Medal Monday brings many stories of achievement for our members. Here are recent stories from the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics, as told by you, as posted on the Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics Facebook pages.
Nicole DeBord -(MM15101)- Not what most would consider doing when they think of a birthday gift to themselves, but it only seemed fitting when the stars aligned and I could knock out two states the same weekend. This is 43!
For those of you that have never run a marathon, I encourage you to consider it. At the very least, do something that makes you uncomfortable! For my running friends, I urge you to think about a back to back marathon-it will change you! Our bodies are stronger than minds think they are. Running these extreme type events has taught me so much about myself and I have grown an insane amount. Think about it…you might just fall in love with the process!
Edward W Broadnax Jr.(MM5931, DA908, HF9253)-Yes I ran/walk 26.2! Lincoln NB Marathon. Nearly did beat the 6hr time limit but did. Last weekend walk/ran a 50 miler and not I feel really good. So nice to see other crazies out there! Run on MMs!
Meredith VonBieberstein Neale(MM16132) – Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon was a VERY well supported race by the Lincoln Track Club and Lincoln locals. Back half not as much but still they showed up! Would recommend for Nebraska.
I wasn’t expecting much of a good result for myself at Lincoln this weekend. Training at the end just felt really weak compared to the previous 7 and I was worried about the weather. It definitely warmed up but apparently I was better trained than expected! Woohoo! #8✅
Maniacs and Fanatics at Flying Pig in Cincinnati
Randell Hansen(MM8508, DA2931, HF16161)- Medal Monday from Vancouver, BC. 🇨🇦🏅The 2025 BMO Vancouver Marathon is in the books with a net finish time of 3:19:01. Very good volunteers, plenty of aid stations, friendly spectators cheering me on when they saw my name. There was some hill climbing around the 10k area but downhill was of course nicer. The second half of the course was scenic with the mountains and English Bay in view, and going around Stanley Park for about 5 miles.
This was my 58th Marathon run overall with it being my 4th international Marathon, and let’s not forget the Marine Corps 50K last October.
I’d like to get back to sub 3:15 or even sub 3:10, so I’ll certainly be doing more speed work and strength training over the next few months.
Maniacs at the start of the Lincoln Marathon in Nebraska.
Maniacs at the start of the Tacoma City Marathon (early start)
Matt Adler(MM16055)– Marathon #17 in the books(2nd in 3weeks). Sue Moller’s 19th Half(5th this year).
Long Island Marathon Weekend.
Ronita Bland(MM12368, DA2131, HF8514)- Crossed the Boarder for the weekend to bring this Big Baby back home🥰
John Shangin(MM15948)- 2025 Flying Pig Marathon🐖🐽 is completed ✅️ State number #19 this morning! 4:25:54 .A very challenging course with lots of hills. my quads didn’t blow up and I never got muscle cramping. A little misty rain but nothing to complain about. This is a really well organized and directed race! Have a good Sunday Runday friends 😎🤘
Maniacs at the start of the Kalamazoo Marathon
Maniacs at the start of the Revel White Mountains
Stefanie Holliday(MM14386, DA3313, HF17442)- First race overcoming a severe case of COVID with High Altitude Pulmonary Edema because I live at 11,000 ft. On a mountain in Breckenridge, Colorado. Just weeks ago, I almost did not make it, and I was hospitalized twice. It’s amazing what our bodies will remember when we get back. A very slow half (2:43:19) taking it easy training again…but I’ll get there! I just so happy to be alive!!
Happy Trails Half-Marathon, Salt Lake City Area
Samuel Z. Lafaye(MM14775, DA3342, HF15562)- Completed my 4th World Marathon Majors Challenge, and my it was a hot one.
David Andrew Bayley(MM5089) – With fellow Maniacs in the pub 😎
11th London & 300th x 26.2 🦊
Julie Hirota(MM15755)- Medal Monday- just got home! Nashville was a tough one for me, state #10.
Sameer Khurana(MM13642, DA2835, HF15807)- Medal Monday – TCS London Marathon and my 5th WMM Star ⭐️
Danny Terpstra(HF18888)-I doesn’t count as Fanatic race; but it counts, because it was my first full #medalmonday
Katie Galvin(HF18478, DA3721, MM15882)-I completed the 22.4 mile challenge at the Long Island Marathon Weekend. A Friday Night Lights 5k that took you through the golf course and you were required to wear a head lamp. Of course my head lamp turned on prerace but died during the race 🤷♀️. The 10k was Saturday morning and it was perfect weather. The course had a ton of twists and turns but was completely in the Park. You got to run past a nice 9/11 memorial with a reflecting pool. I was supposed to do the challenge that included the full marathon but dropped to the half so I could try to make it to my school to coach a rugby game. It was great weather and a pretty flat course. Very generous time limit with the full going on. They had a festival going on with bands and food trucks throughout the whole weekend. I can definitely recommend for those looking for a challenge race weekend. I finished, made it to school before kickoff, and my boys won their game! A full but fun weekend! Half#55 for me!
Lisa Brookover Moore(HF9134)-Half marathon #98 completed at the Wisconsin Marathon and Half Marathon in Kenosha, WI on Saturday. Starting with the packet pickup at the Civil War Museum (a great little gem devoted to the people and veterans of the Civil War with artifacts and interactive displays) this was a fun event. A very scenic (and extremely windy) course on paved traffic controlled roadways through a nice downtown area and posh neighborhoods, and along the Lake Michigan lakefront required 1 loop for the half, 2 loops for the full. Water/Gatorade/Gu stops were about every 2-3 miles. Post race offered water, Gatorade, seltzer, bananas, granola bars and muffin bites. Race bibs included a ticket for a brat and beer at the nearby Kenosha Tap. Bling included a short sleeve tech T-shirt and a medal.
Amy Sea(HF18410, DA3652, MM15648)- There’s no stopping me after completing 50 states. This weekend was a double half marathon weekend with 2 huge races
Saturday was Half #175 Indy Mini in Indiana. This is a super cool race especially the 2.5 mile portion through the Indianapolis motor speedway. It is a huge race and very well organized. Lots of spectator support and very back of the pack friendly. We had excellent weather for this race. My only negative is the scenery other than the start/finish in downtown Indianapolis and the part on the motor speedway is kind of meh but there is a ton of musicians and other course entertainment to make up for it. The other race I did for Indiana was the Indianapolis Monumental Half which was also an excellent race. I’d easily recommend either for Indiana which one would depend on if you are more interested in the motor speedway (Indy Mini) or a tour of the city (Monumental)
Sunday was Half #176 Flying Pig Half in Cincinnati, Ohio. This is less than a 2 hour drive from Indianapolis so this makes an excellent double. This is another huge and well organized race with a fun theme. There is also a lot of spectator support but weather was kind of rainy today so I suspect there may be even more better weather years although this was definitely not the worst weather year for this race. The course is a very nice tour of the city and crosses the bridge to Kentucky which is cool. The big negative is the hills. There are some mean ones in the middle of the race. The medal at the end is adorable. I’ve done a few races in Ohio and this would definitely be my favorite though my favorite bling is still from the Pro-Football HOF half in Canton, OH. Overall this was a really fun weekend and I’d recommend both these races especially if you want a double
Half Fanatic photo at the SARR May the 4th be With You Half Marathon
Darlene Schuman (HF17507) #medalmonday. Halfs #147 and #148TopCity Half Marathon and Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon and also completed the Fly over challenge…God is good!
Charlene Mercer Board-(HF7024)- Anita Burns-(HF7613)- What a day we had, our hotel room was supposed to be a smoke free room but it clearly wasn’t. We inhaled cigarette smoke all night which clearly affected my run. The first quarter mile I didn’t think I was going to make it to the finish line🤦🏽♀️ I was hurting.
After about the first mile Anita Burns ( placed 3rd in her age group) could tell that I needed to run the Galloway style so she suggested I turn it on. We did a 90/30 cycle till about mile 8.5 then we switched to a 30/30 to the finish line. We finished in 2:42 so not too bad considering the heat and me being on the struggle bus 🚎
Now for the race, they had plenty of water/Gatorade stops but for the price we paid for the race we got ripped off with this bubble gum machine size medal. There is no weight to it either.
CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP
Then we were told that the people of ran the 5/10 K didn’t even get a medal. I don’t plan on doing this race again.
Neuse River Bridge Half Marathon is a
1 and done……….. ✔️
Half Fanatics # 7024
Half Marathon #129
Anita Burns
Half Fanatic # 7613
Half Marathon # 153
Gregory Rouson(HF8068, MM12723, DA2354)-Lifetime half marathon #244…DONE!!! The Run for the Wounded Half Marathon was NO JOKE! The uphills and inclines were punishing but I made up some time on the downhills. 👍🏾 #HF8068 #MM12723 #DA2354 #100halfmarathonsclub #bishopsevents
Fanatic/Maniac Photo at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
Tiffany TK(HF18768)-I want to send a huge thank you to Susan Green (HF14228, DA3008, MM13987) – for her support at the OKC Marathon. Not only was it the best stocked aid station of the race, but she had a sign available for me so we could take this picture.
I needed this moment. It’s been a rough road to 50.
This is what the running community is all about.
So, thank you Susan!!! You made my day!
Sue Lawlor(HF11482)– Rock n Roll Half Nashville (Lifetime Half #63). #medalmonday
Michelle Migneault Cox(HF17353) – This weekend I drove down to Oklahoma City and did the OKC Memorial half marathon.
What an experience.
I always tell everyone how awesome the Lincoln marathon (NE) is for crowd support and I think I finally found a race that tops it! There were neighborhoods everywhere with bacon pancakes donuts candy fruit mimosas beer shots Jell-O shots I mean it was crazy! There seemed to be aid stations every half mile(after the first 1.5) Some neighborhoods went all out with blow ups and a theme, one was gorilla hill with residents in gorilla costumes, one neighborhood did a Mario theme with decorations for a quarter mile! Music was everywhere so I didn’t need my headphones bc I couldn’t hear my music.
You get free entry into the memorial museum with your bib and there are many other great museums in the area. And OKC is just a nice friendly easy to get around city.
On race morning there was a memorial service at the survivor tree that everyone who went just loved. This is definitely a race everyone should do!
Jennifer Clark(HF16743, DA#3643, MM15623)- Medal Monday!!
Half #339 – Skyline Half, Dallas TX, 4/26/2025
and
Half #340 – Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, Oklahoma City OK, 4/27/2025
Both races were great! Oklahoma City Memorial was awesome!
Reviews to follow!
3 maniacs who found each other at the St Louis expo.
HF/MM photos at Mission County Park in San Antonio, Texas running the Siesta Half Marathon. 🥳
Sue Landa(MM15825, DA3705, HF10009) – Medal Monday for me (since I was doing a little BOS running last Monday:) I was not sure how BOS would go since I had a metatarsal stress fracture on my right foot and had been in the dreaded “BOOT” for 5 weeks. Was able to run a little bit 3 weeks before Boston. I decided my goals were to get to start and finish lines. At 75 (just turned 76 on April 23), those goals were realistic and could be accomplished. I just ran and let my feet and body crank out 26.2 miles. Much to my surprise, I finished under 5 hours and snagged a 3rd AG and a BQ! Who knew, right? I am grateful for the support of my running community. Thank you all for your big fives and support! #5thbos #75thenandnow76 #2025 #BQ #23rdmarathon
Photo and Post Credit Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics Facebook Pages and the individual members listed above.
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