Featured Club Member: Brenda Duckwall

Hi! My name is Brenda Duckwall HF# 14979, and I live in Collinsville, OK. I stay very busy between work, raising a teen son, taking care of our cattle, and somehow finding enough time to train and run races!
I started running in 2011 by attending a Couch to 5k program at my local running store, Runners World in Tulsa. They offer a free or low cost training program that meets at their store in town.
I wasn’t consistent at first and fell in and out of training cycles for years, but I always found my way back to running. Running has always been an escape for my mental sanity, and that of my family’s sanity too. IYKYK!
In 2014, I took the plunge and ran the Route 66 Half Marathon. I didn’t quite get the bug yet, but I continued to run this local race each year. Missing only those 2 years we were in a pandemic phase. However, this upcoming November, it will be my 10th time to run this race, just in time for their 20th anniversary!
I qualified for the Half Fanatics club in 2016 where I ran the Fleet Feet Half in Tulsa and 14 days later I headed to Memphis and ran the Great American River Run Half.
In Jan of 2020, I applied to be on Team Beef for the Oklahoma chapter. But I didn’t get to run any races for our team until 2022. Team Beef is a group of running athletes, who understand and believe in the nutritional benefits of lean beef and its vital role they play in day to day living and race training.
During the Route 66 race in 2023 my friend Katie, also fellow Half Fanatic, and I had this brilliant idea to run a half marathon in all 50 states. I tacked on the requirement to get my journey done by my 50th birthday. Am I Crazy? Ha.
Well, here I am at 25 Lifetime Half Marathons, and 8 states down;
Chasing 100 halfs and 50 states!
I have 3 more states planned for this year so far:
500 Festival Indy Mini
Kalamazoo Marathon
Madison Marathon
I would love to connect with fellow runners, and to hear about your favorite races to help with my planning. If you are ever in the Tulsa area, hit me up for local tips.
I’m found on Instagram at @Beefybbb
Here is a list of my races:
https://db.marathonmaniacs.com/Fanatics/MyRaces/14979

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