Friday Spotlight: Jennifer1911
[Notice: I will be unreachable after this post is up and for the following days due to leaving town for a race. I'll see everyone late Sunday/early Monday. Have a good weekend everyone!]
Greetings Spotlight lovers! I've been waiting for a long time to get to interview today's featured athlete because she's been such a frequent help around this sub and a pleasure to interact with. Her knowledge and vibe resonate with me and hopefully with you as well. She's often seen bouncing around from comment to comment being helpful and positive and an overall cool chick! Let's get ready to learn about our friend and fellow runner u/Jennifer1911.
Let's roll!
###The Runner:
First Name?
Jenn
Age?
39 (OLD!)
Where are you from?
Waukesha, WI
Occupation?
Attorney
###The Running Q&A's:
What are your PR’s?
5K: 25:24
Half Marathon: 2:04
Full Marathon: 4:55
50K: 7:15 (But it was filled with HARDSHIPS).
How long have you been running?
4 years actually, but I have been taking things seriously for just over a year now. In February, 2015 I randomly ran a mile under nine minutes for the first time ever and wondered whether I could actually improve my speeds instead of just trotting around slowly for various distances. And then I discovered this sub.
Briefly explain why you began running?
I started Couch to 5K when I was 33 because I was having weird problems with my knees. Like, I was struggling to stand up. I was on the very high end of a good weight range, but I was just out of shape. My son was just 6 months old at that time and I decided I wasn't going to be the mom that sat at the park watching her kid play - I was going to be the mom that was playing tag with her kid. I downloaded the C25K app and haven't looked back.
Most memorable running moment?
It is hard to choose just one. I got to run with Rob Krar and Dean Karnazes at some events at the local North Face store. Watching the sun rise on the horizon by the Milwaukee Art Museum was an experience I won't forget. Spending six hours running around a track in some unforgiving heat and humidity was another unforgettable experience.
Do you have a running mantra?
It is really dumb, but "Take it to the bridge." It is written on the back of the race shirts for the Summerfest Rock N'Sole half marathon because runners get to run across the Hoan Bridge , which usually restricts foot traffic. I liked it so I stuck it in my head, and now it is my mantra (whether I have a bridge to take it to or not).
What’s your highest recorded weekly mileage?
In the low fifties. I'm a low-mileage girl.
What time of day do you prefer to run?
I want to see the sun rise while I run.
Any big races coming up?
Yes. Oh, yes. Eisenbahn Marathon in April, the Ice Age 50 Mile in May, a local obstacle race on a ski hill in June, the Summerfest Rock N' Sole half marathon in June, and a 50K called the Hot, Hairy, Hilly which, oddly, features tiaras and crowns for the winners. And in September I'm going back to the track, this time for 12 hours. The race is right after my 40th birthday, so that's my birthday present to myself. And I'm pacing the 5:30 group for the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon in October. And I probably forgot a few - I like racing.
What are your short-term running goals?
I want to hit a 7:30 mile, just once. My best is 7:50 so far. And I will get my sub-2 half marathon this year.
What are your long-term running goals?
I want 8:45 as my comfortable pace. I also want to hit a 4:30 marathon.
What’s one piece of running advice you’d give to the younger version of yourself?
Start sooner. Don't stop. Don't give up.
What is something you need to work on to become a better runner?
Speed. I mean, my marathon PR is 4:55. That's ridiculous - I run way too many miles for that to be my best effort. So I have to figure out what's up and fix it.
What is your current shoe choice?
Hokas, but I just ordered some Altra Lone Peaks.
What’s your comfy pace?
9:45 - 11:00, depending on the distance.
Trail? Road? Or Treadmill?
Or track. Generally I prefer trail, but there are times I love running at the Pettit's indoor track, there are times that the road is nice, and there are times when I just want to zone out and watch trashy TV while on the treadmill.
What is your ideal running weather?
Fifty degrees. Partly cloudy. Slight breeze. And a gentle, warm rain for the last mile or so.
Do you have any social media accounts you’d like to share?
Me on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/3765338
###Just for Fun:
What’s your spirit animal?
Gonzo from the Muppet Show. I'm not sure what he is, and for some reason that really speaks to me. Unless he's a mosquito because fuck mosquitos, they suck.
What hobbies and interests do you have besides running?
I write books that may or may not ever be published. I have a steampunk murder mystery complete that I'm currently shopping around, as well as a middle grade (middle school age) adventure novel. I also love Crossfit, camping, geocaching, and homesteading stuff (canning, gardening, raising chickens, etc).
Do you have any hidden talents?
No. I'm pretty low on talents and I make sure that what few I do have I tell everyone about.
Biggest pet peeve?
When people sell themselves short. "I could never do that." But have you tried? You have to try before you have the right to declare yourself incapable.
Favorite Quote or Poem?
I have a whole pile of poems that I love. The two that come to mind are The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Howl by Allen Ginsberg.
What songs have you been listening to recently?
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats' album is great from start to finish. Bowie's last album, Blackstar, is also on my regular rotation. When I run I love listening to the soundtrack for Into The Wild.
What are some of your favorite non-running subreddits?
/r/Crossfit, r/XXFitness, r/Retrogaming, r/Legaladvice, r/Trailrunning, r/Writing, r/Screenwriting, and r/UnsolvedMysteries.
###One Final Question:
What is the origin of your username?
My name is Jennifer. The M1911 is a handgun designed by John Moses Browning. A Kimber Custom Eclipse 1911 was the first gun I ever purchased. So, Jennifer1911.
There it is people! Jennifer1911 spilled her guts and gave us even more reasons why we should admire her. I know I learned a lot by interviewing her and I can't wait to see what sort of questions you guys come up with to ask her. As usual, please tag u/jennifer1911's username when personally asking her a question in this thread! Also, if I see that you've failed to tag her after asking her a question, I'll try my best to respond to your question by tagging her myself. So be aware. Tagging Jennifer1911's username alerts her that her attention is needed. This way, she doesn't have to sift through all of the comments one by one, which can be a daunting task when there is a lot of traffic to the thread. Please don't forget that all of our Friday Spotlight athletes may need time to respond to your comments and questions so give them some time to reply. I had fun getting to know a bit more about a sub frequenter and I hope everyone else did too.
####Thanks for reading!!!
Previously Featured Spotlight Runners:
ATTENTION READERS!
I've been getting messages weekly from a lot of people asking to be featured in the Friday Spotlight Thread. My response to them is the same every time. I do not get to personally choose who is chosen for each thread. With exception to Palindrome27 (which I randomly chose to get this started), every runner thus far has been selected by the person before them. It's one of the perks of getting nominated. There is no list of names. No spreadsheet with columns and columns of usernames. Nothing. So for those confused, users like Philpips was chosen by Despoena. Despoena was chosen by Craigster38. So on and so on. You get the idea. Doing it this way eliminates the hassle of having to personally pick someone every week. This keeps me neutral. Some of you have expressed your opinion (via PM) on who's been featured this far claiming that I have only chosen runners who are fast, have been running for a while, or compete in longer distance races. This is simply luck of the draw. There is zero favoritism here. Each featured runner gets to personally pick someone they find interesting. I apply no pressure to the runners to pick a particular skill level of runner. This is the beauty of the process. If you want to be featured, you can up your chances of being chosen by being an active member of the subreddit. Comment as much as possible. Submit quality content. Provide as much as you can as a runner to help keep this community growing and I'm certain your efforts will not go unnoticed. Just keep tuning in and making friends and eventually it'll pay off if you want to be featured. Thank you.
Posted Apr 8, 2016, 11:13 AM UTC · edited