It's time for another Runner Spotlight! I hope you are enjoying these as much as I am! If you want to be spotlighted, send me an email at mindy@roadrunnergirl.com!
Today I am featuring Kymberly from agirlrunner! She started out running to lose weight and ended up falling in love with it! Keep reading to learn more about her!
Name: Kymberly
Swope
State: Oklahoma
When and why did you start running? I started running in the summer of 2010. I was at work
when a hurtful off handed comment by my boss caused me to wake up and realize
my weight and body had gotten a little out of control. I bought an issue of
Runner’s World Magazine and went to the treadmill the next morning and just
started running. The magazine served to cover up the display.
What is your favorite race and race distance? I would have to say my favorite
distance to run is the marathon. I have only run one of them but the
dedication and perseverance it took to get through the training (and the race)
taught me a lot about myself and served to earn me a lot of respect from people
around me.
As for my favorite race; it would have to be the Skirt Chaser that takes
place here in Tulsa during the Oktoberfest. Women get a 3 minute head start and
then the men literally chase the skirts. Instead of a T-Shirt, women are given
running skirts when they register.
What is your race day routine? My race day routine is a little different than most. I get
ready for the race, make sure I have everything connected to me that I need. I
eat something small for breakfast (anything big makes me nauseous) and then I
have coffee and a Red Bull on my way to the race. If I have to work afterward,
I also make sure I have what I need for work in a bag.
What is your most favorite piece of running gear? My favorite piece of running gear
would be a toss-up. My Garmin has given me the freedom from mapping a run
before I go & has allowed me to see more of the city than I ever would
have.
Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement
your running? I try
to follow a high carb diet (whole grains/wheat) and relatively healthy but I
don’t deny myself “cheat snacks” if I’ve had a hard training day or
accomplished something big. I need the carbs for sustained energy for the
longer runs and heavier training I do.
What do you wish you’d known when you first started running? I wish I had known it was going to be FUN!
When I first started running, it was just to get in shape and lose weight. I
had the wrong attitude about it; it wasn’t long before I did realize it was fun
and started doing it for the shear enjoyment.
What is your fondest running memory? My fondest running memory is the Firecracker 5K from
2011. My daughter and her grandmother were at that race and missed getting a
photo of me at the start. I got to mile 1.25-ish and heard “MOMMY!” When I
looked up, there they were on the corner just cheering, screaming and clapping
for me. I am used to only seeing familiar faces at the start and finish so it
gave me a little extra push to keep going.
What is one thing that most people do not know about you? My first career aspiration was to be
a Kindergarten teacher because I liked mine so much. My second was to be a
firefighter.
Here are all the different ways you can connect with Kymberly!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/agirlrunner
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Agirlrunnr
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/agirlrunner/Thanks so much for sharing with us Kymberly!!!
QOTD: Do you have any Labor Day plans?
