Road Runner Girl: Runner Spotlights #57

Hey everyone! We are camping this weekend! We have been blessed with some gorgeous weather! I can't wait to tell you all about it this week!

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'd love to spotlight you! I'm running pretty low on spotlights so don't hesitate to email me!!! You don't have to have a blog to be spotlighted...you just have to be a runner! ;-)

Today I am spotlighting Kim from Fabulous Fit Foodie! She is an inspiration...I love her blog! Keep reading to learn more about her!

Name: Kim Estess

State: Ohio

When and why did you start running? I started out training for my first 5k while I was in college for a news magazine article about going from couch potato to 5k finisher. I was the editor of the magazine and it was my idea to do a piece like that—but I somehow ended up being the one to train and write it! I never thought that I was capable of running before that but I quickly learned that not only could I run, but I even enjoyed it!

What is your favorite race and race distance? Right now probably still a 5k but the half marathon is growing on me!

What is your race day routine? Wake up, eat something immediately to give myself time to digest, drink a little coffee if needed. Then go back and get dressed, usually check in on Facebook and Instagram for a little motivation and support, and then it’s go time! My favorite races are the ones I do with friends and in those instances I am able to meet up with them ahead of time. When we do races out of town (we've done a lot in Cincinnati this year) my best friend Stephanie and I like to get a hotel room the night before and go have a good dinner and relax!

What is your most favorite piece of running gear? My pink Garmin Forerunner!

Do you follow any diet or take any specific supplements that complement your running? I am just trying to focus on eating healthier foods that fuel my body and making sure that I get enough water! I often drink Nuun hydration the day of a run or sometimes the day before or earlier in the day before a long run. I’m currently following the Weight Watchers program to help me lose weight because I know that running will only get easier if I drop a few pounds!!

What do you wish you’d known when you first started running? That taking walk breaks is not a bad thing! I ran my first half marathon training to run the whole way and it was a miserable training experience and I felt very frustrated on race day when I hit hills and found myself needing to walk a lot, especially near the end. This time around, I am following the Jeff Galloway run/walk/run method and it has transformed my running. I don’t dread my long runs like I used to because they are no longer miserable. The brief walk breaks throughout the run give my body a chance to recover. I am following a method of running 3 minutes and then walking for 1. I do this from the get-go of a run and it has been fantastic. My mile time has decreased dramatically for both short distances and long ones because I am able to push myself to run faster on my run intervals knowing there is a walk break no more than 3 minutes away. Walking does not make you less of a runner!

What is your fondest running memory? I have two—either the feeling of success from crossing the finish line at my first half marathon last fall or the Turkey Trot last Thanksgiving. The Turkey Trot is my favorite race of the year, my mom and I ran the entire thing together, and it was absolutely perfect weather. What a great way to start Thanksgiving!

What is one thing that most people do not know about you? I met my husband online! We don’t usually go around broadcasting that (although I guess I am now) and most people just assume we met at law school since we both went to the same school. He was actually a class ahead of me in law school and we probably never would have met if it wasn't for Match.com!