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.
Mihaela Mann(HF4295, DA832, MM9616) -& Jules Mann(HF4294, DA475, MM3509) – Medal Monday!
Firecracker Triple -3 half marathons in 3 days done. We enjoyed every minute of it 😊
Mannetta Piggee(HF17093) – Half #66 completed safely. Temperatures started in the low 70’s but was up to 93 by the time I finished. Slow and steady got me a 1st place podium spot in my age group. 😁
Amy Sea(HF18410, DA3652, MM15648) – It was a hot one but today I completed Half #182 Freedom Half in Washington, DC with Bishop’s Events. This was my 4th half in DC and 3rd on this course with Bishop’s Events. It’s a nice, flat out and back on the C&O towpath. Bishop’s Events half’s are a bit smaller and not the fanciest but they are a really nice company that raises money for charity and always puts on solid events so I like to support them when I visit the DC area. They are a back of the pack friendly company. They now have a 3:15 time limit but you can ask for an early start a few weeks in advance if you need it. I’ve been faster so didn’t need to do the early start today but I’ve done it in the past when I was slower. I definitely recommend them if you are looking for an alternative to RnR for DC
Meet Half Fanatic 18919 Aman Jindal!
Prologue:
“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get!” My running journey has been a sheer series of accidents. Last October, as part of my MBA at Yale, I visited the Philippines for an exchange program, where I met an Aussie (who would later play a pivotal role in my journey).
The Sowing:
Oct 24, 2024: Two weeks later when I return, a friend takes me to Yale’s gymnasium for the first time. Now, I am not the kind of guy, you associate with a gym. My friend advises me to just walk on the treadmill for 20 mins. I was scared to fiddle with any controls and walked at bare minimum speeds.
It didn’t feel so bad! So, I decided to go the next day as well. Again, 20 mins repeat. On the fourth day, I felt dizzy. But I kept going and I just sat in the gym and came back. Two weeks later, I realised that my capacity was increasing, and I could increase the treadmill’s speed!
The Reaping:
By Jan 2025: I was walking/jogging/running on the tread for 60 minutes everyday. Now in the gym, when you do an hour of tread, you can’t help but observe what other folks are doing. I slowly started doing rowing/cycling/cable machines/weights – a few minutes of each as part of my routine.
Mar 2025: My Aussie friend is now in US (on an exchange program at NYU) and is shocked to see my transformation. He was a runner himself and had registered for the Brooklyn Half on Apr 26! He starts prodding me to register for it. But I had done only five miles on the tread. How was I supposed to do a 13.1, and that too on a road?
The Harvest:
Apr 2025: After much internal debate, I register for the Brooklyn Half. As I registered, I saw that there is a smaller 10-mile run on Apr 13, that can help me figure out if I have the legs to go the distance. I registered and to my utter surprise, I was able to do it.
Emboldened, I registered for a half-marathon next weekend in Quakertown, PA. That day was one of the toughest days of my life. I somehow completed it, but after the race, I vomited my guts out! I barely managed to get back home. But the sense of satisfaction was unmistakable, and I wanted to try again.
Epilogue:
May 2025: I registered for other half-marathons around the country: and each time I did one, I learnt more about my body, mind, emotions, and recovery. By May end, I could do two on consecutive days – one of the most beautiful feelings in my life. I ended up doing six in nine days!
I graduated on May 19th and my job is going to start soon. I don’t know if I can run half-marathons with my work. Else, I will run to my office and back! Fingers crossed. Aman’s Race History HERE<< Instagram @aman_jindal08
Meet Nikki Carden(MM16161) – From 5K to 50 Miles: A Mother’s Journey to Boston
I started running for two reasons: to lose weight and to keep up with my husband, Travis, who had already fallen in love with the sport. At first, it was tough—finding the time, building the discipline, and believing I could actually enjoy it. But something shifted after my first 5K in Fargo. I felt a spark. That finish line lit a fire in me I didn’t know I had.
Since then, running has become more than just a way to stay in shape—it’s become a part of who I am. I’ve now completed races of all distances, from local 10Ks to an unforgettable 50-mile ultramarathon. Each one has tested me in new ways, physically and mentally. But nothing compares to the everyday challenge of being a mom of two and still finding time to train. Early mornings, squeezing in runs after bedtime, or lacing up right after I drop the kids off at practice—I’ve learned to fit training into the cracks of a busy life.
Through all the miles, what keeps me going is the idea that my kids are watching. I want them to see that setting big goals and chasing them—even when it’s hard—is worth it.
Now, I’m chasing my biggest goal yet: qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I’ll be toeing the line at the St. George Marathon this October, hoping my training, grit, and years of running experience will come together on race day.
Running has changed my body, my mindset, and my confidence. It started as a way to lose weight, but it’s given me strength I never expected. And with every mile, I’m not just running toward the finish line—I’m running toward the best version of myself.
You can follow my journey on Instagram at @nikki.carden
Brenda Folkerts(MM15695, DA3674. HF18068) – Glacier Half Marathon
Half Marathon #91
State #10
One of the harder half marathons I’ve done! Beautiful course, but not great logistics with getting to the start line and the large amount of time standing around in the cold with no shelter. Found lots of new friends to huddle together with.
Christopher Riff Browning(MM16116) – Missoula Montana. This one was for the Diehl family. Steve-Kristi Diehl Zachary Diehl and Colter. We were friends with them growing up in Columbia. I have good memories of hanging out with them at church and at the baseball fields. My favorite memory though is when we went out west while they were living in Montana. Ever since then I have always wanted to go back.
Missoula marathon has now moved to the number 1 spot. Everything from the scenic views to the people in general. We started off with a crisp 44 degree temperature. The start of the race is through big open pastures that push into the Clark River. There was a pretty decent hill around mile 14 but the views made it worth it. The crowd support was great in the back half of the course. The finish is right on the river downtown. What do you do when you finish a marathon in Montana? You go hike the M trail near the University of Montana. It took me a little bit to go up the 600 feet but the views made it worth it.
You can’t go to Montana without fishing. My guide ran the half earlier in the morning. My guide said we would be fishing 5-10 PM Fun fact, it doesnt get dark until 10:30 PM I told my guide Trevor there’s 3 things I was looking for. First, no pressure. The float trip alone was worth it. Catching fish was just a bonus. Second, it’s been awhile since I fly fished so give me some pointers. We started off going over a couple things and we were off. Within minutes we were catching. It was a dream catching them on dry flies. Several times you could see the cutthroat/rainbow rise and take the fly. The third thing that I asked for was for a picture. The last picture is a combination of yesterday and around 30 years ago fishing the Montana rivers. I’m exhausted but it was all worth it. One day I’ll be back! Next stop is SLC in July.
Steve Walters(MM338, DA9, HF21) – While in Sunriver for the weekend, I relived the old Pacific Crest course. Brings back memories of the decade plus of running this loop that made me a marathoner twenty years ago.
Karen Murray Anderson(MM8075, DA576, HF5492) – is with Glen Anderson(MM2674)
What a ride! After all the ups and downs, we finally finished our next rounds of the 50 States at a small but mighty event in Stratford, CT with a 50K in the books with Roosevelt Forest Ultras
A huge shoutout to Glen Anderson, the youngest man ever to complete 10 rounds of running a marathon in every state! 🏅 And no one has done it in a decade—what an incredible milestone! The last person to finish 10 rounds was in 2015. I am the 2nd female to be listed as a certified finisher for the 7th round.
Here’s to pushing limits and achieving the extraordinary!
Jun Ulama(MM12617) – Utah, the Beehive State, is in the books for state no. 49, round 4! ✅
As always, a really tough finish for this turtle runner! Rolling hills all through out; hot temperature; and over 5,000 ft. of elevation – Morgan Valley marathon proved to be such a challenging race!
marathon/ultra #25 ytd, #286 total
Lea Reyes(HF16015, DA2891, MM13731) – Yep. Definitely a maniac.
So I did a thing and signed up for a 30K last minute. Whiting Ranch Trail races in Trabuco Canyon expecting 3200 elevation gain. I was on the waiting list and was accepted and knew it was going to be a hot day but OMG. This race was wide open to the sun with minimal cover. Those hills were so steep and brutal in 85° weather. I had to pull out my hiking polls at mile five. Race started at 8 o’clock and it was already 75°. It was nice to see We Rock Orange County out there training for their next marathon. Those kids are amazing. I made sure to hydrate and take my carbs every 20 minutes and fueled continuously. Aid stations were absolutely amazing and they had plenty of food and ice to go around which I kept a bag of it in my shirt keeping my chest cool. Drank the cold water occasionally and poured it on my head. The volunteers also gave you an ice cold sponge right over the head and neck, which felt awesome. I love it how you start hearing the cowbells and the cheers as they see you running down the hill towards the aid station. They are always cheering you on from a far distance. At one point I was climbing a steep hill with four other women and we threw out some F bombs. One lady said, “this is some bull shit” and we all laughed and powwowed up the hill. Today was definitely a mental game for me. I had no problems with my legs or energy, no blisters on the feet, but that heat was a definite challenge. I hate running in the heat, but I did it anyways. Thank God for my hiking poles cause I probably would’ve been crawling up the hills. It was so damn hot.
Looking forward to running with the ABWR crew in the coming weeks. I’ve missed quite a few of the races because of travel but excited to see the gang.
Just remember. Unless you get uncomfortable and feel a little pain you’ll never progress. So keep plugging along doing what you love and push yourself just a little more.
Happy running!
Alexis Davidson(MM926) – Walked the Midnight Sun Marathon last night. 44-41F windchill with moderate winds that decreased as the race progressed. Started at 8:30pm, so temps went down also. Went with two layers top and bottom and was so glad I did. Course was a 32K out/back across the Tromsø Bridge and onto the mainland. Then a 10K outback in Tromso. K markers were reversed. The bridge was built for cruise ships and had a huge climb. The whole race had rolling hills that added up to 751 Ft elevation gain as per Strava. The race was very scenic and reminded me of my Faroe Islands marathon.
Race had a 5:30 time limit. I’ve been hurt recently and I was unsure if I would even finish. The strategy was a positive split. Went out fast and really hit the bridge hard. Half sub 2:38. Slowed down a lot after the first turn around and just focused on getting back to the bridge. I had several 8 minute+ kilometers between 35 and 40K. But I did speed up on the final 2. Sub 5:27 and very happy with it.
Lawrence Allie(MM16034) – Finished the Rio Marathon 🇧🇷
If you zoom into the medal, I got the Christ the Redeemer monument in the medal opening.
Scott Pearson(HF18577) – State number 23 today at Devils tower. I had thought the race was run to devils tower not up devils tower. The first 9 miles were in the monument and it seemed like most of those miles were uphill. My Garmin said a bit over 800 feet of climbing. That being said the course was just at beautiful as we ran in the hills below the tower. It was a trail race so most of the miles were on trails, gravel or dirt roads. The weather ended up being almost perfect. I know most folks are suffering through a heat wave but we started the day at about 52 and ended it at about 54.
E Del Favero(MM11749, DA2901, HF16046) – Medal Monday
Strawberry Fields Forever Ultra in North Bonneville WA. Beautiful course along the Columbia River. Nice cool, misty weather.
Finished round 8 x 50 states and my 600th marathon/ultra. Deb finished her 97th marathon/ultra.— with Debbie Del Favero.(MM16104, DA3782, HF18611)
Ietta Parrott(MM15646) – Marathon #52 and State #42 complete !
Running through a major thunderstorm ⛈️ was definitely not in the cards but I’m happy to say I am marked safe !! Really great seeing friends from #50statemarathonclub and #marathonmaniacs see you at my next marathon
Heather Zeigler(MM3086) – I had a blast running the Grandma’s marathon!!! It was especially great to see so many friends!!! I ❤️ Grandma’s!!! #grandmasmarathon #marathonmaniacs #50statesmarathonclub
Karin Evans(MM7466) – Marathon # 1️⃣0️⃣8️⃣
Minnesota # 3️⃣2️⃣
Grandma’s # 1️⃣8️⃣
In the 18 years that I’ve done this race, I’ve never seen so many runners turn to walking at mile 5. Physically, I felt strong until the bitter end, but the heat & humidity took a serious toll on me at mile 3. 🥵
It was wonderful to connect with SO many friends during the race. 🩷
A special thank you to all the wishes I received today. 🫶
Get it done, Evans! I did 👊
Race pics to come…
Runner Mike Hk(MM3337) – Gold Coast Australia
Sandi Googs(HF9218) – I’ve been visiting Frankenmuth, MI since I was younger than Charlie. I’ve had on my bucket list to run the Volkslaufe Half Marathon for years—probably since I took up running. Well it was the 50th Annual Volkslaufe this year so we packed up the car and headed North for the week. After crossing the finish line I officially have a repeat state and Lifetime Half #168!!!
Lynne Kilirnr(MM12242, DA2065, HF13464) – Maratona do Rio ✅
Hot and humid 🥲
Meet Lea Reyes(HF16015, DA2891, MM13731) – San Jose RNR Half with her, and I laughed, considering I was never a runner or thought about becoming one. I believe my exact words were, “Girl, I don’t run!” She knew I was going through a traumatic domestic violence marriage and was planning to escape my nightmare of a relationship. I was drowning myself in alcoholic happy hours, day and night, battling a silent depression.
I was up for the challenge, considering athleticism had always been a part of my life—but I knew I had to stop drinking. How hard could this be? So I thought. We trained for two months, and I thought to myself, This sucks. Never again. It wasn’t until I got through the sweat, the sickness of barfing along the way, the tears, and crossing the finish line that I found my calling to help me through my troubles.
I was sore for two weeks and could barely walk. From then on, daily running became a part of my life. I ran one or two half and full marathons a year, but it wasn’t until the 2017 SF Marathon, when I saw a woman wearing a pink Marathon Maniacs jacket that reminded me of the movie Grease and the Pink Ladies, that I had to have it. I submitted my races and became a Maniac, Fanatic, and Double Agent.
I continued to sign up for half and full marathons year-round. It’s what I look forward to every weekend—to keep me grounded, healthy, strong, and smiling. I am grateful for the running community—the Maniacs, ABWR, and the friends I have made along the way who keep me going. I’m the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been because of running.
The travel, the beauty of different cities, the running stories of others, being out in nature, and the friends I see for 26 miles or more while on my feet—it’s the best. The accomplishment of crossing the finish line, with sheds of tears before, during, and after the race, is worth it. Because in the end, I smile and look forward to the next one.
Now, at the age of 51, the half and full marathons have gotten me to where I am today—with hundreds of completed races and beautiful medals on my walls. The Ultras, 50 States, 100 Marathon, and Seven Continents Clubs will take me on a run around the world. I’m looking forward to the continued challenges, one step at a time, enjoying every minute—conquering the roads and trails every chance I get.
Thank you to the running community for helping me change my life. See you on the course—and please give a shout-out. I love to meet new people.
Melanie Byrum Holder(HF18336) – Tulsa Galloway getting hills done!!!
Samuel Z. Lafaye(HF15562, DA3342, MM14775)- Completed state #37 (Missoula, Montana), and my 89th half marathon.
Edward W Broadnax Jr.(HF9253, DA908, MM59631) – Had a blast today at the Stars & Strips Half Marathon in Homegrown IL! Very nice course and many runners here today!
Stefanie Holliday(HF17442, DA3313, MM14386) – When I count half-marathons, today was #60. Slacker Half-Marathon, Georgetown, CO – “The highest downhill half in the country”. Today was one of my two faves in halfsies-of course my top favorites are in my home-state of Colorado—slaying the altitude (running 10,880’ to 8400’) running 13.1 miles (trust me, you suck wind-no matter the acclimation of living here) and enjoying the beauty. My little granddaughters, Ivory and Rosalie, ran with me the last half mile and across the finish line. AND I got to share the course with two fellow Half Fanatics Llyod Gracia and Mary! There is nothing more special than that!!! ❤️❤️ I had to stop for pictures everywhere! 💕🏃🏽♀️⛰️
Robert Manon(HF3646, DA431, MM6700) – Good Vibes Half Marathon completed this morning. It was my 632nd Lifetime Half Marathon. I arrived early for the packet pickup but unfortunately dealing with some stomach issues and started the race just over a minute from the gun start. It was okay, though. CaliFlow Runs has chip timing for their races, and I didn’t have to worry about my official time going off of their gun start. About halfway through the race, my stomach was bothering me again, I just wanted to hurry up and finish. I ended up with a sub 2 when it was done. That’s good enough for me. Time to rest and repeat tomorrow.
Maureen Hart Jasso(HF18718) – Medal Monday – Gary Bjorklund Half/ Grandma’s Marathon Weekend in Duluth MN. Highly recommend! 👍
Monique Hilton Jacobs(HF18143) –Medal Monday:
Bay of Fundy International Marathon half marathon! A great and welcoming race in a beautiful setting in two countries. Not to be missed! The course includes Lubec, Maine’s rural and town roads, the International Bridge, lighthouses, Campobello Island and a trail section on carriage roads. The event includes a half, full and 10k. So happy they brought it back after a break since 2019!
Damien McKeown(HF18731) – Alaska, State #33. Excellent running weather for the Anchorage Mayors Half Marathon.
Photo and Post Credit Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics Facebook Pages and the individual members listed above.
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