Runner Profile: Meet Kerrie

Kerrie is a lucky gal: she gets to run with that little cutie in the picture above (Hi T Junior!). Not only does she run while pushing a toddler/stroller/necessities, but she listens to Disney music and probably could sing every single line in any Disney Classic. You name it. Also, she's on day 121 with running! With a 10K under her belt, she's getting ready for the Seattle Half Marathon on Nov. 29th...and hopefully I'll get to meet this awesome chica in person. :)

1. What is your favorite stretch?
The calf stretch feels sooooo good.

2. Do you have any pre-race rituals?
I've only been in one race since my return to running, but I predict my ritual is going to have to do with long lines and Honey Buckets.

3. What motivates you to run?
When I got back into running in July, there were two motivating factors: continue to heal my herniated disc through exercise and to have a new adventure. These days, I rarely feel any back pain, which is a HUGE improvement considering I could barely walk in May. And, I'm definitely having my adventure. But now, I think my biggest motivation is having my blog to hold me accountable, plus all the encouragement and commiseration I receive from my "bloggy" and "real-life" friends and family.

4. When did you start running?
My interest in running started in junior high school. I caught the bug after a 6:54 mile in PE. I must've been having a good day because I would never, ever again be that fast -- not even in my cross country days in high school.

5. Running shoe of choice?
I'm still looking for the perfect shoe, but I like my New Balance 737s. In high school, I had to have my Nike Pegasus shoes.

6. Best advice received?
My cross country coach used to make us run holding potato chips in our fingers. The point was to keep our hands loose and not break the yummy, salted slices of junk food. Yeah, most of us ate the chips by the time we were done stretching. It worked, though, because I always think of that when I run, and it keeps my hands and arms relaxed.

7. What do you think about when running?
Mostly about what I'm going to write on my blog. I can't help it, I'm a writer.

8. What is something you cannot run without?
A hat or a headband -- something to keep my hair out of my face.

9. What race distance is your favorite?
This is something I hope to find out this year. I really liked the 10K and I'll be trying out 13.1 at the end of this month.

10. Most outrageous running story you've heard or experienced?
Well, I've heard (or read, rather) a lot of great stories on this blog and all of the other running blogs I read. But my recent encounter with a buck on the trail near my house got my heart rate up. I learned (afterward, of course), that holding up antler-like branches and making loud noises with your feet is the wrong thing to do... [I say: read about that encounter here]

Check out Kerrie's running adventures at Mom vs. Marathon