click to enlarge!
Sara is one of those nifty runners I met through Twitter. She’s passionate about her family and about her running, and like everyone I’ve met in this project, she’s pretty darn nice. Even more fun is that after doing her portrait, I got to photograph her family a few weeks later! 🙂
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+How old are you? How long have you been running? I am 35 years old. I have been running for a little more than 3 years.
+Why do you run? I started running after my son was born as a way to get back into shape. It quickly became an addiction. It is my time away, my space. Sometimes I love to be competitive and push myself and move beyond what I thought was possible. Sometimes, I just enjoy the solitude and quiet of an early morning on the trail. Running is my thinking time, and when I run with my “running besties”, it is my time to catch up with friends.
+What is the hardest part of running for you? Finding the time to run is a challenge sometimes with my hectic family and school schedules. I try very hard to not let running disrupt my family time, so I often hit the road well before anyone else in my house is awake so I can get home in time to be with them.
+Do you do other sports/athletics? I enjoy strength training, especially with free weights and the medicine ball. I find that this type of training helps me be a better runner. I also enjoy biking with my family. I have even tossed around the idea of taking a swim class so I can keep up with my daughter, who is an excellent swimmer.
+What sort of distances do you run, and which do you like best? I run anything and everything from 5k’s to 50k’s. I did my first two 50k’s in 2013 and they were both equally amazing and challenging. My favorite distance is the half marathon, because it feels just long enough but not too long to race, but I also really loved running a 50k on trails. It takes a lot of time but it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors.
+What motivates you to run? Food! I love to eat! But also, my family motivates me. I want to set a good example for my kids by showing the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle. I want to be the best mom I can be, and being active helps me stay physically and mentally healthy. It makes me a better mom.
+Do you find that time of day makes a difference in how well you run? If so, what kind of difference? What time of day do you run? What time would you prefer? I am definitely an early morning runner. I like to wake up, put my running clothes on, and go. I find that if I have to wait until the middle of the day or later, my motivation to run disappears. Running early in the morning gets my day started off on the right foot (pun intended) and it gives me energy to deal with the rest of my day. I also feel like by running in the morning, I steal the best part of the day. I start as early as 5:00am in the summer, but now that it’s dark out early in the morning, I usually go no earlier than 5:30am.
+What is your favorite post-run snack? Chocolate milk and peanut butter sandwich. Also, beer.
+What part of Milwaukee do you find most enjoyable to run in, and why? I love the Oak Leaf Trail along the lakefront. One of my favorite routes is the loop from South Shore Park to Grant Park and back. The terrain and scenery changes so much and it’s very pretty.