Road Runner Girl: Runner Spotlights #25

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I am in Birmingham with my bestie so you know I'm having fun!

It's time for another runner spotlight! If you're interested in being spotlighted on my blog please email me at mindy@roadrunnergirl.com! I'd love to learn more about you!

Today I'm spotlighting one of my #GoalGetter2013 girls...Sarah from Mom Running on Empty! I first started getting to know Sarah and her hubby Robert this summer when we all teamed up and started doing the #plankaday together on twitter! We would post planking videos on YouTube...awesome memories! Sarah and I have teamed up for the #holidayaday Instagram photo challenge and now #GoalGetter2013! Sarah is an awesome runner and I can't wait for you to keep reading to learn more about her!

Name: Sarah Briggs

State: New York

When and why did you start running? I started running about 3 years ago. I had lost almost 70 pounds and was going through a very rough patch in my life. Running was the only thing at the time that seemed to make any sort of sense at all. Running provided me a time with no distractions to get my head clear and process my thoughts.

What is your favorite race and race distance? My most frequent race distance is a half marathon but I think my favorite distance is a 10k. My favorite race is the Turkey Trot I have run for the past 2 years. It is an odd distance (4.4 miles) and it is such a fantastic and fun course. I think it’s the perfect way to start a day appreciating all the things I am thankful for!

What is your race day routine? I’m a pretty routine person when it comes to race day prep. My clothing is always set out the night before. I usually wake up; have a banana and a piece of toast with butter and honey and a half a cup of coffee. I am super chatty in the morning and race day nerves don’t help that so I spend the rest of the time yapping my poor husband’s ear off while he zones out and does whatever silent morning people do when they have chatty wives J

Once I am in the corral or by the starting line I start my playlist and always start with the very same song (A live version of Stay [Wasting Time] by Dave Matthew Band in Chicago 1998). There’s no real rhyme or reason to that except that it was the very first song on my random shuffle at my first road race. TRADITION!!!

What is your most favorite piece of running gear? I think it’s a tie between my iPhone, because I like to know my current pace and distance, and my compression socks, because they just make my legs and feet feel so much happier!

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your running? I am in the process of switching over to a gluten-free diet. It has less to do with running than it does with my Hypothyroidism. I take a regular multi-vitamin when I remember to but other than that, no additional supplements. I work hard to find good foods to help my body recover quicker from and perform better while running that also work for the rest of my family.

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running? When I started running, I was very fortunate to have a friend who was an endurance coach. She made sure I had as much knowledge as she could give me. I wish that I had listened more and paid attention much more closely. I also wish I had learned that rest days were important. It’s still something I struggle with.

What is your fondest running memory? I think my proudest running moment and my fondest are the same. Crossing the finish line of my first half marathon, with my husband by my side, I have never felt so accomplished, proud of myself, or so entirely carefree.

What is one thing that most people do not know about you? After struggling with some calf injuries and finding no relief anywhere else, I decided to run in Vibram Five Fingers exclusively for about 18 months. I loved them and only recently came back to a more traditional running shoe.