Your Running Story

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Jennifer Teppo as born at “the hospital of champions” and hasn’t looked back since. She recently won two medals at the USATF Club National Cross Country race in Seattle.
Read Joanna Harper's story about Jennifer here...

Claudine Nicholas was born a creative, curious type with a daredevil streak and always loved sports. By age 23 however; she could no longer ignore the severe pain in all her joints, the draining fatigue and near constant low-grade fever.
Read Claudine's story here...

Dr. Joanne Borg-Stein is a doctor that runners should know about. If you’re an active athlete with questions about injuries, wear and tear from sports through the decades, or the latest treatments for musculoskeletal injuries, read about this doctor's cutting-edge answers.
Click here for Cathy Utzschneider's interview...

Leslie Cooper Golemme is a competitive runner starting in high school and now as a master. Last year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. No known risk factors, good diet and exercise, yet there it was; she could run all she wanted, but couldn’t run away from feeling like her body had betrayed her.
Read Leslie's story here...

Tina Wild started running seriously from an early age and won numerous titles on the track and cross country. However, while on a training run with her coach one night, an accident occurred that changed her life forever. Read Tina's story here...

Chelsie Shadrach shares her love of running and how it has changed her life. Chelsie considers her life as one big race, the “Run for Independence.” As she says, "Every day that I run, I grow a little stronger, a little more proud, a little more confident in my ability to stand on my own two feet." Read Chelsie's story here...

Amanda Rice first joined the Tuesday Red Lizard track workouts in April of this year. As I think back on my initial impression of her, the word coltish comes to mind. With her long limbs and braces she looked very young and a little awkward while she was standing still. But as soon as she began to run, she moved like a young racehorse. Read Joanna Harper's story on Amanda here...

Liz Palmer recently ran an American Record in the W50 short hurdles. She feels like she has come full circle. "I was a standout prep athlete who finished top three in the Colorado high school state meet for the 110 yard hurdles. Unfortunately my collegiate career never really got off the ground as I had a serious injury." Read Liz's story here...

Joanna Harper just ran the Hood to Coast Relay for the 18th time. Even though the newness has long since worn off, she still really enjoys the race. She is captain of a team called Leapin’ Lizards in honor of her running club, team red lizard. Read Joanna's relay story here...

Joanna Harper recently caught up with World Masters Champion and W40 steeple World Record holder Lisa Valle. Lisa was born in 1966, the year of the horse in the Chinese zodiac. Each animal in the zodiac has a fixed element, and the element for the horse is fire. Joanna says this fits Lisa to a tee.
Read Joanna's latest running story here...

Carrie Parsi has been a pioneer in masters women’s running since she started running in 1977 at 37. However her most challenging physical experiences have occurred since retiring in 1999 at 60 – and they weren’t the Boston Marathon or Mount Washington.
Read Dr. Cathy Utzschneider's interview here...

Bernie Portenski fell in love with the marathon in 1981. Twenty-nine years and 107 marathons later Bernie turned 60 and started chasing world records in her age group.
Read Bernie's running story on her rocky road to four world records..."

Distance runner Joanna Harper first read Albert Camus’s essay The Myth of Sisyphus when she was in high school. Sisyphus was a character in Greek Mythology who had been sentenced by the gods to roll a rock up a hill for all eternity. Joanna says, "It wasn’t until I got to be a master’s runner that my running began to resemble the toils of Sisyphus..."

In January 2009 Portland runner Kelly Jaske burst onto the national running scene by placing 2nd in the USATF half marathon championships in Houston Texas. She beat the likes of Colleen De Reuck and Amy Rudolph in the race and captured the attention of many fans of the sport. Joanna Harper shares Kelly's story here...

Zola Budd, there is a person behind that legendary name. Her running talent was so great and times were such that she became a public figure, still a child, caught in global political turmoil: that she became a power to possess and a symbol of the conflict over apartheid and a pawn between countries.
Read Part 1 of Dr. Cathy Utzschneider's interview here...
Read Part 2 of Cathy's interview here...

Joanna Harper lists Andi Camp as one of the people she most admires and respects. Andi is an engineer by profession, has her own rock band and is an ace soccer player. And now he can add the title of World Champion to all of her other accolades.
Read Joanna's interview with Andi here...

Aussie, Amanda Coombes (W40), just returned from her first World Indoor Champs. "I always look forward to going to a major meet. You get to test the hours of training, recovery and in some cases rehab. Then there is the challenge of being able to produce your best on the day(s) that count, the opportunity to meet new friends, experience a new culture and totally immerse yourself in the world of athletics."
Read about Amanda's adventures in Kamloops here...

I have a challenge I've committed to in 2010 - which is my Running Story - and I wanted to share it with you. I will be running a half marathon a month in an effort to raise $10,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. I have chosen to partner with the MS Society because of it's personal impact on my life.
Read Michelle Rowley's story here...

Runner or not, you’ve probably seen Suzy Favor Hamilton – the blond, pony-tailed, perfectly “abbed” Olympian – if not on TV, then in a magazine… maybe Vogue, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, or Harper’s Bazaar? As an open runner Hamilton seemed the picture, in fact the epitome, of success and happiness. Underneath, there were private struggles.
Read Part 1 of Dr. Cathy Utzschneider's interview here...
Read Part 2 of Cathy's interview with Suzy here...

Last weekend I ran the club National XC championships in Lexington Kentucky. I didn’t run very well, but I don’t want to talk about my race. Instead I’d like to tell you the story that I tell myself whenever I have a bad race. It's about Portland area runner, Nancy Hinkel, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40.
Read Joanna Harper's story here...

At 74, Mary Harada is hardly sitting back and reflecting on life. She’s moving forward – and fast. On Friday it was official. She was elected to the U.S. Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame.

Dr. Cathy Utzschneider calls Mary, a "21st Century Woman". Read Cathy's story on Mary here...

Suzi-MacLeod

Suzi MacLeod stands out on the track with her flaming red hair and world record times. She has many fans including fellow masters runner Joanna Harper, who got to spend time with Suzi recently. She's impressed with 75-year-old Suzie's spirit and energy.
Read about Joanna's visit with Suzie here...

Nikki's Reno Tahoe Odyssey
The Reno Tahoe Odyssey is a great event for adventure runners. It's a 178-mile, 12-person, 2-van relay race. The organizers suggest runners do the pre-training, hydrate, stretch and implement a “No Whining” Rule. Nevada's Nikki Reynolds is a team player and no whiner. She took on the steep climbing sections for her team again this year.

Some of us can't contemplate running a marathon and others keep coming back for more. Carrie Parsi (W70) has run so many Boston Marathons she's lost count. Maybe it's 12 or perhaps it's 13. You'd think each one would be seared in her memory. Well it's April 2009 and guess who's back in Boston...

Aussie, Anne Ziogas loves going the distance. She runs her hometown Melbourne Marathon every year (body permitting). She celebrated her 50th birthday, a few years ago by running the King Island 32K. And this year Anne partied by running her first Comrades Marathon. Runners World describes it as "Fifty-five brutal miles, five torturous climbs, with a ruthless clock."

Often success in business, love or sport comes after many set backs....bankruptcy, divorce, injury or illness. Somehow it makes the success taste even sweeter. So it was for Jacqueline Fein taking on the famous Boston Marathon. Here's her story.

Share Your Running Story or Photo

Everyone's got a running story. Tell us your running story or about a woman runner you know. Or send us your Running Photo. Thanks in advance for sharing.

Your Running Story or Photo

Race for Independence
Have you ever noticed how uncharacteristic the Phoenix air is at 5:27 in the morning? It’s a time after the night sweats have faded, but before the blazing ...

Once a Hurdler, Always a Hurdler!
Hi Carmel...it's been far too long since I contributed something to your website, but that doesn't mean I haven't been reading.

Thanks for the blurb ...

I Think I'm in Love Not rated yet
I ran track and cross-country all four years of high school. It was surprising how many people would ask me, “Why do you run? It’s not even a sport…...

My Reason 2 Run Not rated yet

I have a challenge I've committed to in 2010 - which is my Running Story - and I wanted to share it with you.

I will be running a half marathon ...