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.
Sheila Baratta Ware (HF4982) – Wicked fast, half marathon Livingston, Montana 💪🏽. Oh the scenery was so beautiful…. 8 miles of gravel to boot and them finished on the roadside 🤷🏽♂️ My 70th half and State number 38. 💚 #HF4982
Jacqueline Schreiver(HF17811) – Indiana Women’s Running Festival Half Marathon
Teresa Porter Hensley(HF15263) – Indiana Women’s Running Festival Half Marathon
Eileen Duchane(HF18413, DA3635, MM15593) – Marquette Half Marathon. They ran out of Half Marathon medals before I finished, but I was able to borrow one to get a picture for Medal Monday!
Amy Sea(HF18410, DA3652, MM15648) – Today I completed Half #188 Run 4 the River Half in Schenectady, NY. Overall a solid, low budget race with $50 registration fee. The race is point to point and slightly net downhill but mostly flat with the occasional incline but no true hills. The race is mostly on a paved trail and has some nice scenery of the river. Production is fine for the price of the race but there are only 4 aid stations and they just have water. Medal is nice for the price but you have to pay extra for the race shirts. It’s a nice race and would recommend if you live close by. There are more iconic NY races but it’s not a bad choice if it works well with your schedule and can be doubled or even tripled with Swanzey Covered Bridges Half in NH on Sunday and/or New Haven Road Race in CT on Monday. But I have other plans this weekend so it’s just one half marathon for me.
Gavin Anderson(HF14007) – I signed up for the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon before my mom’s passing, hoping she’d be there to cheer me across the finish line. Instead, I ran the race in the morning, and played the bagpipes at her funeral in the afternoon. Mom ran her race well! #medalmonday
Robert Manon(HF3646, DA431. MM6700) – One Love Half Marathon and the California Dreamin Half Marathon. These were my 645th and 646th Lifetime Half Marathons.
Meet Club Member: Tina from Alaska
Tina “Luvs-Torun” Lam (HF16109, MM15672, DA3665) from Anchorage, AK
I was never a runner. I remember running in 5th grade and in junior high, doing a few cross country races, but I finished in last place. Running was not fun. A college friend was running the 50 states, which I thought was crazy and another friend started to train for her first marathon. I started running to lose weight. In 2008, I ran my first half marathon, the Mayor’s half; my 2nd half marathon, Anchorage Runfest Half (previously Skinny Raven half is my PR for a half marathon (2:17:53); and ran my first full marathon, the Honolulu Marathon. I was very proud to finish the marathon because my friends and family were surprised that anyone would willingly choose to run 26.2 miles/42.2 km. I was training to get faster, but ended up having plantar’s fasciitis in 2010 and did not run for a few years because it was too painful. I was still running a couple races a year, but it all changed in 2017. I was in Austin for a conference and saw on the news that they were having the Austin half/full marathon that weekend. I had been training for the Rock n Roll Dallas half marathon, which was the next month. It was the first time that I went to a race expo and registered for a race the next day. After running in Austin, Dallas, and San Francisco, a friend informed me that I qualified to join Half Fanatics from running 3 half marathons in 90 days.
In 2021, I ran the Equinox Marathon and Kenai River Marathon on back to back weekends and finally became a Marathon Maniac. I never thought that would be possible, but I always dreamed of becoming a Double Agent because it sounded cool! Anything is possible as long as you set your mind to do it.
In 2023, I went to the Marathon Maniacs 20th year reunion and ran 3 races in Tacoma City that weekend. Great reunion and met up with more Marathon Maniacs in the running family. Shortly after that reunion, I became the Alaska Ambassador for Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics. I am very involved in the local running community. I am in the Anchorage Running Club and volunteer on the Anchorage RunFest race committee doing their social media. I am in the Raven Run Club, volunteer with Team RWB Anchorage as the Athletic Director, on the Gold Nugget Triathlon race committee, and in the 100 Half Marathon Club.
I run to stay active and healthy. Running is a stress reliever. I enjoy going on “runcations”, seeing new places, meeting other runners, and finally decided to combine my love of travel to run in all 50 states, running either a half or full marathon. I have run in 36 states, 86 half marathons, 16 full marathons, and numerous other races, including 5ks, 10ks, my first sprint triathlon in 2018.
One of my runner friends calls me “Miss Alaska.” At races, I introduce myself as, “I am Tina from Alaska.” I am known for taking pictures, taking selfies, dressing up for races, smiling, and having fun at races. Thank you for the opportunity to share my runner’s story. I hope to continue to inspire others to run. I am a runner!
Before hitting the starting line, we always try to snap a ‘Family Photo’ when possible. The Marathon Maniac and Half Fanatic running family—spotted at races nationwide—grabbed a few quick group shots ahead of the Anchorage RunFest in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 18, 2025.
Meet Club Member: Patty Bishop(HF12118) –
Running the World: One Finish Line at a Time
Some people run to chase a personal best. Others run to chase a dream. I run to chase the world.
What started as a simple passion has become a lifelong adventure. Over the years, I’ve crossed more finish lines than I ever imagined — more than 235 half marathons, a handful of full marathons, from the highest half marathon in the world on Mount Everest to the lowest at the Dead Sea, and even a Half-Ironman. But the numbers alone don’t capture it. For me, running has never been only about races. It’s been about the journey — one that has carried me through every U.S. state, every Canadian province, and across all seven continents, yes, even Antarctica.
From the sunbaked streets of Arizona to the snow-dusted trails of Canada, from the ancient cobblestone lanes of Europe to the red clay roads of Africa, each starting line has been like a passport stamp. Every finish line, a door swung open. Running has given me the chance to experience the world in a way no tour bus or guidebook ever could — on foot, side by side with strangers who, somewhere between mile one and mile thirteen, often become friends.
Every course has its own personality. There’s the electric roar of a big-city marathon, the hush of a trail winding through the rainforest, the thin air that burns your lungs on Himalayan slopes, and the sharp bite of Antarctic wind as you run past towering glaciers. Sometimes the course greets you with perfect conditions; other times, it tests you with heat, rain, or altitude. I’ve run through pounding rainstorms that soaked my shoes within the first mile, desert courses where each step kicked up dust, and frosty mornings where my breath rose like steam against a pale dawn. Each race reminds me that running is more than exercise; it’s an invitation to see the world differently.
The Everest trek was the most grueling of them all. Getting to base camp was a challenge before the race even began — days of hiking at high altitude where every step felt heavier than the last. My companion on the trek became violently ill with food poisoning, and there were moments when I wondered if we’d make it to the start line at all. But slowly, one careful step at a time, she pushed through. By the time we reached base camp, battered but determined, we both knew this was about more than finishing a race. It was about proving to ourselves that resilience carries you farther than speed ever could. Crossing that finish line with the Himalayas towering around us remains one of the proudest and most humbling experiences of my life.
And while the places are unforgettable, it’s the people who leave the deepest mark. I’ve met runners whose grit inspires me to dig deeper, volunteers who hand out water with a smile that feels like fuel, and locals who offer a high-five, a cheer, or sometimes just a nod that says, “You belong here.” I’ve stood at starting lines with nervous strangers who became lifelong friends by the finish. I’ve seen runners dressed in costumes that brought joy to entire crowds, and I’ve shared post-race meals where laughter erased the barriers of language. The bling, beer, and celebrations are fun, but it’s the human connections that linger long after the soreness fades away.
Running has also taught me resilience. Not every race goes as planned. Flights get delayed, luggage goes missing, blisters appear at the worst possible mile, and sometimes the weather simply refuses to cooperate. But those setbacks have become part of the story. I’ve learned to laugh at the mishaps — the wrong turn on an unfamiliar trail, the hotel mix-up before an early morning start, or the time I boarded a plane still stiff from a finish line just hours before. Each hiccup has turned into a story worth retelling, a reminder that the unexpected is often where the magic hides.
I like to say, “Run the mile you’re in and race your pace.” For me, the point was never just to run. The point was to live fully along the way — to say yes to lacing up, to embrace the detours, the travel mishaps that turn into the best stories, and the unforgettable moments that only come when you put yourself out there: on the course, in the crowd, and in the world.
Somewhere along the way, I realized the miles had added up to something bigger: proof that adventure isn’t reserved for the lucky few. It’s built, step by step, one decision at a time. You start with a single race… then another… and one day you look back and see that you’ve run across states, provinces, and oceans — and into a deeper understanding of yourself.
Now, as I get older, I run a little slower. And I’m okay with that. I like to think the party is at the back of the pack anyway with fireball in my pocket at times — where the music is louder, the jokes are funnier, and the finish line feels just as sweet. Back there, the miles are savored, not rushed. You notice the scenery more, you talk to fellow runners longer, and you learn that the joy of the journey has never been about speed.
Running has given me so much more than medals or miles. It has given me confidence, resilience, friendships, and memories that span the globe. It has taught me that the world is both vast and intimate — that you can be thousands of miles from home, yet find community with a group of strangers all chasing the same finish line.
Maybe that’s the real secret: running doesn’t just take you to new places. It takes you deeper into the life you were meant to live.
Charlene Board(HF7024) – Pro Hall of Fame Half Marathon Weekend #135
What a quick weekend I had, I did a turn and burn to Canton, Ohio to run in The Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon and Relay Team “4 The Ring” So about that!
I flew out of Myrtle Beach and arrived in Columbus, then drove to Canton which was a nice calming ride. I picked up some food and headed to the hotel.
I plugged up the phone/watch/earbuds to only have the Holy Spirit wake me up at 3:45 AM to everything being dead except I had a little bit of juice on the watch. Needless to say I jumped up and got dressed because I had no idea where I was going. “What did we do before cell phones bing everything to us?”
The rental car I had was new so it didn’t have the regular “old” charging port so I was at the gas station by 4 AM to purchase a the new style charger. I got to the parking lot of the race and sat inside the car for a hour charging everything. (I’ve never been that early to a race, it’s just not in me to get there early to stand around. Ask Anita Burns 
Anyways.
I met up with Randy Riley and got my bibs on and then we ran together for the first 7.5 miles at a wonderful 12.20 pace, the starting temp was 67 and it really never got hot, After that I picked up the pace just a little. Of course the Ring Medals are what keeps me going back for that race. It’s always just a beautiful medal. This time I ended up with two, one for the half and one for being on Randy’s Relay Team. I got to meet some of his friends and after the race I headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Museum. If you are into football it’s really a nice museum to visit.
Then I headed back to the airport to make it back home. The flights were very nice and although it was a quick turn and burn, it was a really nice trip/run.
Laurie Weiner(HF9266, DA3668, MM15681) – Today I finished the Football HOF race series with the half marathon. My friend Randy Riley and I played leap frog most of the race. This was a tough course, but it helped with training for a few hilly half marathons I have coming up next month. Run to You Racing puts on well organized races and I want to thank them for all the races they put on during the year! This race started out on a high school track, ran through some neighborhoods, right past Football HOF, into downtown Canton, Ohio which showcased many footfall icons around town, back to President McKinley monument and down Stadium park to the finish.
I was running 27/30 intervals and about mile 7 all of a sudden a picked a few runners in a group that started running my intervals. I was an unofficial pacer. I finished with a runner from Arkansas, who was the last one to keep up with the pace. About mile 11 we lost most of the runners that had joined us for a few miles.
The hills really challenged my knee replacement and it held up great. My legs were toast at the end though as this was the fastest I have run a half marathon since my knee replacement.
I loved the out and back portions of the course as I got to cheer for friends along the way! Now to rest up for my next race in 2 weeks!
Great to meet fellow Fanatic Charlene Mercer Board today.#medalmonday
Casey Theresa(HF18860) – Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon (#20 for me)
Lisa Mathews Duszynski (HF427) , Noah Duszynski,(HF11745) – Half fanatics #427 and #11745 at Tacoma Narrows Half.
Sue Stevens(HF8593, DA3452, MM12891) – Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon on Saturday. Bonus 3rd in AG ribbon.
Nice and local for today’s Redmond Harvest Half Marathon. Good running weather and lots of friends out on the course 🙂
Gina Forestieri(HF18136, DA3808, MM16172) – Managed 2 half races while visiting my daughter in Washington….tacoma narrows half and iron horse half.. it was sunny and hot here.. no where near AZ heat though
Tahira Bland(HF18830) – Lifetime Overall Half Marathon #68 is in the books.
Santa Rosa Half Marathon
Karen A Flynn(MM4024, DA158, HF1043) – Dan Delino(MM4049, DA161, HF1058) –
Karen- This was the 30th anniversary of my 1st half marathon which was on this course on 08/20/95, my 22nd time running this race and 218th lifetime half marathon!
Randy Riley(HF16432, DA3218, MM14470) – Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon, Relay and 6K weekend. Saturday started with a 6k. At the finishline I got a photo with Hall of Fame member Alan Faneca. I’ve never considered myself a tiny person but look at me beside Alan.
Sunday I did the half marathon and 1st leg of the relay. Charlene Mercer Board who I ran with last weekend in Georgia flew in to run the Half Marathon and got drafted into our relay team “4 the Ring.” The rest of the team was made up of Bernie and Tyler Vacca who started training months ago just to earn their ring medal. To the Half Marathoners out there this ring medal is worth a trip to Canton, OH.
Also running both races was Rizza Salvoro Durbin who is training for an Ultra Marathon. Also Half Fanatic Laurie Weiner did both races. Great to see these ladies.
The race includes free admission to the Hall of Fame. Donna is standing by the bust of Randy Gradishar who she has known since since she was little.
Age group 3rd in 6k, 2nd in Half. Half Fanatics 100 Half Marathons Club #medalmonday HF 16432, MM 14470, DA 3218. Thanks to Run to You Racing for a great series. They always produce great races!
Stefanie McKinney-Holliday(MM14386, DA3313. HF17742) – After 6 months of dealing with Long COVID and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema combined living at 11,000’ elevation, I finally stepped back up to the plate after several training half-marathons in my Colorado home.
Anchorage RunFest 49k Ultra proved to be one of my better Ultras by far!! I ran with the course I felt was as smooth as butter (I actually like hills, used to them every day where I live).
I ran 6:21 for almost 31 miles and placed 3rd in division!! I certainly did not anticipate that!
Anchorage RunFest-I highly recommend-beautiful path, amazing race crew and volunteers, well-supported! Thankful for running friends like Tina Torun Teresa Clark Vincent for shared times together during the trip and being together on this race!! 🏃🏻♀️
Lynne Kilirnr(MM12242, DA2065, HF13434)- Sydney marathon is in the books. Tough race for me, but i got ‘er done!
Barely another sub 6. I fought so hard for that.
More details later.
Ed Childress- (MM10428, DA1019, HF9881) – Sydney Marathon
Tina “Luvs-Torun” Lam (HF16109, MM15672, DA3665)– Epic race day! Actually, so sunny and hot for us. 54F at the start, but it got up to 66F! Which doesn’t that warm, but we are closer to the sun! Best weather in the last 20 years of this race, they said. Last year, it ended windy and raining! I beat my goal time and the 3 hour pacer! Very long day- got out there at 7:10am and left at 3:25pm, right before the race ended at 3:30pm. I saw my friend crush their 1st Ultra 49k. My cellphone hit 0% and died. It was at 8% when I finished and I tried to charge it with a battery pack, but it still died! 86th half marathon and tons of photos/videos and stories to share! Ultra race day at Anchorage RunFest! Plus I think I got a tan too!
Olivia Medina(MM7842) – Day 1 of the Labor Day Triple was a success! The race kicked off at 5 a.m. on an out-and-back trail looped 12 times, with rubber bands used to track laps. I made plenty of stops and even zoned out for most of it but overall had a lot of fun and felt strong throughout.
Pickle juice turned out to be a game-changer—I found myself craving it mid-run and loved the boost it gave. Running with the pack also highlighted a weakness: I’ll need to build more upper body strength, as carrying the pack became tedious after the first 10 miles.
My new Salomon Speedcross 6s felt supportive and comfortable, though I did notice a warm spot that might turn into a blister tomorrow. I kept the pack light today, focusing mainly on how it would affect my stride, but tomorrow I plan to add more weight and dial in hydration by sipping water every 10 minutes.
It was a laid-back course with plenty of first-timers, which made the atmosphere fun and relaxed. The repetitive loops gave me space to clear my head, a perfect way to start the weekend challenge. Now time for rest and on to Day 2.
Marathon 2 of the Labor Day Triple Completed! Today I tried to max the mileage before the sunrise. Sweat fluctuations were intense-drenched one minute then completely dry the next. I did well with hydration but was in leg pain from mile 18 onward. The best part of this race series has been running with an amazing field – there are runners out there who have hundreds of marathons even thousand under their belt. I introduced myself to Liz and Kevin on the turnaround – two amazing and inspiring runners. Now resting wondering if I have what it takes to run a third marathon tomorrow. TBD #marathonmaniacs #labordaytriple #hshive
Labor Day Triple – Marathon #3 I felt surprisingly strong today. I ditched the pack, switched into my road shoes, and carried nothing but my phone and car key. Hydration was on point, and the cheers from fellow runners kept me going. This race was fueled by pickles, pickle juice, water, and a splash of Fanta.
Over the weekend, I met some incredible runners and pushed the limits of what I thought I was capable. Three marathons in three days is now my new streak, and I’m already looking forward to training for five in a row.
Florida Marathons 4 of 38
Happy Labor Day, friends-Don’t work too hard!
Mark Hudspeth(MM14065) – Ran Marathon # 228 today (Labor day) at the Labor Day Triple in Winter Park Florida. Bettie Wales directed another excellent series. Many thanks to Bettie, Jim and the volunteers for a great race and taking care of us in the extreme heat.
Thanks to Brittany Klemt, for driving me and getting me to the start line all 3 days and supporting me all weekend.
Tripp (12) did 2 5K’s, a half marathon plus extra miles just for fun. He was also a big help all weekend.
Liam (9) did his first 5K. He did a great job.
All of us were up before 4am all 3 days. Im very proud of the boys for being excellent all weekend!
Now for a long drive home to get these young ones to school in the morning.
Prayers requested for safe travels.
Scott Pearson(HF18577)– I know many folks think I have lost my marbles over the years. But I can assure you that hat I have not. I have a whole jar with 42 marbles to prove it. This weekend I participated in a race called Blood run at good earth farm. It is a timed race where you have 24 hours to run the course as many times as you can. It is a1.5 mile loop around the perimeter of the farm. The 24 hour race started at noon Saturday and would end at noon Sunday. There are also other times available. 36, 12, 6, and 3. I met up with some friends for the race weekend . Travis Knobbe Sara Eischeid Knobbe Sean Satterfield and Jeff Walls My goal was to hit 50 miles. Seemed reasonable 2 miles every hour. The weather was almost perfect for a running weekend. Things were going well into the wee hours of Sunday morning and it looked like I was going to easily hit the 50 miles. I was running with my friend Sara and she said you know 100k is not that much further. This close in this weather when will we have another opportunity. Well she had done some maths and I cyphered as well. It would be tight in the time we had left but doable. So we decided to go for it. We ran together for most of the rest of the race, first to finish 50 miles then to go for 62 miles. We knew it was going to likely hurt and it did. But we are both pretty stubborn and keep pushing. Her husband Travis help pave us towards the end. But we ended up hitting the 42 required loops with just 20 minutes to spare. This is something I am never on my life though that I would do. Run 100k. But then I never thought I would do a half marathon. Who knows what you can do when you set big goals and have friends to help you along the way.
Photo and Post Credit Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics; Facebook Pages, Instagram Pages, threads pages and the individual members listed above.
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