2010 Bimblers Bluff 50K

State #43; Marathon #46

~Race RunDown

~Race Ratings 4.2/5.0

2010 Spinx Run Fest ~ Marathon

State #44; Marathon #47

 ~Race Run-down

~Race Ratings  4.2/5.0

2010 Marshall University Marathon

~State: Repeat; Marathon #48

~Race RUNdown 

~Post-Race Thoughts

~Race Ratings 4.2/5.0

2009 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon

~State #9; Marathon #11

~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts

~Race Ratings 4.8/5.0

2010 Philadelphia Marathon 
~State: Repeat; Marathon #49
~Post Race Thoughts
....Race Ratings comings soon!

2009 Erie Marathon at Prasque Isle
~State #14; Marathon #16
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts and Race Ratings 3.8/4.0

Posts that Make you Go "OOOH"

I'm often asked questions that I've already answered in an older post, so I'm grouping some of these together to make the site a little easier to navigate. 
Race Ratings... All races are listed in the Race Ratings page found here. 
Boston Marathon...
~Coach's Corner Posts: Here
~My First BQ (Post Race/Training Thoughts) Here.
Training Tips...
~Elevation: Here.
~Speed:
... Last week weeks before race: Here
... For Marathons: Here.
... Making a BQ Here.
~Ultra Schedule (WS100): Here
~Fueling on Long Runs: Here.
~Back to Back Marathons (Recovery & Gearing up) Here.
Strength Training...
~Weekly Strength Training Exercises: Here.* 
~Knee Strengthening: Here and Here,
~CrossFit! Here.
~Football-Inspired Workouts Here.
Shoes, Clothing, and other Running Goodies...
~Nike Free's (5.0 and 7.0) Here.
~Running Wish List 2010 Here.
~Sony Walkman Here. 
Popular Posts...

~"Boston! My 50th State!" Here. Recounting the best day of my running career.
~"Hangover Half" Here. A pithy recap of a hungover half marathon and tips on how to survive a marathon drunk/hungover.

~"The Dark Side of the Princess Half" Here. Funny stories from the Princess Half Marathon... Stephanie gets called a B**** and "Older" when doing extra mileage. 

~2011 Running Goals: Here. Everything from pace and number of races to total mileage and showing race directors some love. 

~"Best Marathon Medals of 2010" Here and "Best Marathon Medals of 2009" Here. 

~"Runners' Christmas Wish List" Here. A list of my favorite running gadgets, clothing, shoes, etc. for 2010

~"Run to Win" Here. A Call to all runner to push themselves to strive for quality marathons, not quantity. Warning: Very controversial. 

~"My First 50-Miler" Here. Post-Race thoughts on my first 50-Miler... the Dawg Gone Long 50-Miler.

~"Things that Make you Go "EW" Marathon Edition" Here. Another pithy observation of the things that make runners... well pretty gross! 

Marathons by Race (State #)

Marathon Run-Downs, Thoughts, Reviews & More...

2010 Dallas White Rock Marathon #45

2010 Philadelphia Marathon (Repeat)

2010 Marshall University Marathon (Repeat)

2010 Spinx Run Fest Marathon #44

2010 Bimblers Bluff 50K #43

2010 Detroit Free Press Marathon #42

Chicago Marathon  -October 10, 2010 (#41-IL)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 3.7/5.0


Omaha Marathon - September  26, 2010 (#40 - NE)
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.4/5.0


Mesa Falls Marathon -August 28, 2010 (#39 - ID)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.5/5.0


Humpy's Classic Marathon (Big Wild Runs) - August 14, 2010 (#38 - AK) 
~Day 1 and Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 3.9/5.0


HURL 50K - August 7, 2010 (#37 - MT)
Race RUNdown
Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 3.7/5.0


University of Okoboji Marathon - July 17, 2010 (#36 - IA)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 3.0/5.0


Dawg Gone Long 50 Mile Race (my first 50-miler!!) Note: Repeat State - OH
~Gear up T-3 Days
~Gear up T-2 Days
~Gear up T-1 Days and Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts


Foot Traffic Flatt Marathon - July 4, 2010 (#35- OR)
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts (back 2 back BQ's!)
~Race Ratings 3.9/5.0


Seattle Rock'n'Roll Marathon - June 26, 2010 (#34- WA)
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Sony (sponsor) Product Test and Review... Seattle Marathon!
~Race Ratings 4.0/5.0


Wyoming Marathon -May 30, 2010 (#33- WY)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 2.9/5.0


Sheels Fargo Marathon -May 22, 2010 (#32- ND)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.1/5.0


Delaware Marathon -May 16, 2010 (#31- DE)
~Pre-Race Thoughts
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.8/5.0


Mizuno Free State Trail Marathon and Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon  Double
- April 24th and 25th (#29 KS and #30 OK)
~Race RUNdown
~KS Post-Race Thoughts and More
~OK Post-Race Thoughts
~KS Race Ratings 4.5/5.0


GO! St. Louis Marathon -April 11, 2010 (#28-MO)
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.6/5.0


Ocean Drive Marathon -March 28, 2010 (#27-NJ)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 2.7/5.0


Bataan Memorial Death March - March 21, 2010 (#26-NM)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.9/5.0


Little Rock Marathon -March 7, 2010 (#25-AR)
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.9/5.0


HMRRC Winter Marathon  -February 21, 2010 (#24-NY)
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings 4.2/5.0


Mississippi Blues Marathon & First Light Marathon Double (#22-MS & #23-AL):
~Race(S) RUNdown
~Post Race(S) Thoughts
~MS Race Ratings 4.8/5.0
~AL Race Ratings 3.1/5.0


Northern Central Trails Marathon- November 28, 2009 (#21-MD)
Rating: 2.9/5.0
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings


RI 6-Hour Ultra - November 15, 2009 (#20-RI)
Rating: 4.9/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings


OBX Marathon- November 8, 2009 (#19-NC)
Rating: 4.8/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings


Louisville Marathon - October 18, 2009 (#18- KY)
Rating: 2.5/5.0
~Race Ratings


NH/ME Double ~ Post-Race Thoughts
Peak Performane Maine Marathon - October 4, 2009 (Part 2 of Double-#17 ME)
Rating: 3.8/5.0
~Race Ratings
New Hampshire Marathon - October 3, 2009 (Part 1 of Double- #16-NH)
Rating: 4.0/5.0
~Race Ratings


Boulder Backroads Marathon - September 20, 1009 (#15-CO)
Rating: 3.4/5.0
~Post Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings

2009 Erie Marathon at Prasque Isle

Park City Marathon - August 22, 2009 (#13-UT)
Rating: 3.0/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings



Leading Ladies Marathon - August 16, 2009 (#12- SD)
Rating: 4.3/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings


The San Francsisco Marathon - July 26, 2009 (#11- CA)
Rating: 2.8/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post Race Thoughts
~Race Ratings

 2009 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon







Dances with Dirt- Devil's Lake Marathon- July 11, 2009 (#10-WI)
Rating: 4.2/5.0
~Race RUNdown
~Post-Race Thoughts
~Race Video Footage!!!
~Race Ratings & Results





















Sunburst Marathon- June 6, 2009 (#8-IN)
Rating: 3.0/5.0
~Training for the Race
~Post Race Thoughts & Race Rating


Vermont City Marathon- May 24, 2009 (#7-VT)
Rating: 4.5/5.0
~Training for the Race
~Post Race Thoughts
~Steph's Race Ratings


Flying Pig Marathon (MB) and Half-Marathon (Stephanie)
~Post-Race Throughts and MB's Ratings...


Nashville Country Music Marathon- April 25, 2009 (#6-TN)
Rating: 3.2/5.0
~Training for the Race
~Post Race Thoughts
~Steph's Race Ratings


Xenia Half Marathon- April 5, 2009


ING Georgia Marathon- March 29, 2009 (#5)
Rating: 4.1/5.0
~Training for the Race
~Post Race Thoughts
~Steph's Race Ratings


Mercedes Marathon (Did not Run)
~Training for the Race


Walt Disney World Marathon- January 11, 2009 (#4)
Rating: 4.5/5.0
~Training for the Race
~Training II: Jax Galloway
~Post Race Thoughts
~Steph's Post Race Ratings


Flying Pig Marathon
~ May 3, 2008 (#2b... OH)
Cincinnati, OH
~Results


Marine Corp Marathon
~October 28, 2007 (#3)
Quantico, VA
~Results


US Air Force Marathon
~September 15, 2007 (#2)
Dayton, OH
~Results


New Las Vegas Marathon
~ December 10, 2006 (#1 State)
*Is now the "Rock N Roll Las Vegas Marathon"
Las Vegas, NV
~Results


2005 Athens Marathon
~ November 3, 2005 (#1 Marathon)
Athens, Greece
~Results

Welcome to my Blog!!!

Running 50 Marathons in 50 States by Boston 2011!

In an attempt to stay on task, I created a blog to track as I made my way through a marathon in all 50 states. There is, in fact, a "club" for this sort of crazy endeavor. The 50 States Marathon Club!

STATE-us...

Challenge... COMPLETE!!! I have finished 62 Marathons in 50 States + D.C. (Listed on the right menu). I have repeated a few states and my first marathon was in Athens, Greece-- although I tried to pass it as a "City-State," I don't think they would approve. 


What's Next?
I'm training to take on Western States 100 this June (2011) as well as repeating some of my non sub-4:00 marathons in hopes to make the 50-sub 4 club!

Where is All Began... 

I started distance running in the 3rd grade-- completing my first 5K through the guidance and encouragement of "Coach C" alongside with another couple dozen 3rd and 4th grade girls. Each year Mr. C would get a few girls to train for the Freihoffers Run for Women 5K in Albany NY.

In 7th grade - 9th I ran XC and track for my high school... Columbia High School in East Greenbush, making varsity in the 7th grade. I got a little bored with running year round and ventured off into other sports starting with Lacrosse (which I went to college to play), then Field Hockey  and eventually in college (Union College) switching to Rugby where I dumped LaX and played through school and eventually onto the women's team in Cincinnati. Which I would later dump for to circle back to running and start my life of extreme marathoning!

Marathoning....

In college I continued to run to keep in shape, but never going further than a few 10-15K's and one less than stellar attempt at a New Years Day half marathon while still drunk less than fully prepared.

I majored in Economics, but was a little ahead of myself in credits, so I opted to pick up a minor-- classical history. With this minor we were encouraged to take a class or term abroad... to Athens, Greece (go ahead... twist my arm). The summer prior to going abroad, I found out there would be a marathon (THE marathon) taking place while I was there and I started straining. With the help of MB--who had done a few marathons by this point-- and a training schedule I found online, I started training alone with no idea what I was getting myself into.

I would complete my first marathon in Athens, Greece in 4:06:45! This was 2005! In 2006 I would follow it up with the New Las Vegas Marathon... running with MB (and almost killing each other). In 2007, having graduated college and moved to Cincinnati, I ran 2 more (both in Ohio). Finally in 2008 I was pretty involved with rugby and running very little. But the Flying Pig Marathon came and I couldn't say no... completing the race with pretty much 0 training (woops).

Mega Marathoning!
Leading up to 2009 I moved to Jacksonville, FL for work (on a 6-month role) and trained for the Disney Marathon in January. Once I did that I decided to pick up another in March (ING Georgia), then another in April-- the most I had done in a year, let alone a few months. Then... it was all downhill.

I decided it was time to go after the 50-states. I knew it was something I wanted to do from the first time I finished a marathon... I just never had the time or motivation. Once I started picking up on my races, Pete (a fellow Cinci Galloway runner) asked me if it were possible to be the youngest female? Well I looked into it and found out it was. This was what started pushing the pace of my races even more. I mapped out a plan and realized that I COULD be the youngest... but better yet, IF I could qualify for Boston (which was a big 'IF' at the time) and I kept completing racees at a fast pace... I could FINISH at the Boston Marathon... in about 2 years!

Since starting this blog, the youngest female record has been made, and will very likely be smashed again within a few months. I've kept on pace because the first goal is to finish the 50, the second goal is to stay on task and complete them all by Boston! Fortunately I was finally able to make Boston in March of 2010 and have done so again 4 times in the year. I'll finish about 30 marathons and ultras this year (repeating couple of states) and a few more in 2011 to (hopefully) finish my goal! 

What can you find in this blog?...
~Tips/Tricks on Training, Distance Running, Recovery, Marathon Club/group information, etc
~Marathon Race Ratings/Reviews from Stephanie and Friends (Race Rating link in top bar)
~What is SURE to be a great story!


*NOTE!: As of June 2, 2009 all marathon race #'s have been changed to reflect the # of states completed rather than the number of marathons completed