not pleasant, lol) in 2012 and then did not run another 5K until October that year. I was...slow..and out of gas quite a bit so I became determined (and slightly obsessed) with improving myself no matter what. Soon, I was doing a quarter marathon and then jumping up to half marathons. And then after 5 years of being dedicated to running and training I was selected to run in the 2017 Chicago Marathon for my first one ever. That feeling of crossing that finish line was incredible. Since then I've run four more marathons, including the 2018 NYC. 2019 was both an awesome year for me and a bad year. In early April, I bested my previous marathon PR time by 12 minutes at the Milwaukee Marathon and then a few weeks later at the end of the month, I set a new 5K PR for myself beating my previous by more than a minute. But in both races something felt "off." I would later learn that I was suffering from a more than 50% tear in my right sports hernia and a partial tear in my left side. After months of dealing with the insurance company and doctor's office, there was closure with surgery. So, in a total mileage sense, 2019 was a bummer BUT I did learn resolve; I ran the 2019 RnR Las Vegas Marathon on Nov 17, and then on Nov 20, had the surgery. 2020 has been all about recovery at the start and then massive, yet careful, training to become better at all distances. I love your newsletter Hollie because it offers up so much information and camaraderie among runners. Keep up the great work!

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Hi Hollie! I thought I posted here the other day after my return from Lake Monticello with Paul, Greta and Barb. Had a fun time doing some short runs with Paul and so proud of his virtual Boston that he completed yesterday. (Didn't see my post, so I may have missed hitting "post" or you're getting to read this twice! Sorry)

I started running 6 years ago when I was 55. Completed 9 half marathons in the first 4.5 years. Was going for 10, but the friend I was supposed to run with in Nappa Valley passed away and my old hip also gave out.

So now, with a new hip, I am back to 5 and 10k distances gladly and thankful to be alive with a body that still allows me to run. I have met so many wonderful folks worldwide through running. It was actually one of the reasons I started. I now live in Lititz, PA, (formerly the Coolest Small Town in America).

Fun fact: My youngest of 3 adult children lives in Pretoria, SA. Several years ago, I taught a Zumba class on a rooftop there with another instructor! Great fun.

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Hi Folks. I'm Nita from central Ohio. Due to my husband's health issues earlier in the year, he and I have been super careful about COVID19. I only run in my neighborhood even though members of our running group meet in small "run bubbles." So I got very excited when our running group decided to host a timed half and full later this year. With an extremely staggered start of three or four people every five minutes and 7 hours to run it, I feel it will be safe enough to risk. So happy to be back on a training plan. Another time I would have trained for the full. I'm slow and need a long time for that distance. But I'm also marketing my two books (one a running and mental health memoir and the other a writing journal) after not having a day job for two decades. Add that to the stress we had with hubby earlier and, well, a pandemic and a climate crisis and a revolution, and my energy hasn't been peak. So I'm "just" doing the half. Ha ha ha. Nice to meet everyone!

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Hey Hollie.......what can I tell you about myself that you may not already know? I played baseball, football, basketball and wrestled growing up. I would look at the track athletes and wonder: Who would run just to run? Now......I am registered for a 250 mile race in 2021.

I am originally from New York and moved to Dallas in 2008. I have completed 8 Ironman races and 8 100 miles races. For me, the longer the distance the happier I am. I want to plan the pacing, the logistics and everything in between and then go and execute. I also love pacing and crewing for ultras that allows me to help with those same concepts so that the athlete is given every chance to reach their goals.

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Hi all, My name is Kenny and I am in Apex, NC. I got into running because my wife did at first. I also found it easier to get going than biking, which used to be my preferred mode of being outside. Tomorrow I am doing the Blue Ridge Relay with a 12 person team, it will be my first long-distance relay. I have driven my wife's team before so looking forward to being a participant this go around. Nice to meet everyone here.

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Hi, I'm E. Rolf. I like to run trail ultras. I have an identical twin brother, and have never ever lost a toe nail.

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Larry from Hornell, NY Goal is to run a 50 mile ultra. Not finish it, but run it competitively. Races- 4 weeks till my first race of 2020. At this point I will likely run the 50k instead of the 50 miler. Due to cancellations of races I will have 3 of my races for next year already paid for. Fun fact- Have new girlfriend and she like to do hiking on weekend. With just 2 days notice I'm asked about walking a thousand stair climb (I will go). Earlier this week I did a back to back 22 and 11 mile runs. So it's not like I relax all week. This week retired a pair of Saucony Type a-9 shoes- 306 miles on them. These were 5.5 oz women's racing flats paid 89.95 for. Oddly, that was the only pair of shoes at the running store that were under 7 oz.

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