Road Runner Girl: Runner Spotlights #41

I hope everyone has had a great weekend! We got home late last night from our vacation! It feels good to be home! But oh the laundry lol!

It's time for another runner spotlight! If you are interested in being spotlighted on my blog please email me at mindy@roadrunnergirl.com. I would love to feature you! You don't have to have a blog to be spotlighted...you just have to be a runner! :-)

Today I am spotlighting Heather from Operation Determination! I've gotten to know Heather through the Weekly Chase! I'm so glad she links up with us! Plus she is a mom of boys like me! Keep reading to learn more about her!

Name: Heather Wellendorf

State: Wisconsin

When and why did you start running?

I started running in the Spring of 2010. I had just had my third baby in June 2009 and wanted to lose some weight. My dad quit smoking and started running in December of 2009 and amazed me in how great he was doing. I figured if my 50-something year old dad who had smoked most of my life could do it then I could too! I also had several friends that I was following on Facebook that were running and doing races and it sounded like something that I wanted to do. I had always been a walker so I just started to add spurts of running and built up from there. My husband and I signed up for our first 5k that was going to be in July and used that as motivation to push ourselves. Once we did that first race we were hooked!

What is your favorite race and race distance?

I love doing Half Marathons- It is long enough that it is a challenge and not everyone is willing to go for it but the training doesn’t totally consume me and interrupt my family life.

What is your race day routine?

I start by laying most of my running gear out the night before so I know if I am missing anything. The morning of the race I get up and eat something- usually oatmeal and drink a bottle of water. If I am traveling or staying with friends/family I may just have toast and a banana but I NEED to eat something! I get dressed and then I try to move around to “get things moving” if you know what I mean. :-) I like to head out to the race location early to find parking and get in line for the port-a-potties (sometimes multiple visits) and to give myself time to calm my nerves. I take lots of pictures so I always make sure to get a pre-race photo with whoever I am running with.

What is your most favorite piece of running gear?

I love my Saucony shoes! There are so many awesome running shoes out there and I have tried some of them and they just aren’t the same - I always go back to the comfort of Saucony. I also love my MotoActv watch. I am very type A and like to know my distance and time and like to keep track of all of my numbers so I can look back at them to see my progress.

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your running?

Not really! I try to make good choices and eat the best that I can. For the most part that happens but there are times that I slip. As a family we are working on moving in the direction of “clean eating”. We have made progress but we have a long way to go.

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running?

I wish I had known how much support was out there and how satisfying it would be. I have been able to meet and network with so many wonderful people that have health and fitness as a priority in their lives and it helps keep it as a priority in mine as well. I also wish I had known that I could inspire so many people in my life to start making healthy changes just by being an example to them.

What is your fondest running memory?

There are so many it is hard to pick! One of the top would have to be crossing the finish line of my first half marathon with my husband! We ran the whole race together and pushed each other when we needed to and supported each other when it was needed.

Completing and getting a PR in my second half marathon next to my husband ranks right up there too. I would also have to add running my first trail race (a half marathon) with my best friend and finishing beside her since she is much faster than me. I have even had some training runs that rank right up there. It is amazing to look back to when I first started running and it was a huge accomplishment to complete our “5K loop” or our “10K loop” or other various routes that we ran. But then to do a long training run and do all of the loops in one run is amazing to me! It gives me goose-bumps to reflect and realize how far we have come. I never want to forget that feeling because I remember when each of the loops themselves were tough!

What is one thing that most people do not know about you?

This is a tough one! I am very shy and it takes me a while to open up to people. I like to take time to observe and get a feel for others around me before you will see the true me come out. Once that happens and I feel comfortable with you there isn’t much you won’t know about me.